Tonight on ABC the glitz and the glitter returns to the ballroom as Dancing With The Stars returns with an all-new Monday, October 3, 2016, season 23 episode 4 and we have your Dancing With The Stars recap below! On tonight’s DWTS Season 23 episode 4 Each couple will perform a dance inspired by a Cirque du Soleil show, while Cirque du Soleil acrobats, aerialists, dancers and fire stick performers perform alongside them.
Did you watch last week’s DWTS season 23 premiere episode where the 12 celebs were pitted against each other in a quest to keep themselves immune from elimination? If you missed the episode we have a full and detailed Dancing With The Stars recap of last week, right here!
On tonight’s DWTS episode as per the ABC synopsis, “One of the biggest shows “Dancing with the Stars” has ever put on will unfold on the ballroom floor, as the 11 remaining celebrities perform big spectacle dances for Cirque du Soleil® night.”
Make sure to bookmark this spot and come back from 8PM – 9PM ET for our live coverage of the Dancing With The Stars Season 23 episode 4. While you wait for our recap make sure to head over and check out all our DWTS recap, spoilers, news & videos, right here!
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
It’s Cirque Du Soleil night tonight on Dancing With The Stars – and if the opening dance is any indication, DWTS fans in for a treat! Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews take the stage – Tom promises that we are set for a thrilling night of competition like we have never seen before, packed full of aerial acts. Sadly Len Goodman is not on the judge’s panel tonight, he is in England and working on “Strictly Come Dancing.” Before we get to the dancing tonight, Tom Bergeron reveals that tomorrow night will be a double elimination night.
Calvin Johnson and Lindsay take the stage first and are dancing the Charleston. Afterwards, the judges share their critiques. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: Well hello twinkle toes! I mean literally, you guys were so light on your feet and that is exactly what the Charleston is about. You guys completely nailed that! Welcome to the show ladies and gentlemen! So good, so gorgeous! There were sometimes I would have liked to see a little bit more energy at the end, over all what a great way to open the night. Bruno Tonioli:
Bruno Tonioli: Calvin, the showman with super powers! You were tossing her in the air like she was a pancake. Hopefully, you aren’t scared of heights. Your performance level has changed so much. Sometimes you need to watch those flicks, you have to have his feet a little more tense. Carrie Ann Inaba:
Carrie Ann Inaba: There were a lot of lifts tonight, but since it was Cirque Du Soleil I am going to let them go tonight. But, it was the way you came out of every lift that was gorgeous, it was really fantastic, your footwork was fantastic, everything about that was FUN!
Scores: Carrie Ann: 8 Bruno: 7 Julianne: 8 Total: 23/30
Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick and her pro partner Artem. They are dancing the Argentine Tango to Cirque Du Doleil’s “Mystere.” After their performance, the DWTS judges give their critiques. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: I really have no more notes because these two made those notes clear with the footwork. What I am going to say was that package was probably hard for you to listen to. Embrace those struggles and lean on your partner and trust him because he is turning you into a great dancer.
Bruno Tonioli: Oh Maureen, you turned into a 1920’s movie queen! Your intents and purpose was so on, yes Gloria Desmond you are back. Your lines were so good! The figures were unbelievable. I’m telling you, you were on it tonight. You were on it.
Carrie Ann Inaba: I was actually a bit worried about you because you are a bit demure. The drums and the red bird were very intense, yet you maintained the focus of all of us because you had such an incredible connection to Artem. I felt like you were living in another world and that is what is great about you. Bruno is right, you could have had a little more intensity in your footwork, but everything about that was dreamy, well done.
Scores: Carrie Ann: 8 Bruno: 8 Julianne: 8 Total: 24/30
Country singer Jana Kramer is up next with her pro partner Gleb, they dance the Foxtrot for the Dancing With The Stars judges, to the Cirque Du Soleil song “The Beatles” – afterwards the judges weigh in on their performance. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: I really want to see you guys break out of the middle. I think that one thing I find in each style of dance is what Carrie Ann was saying, I want you work on spotting and kind of get that figured out up top.
Bruno Tonioli: I am still bathing in after-glow. Seriously, there is one thing I have to say, you did some amazing and fluid underarm passes that were absolutely stunning. When you do very very fast moves and you stop, don’t let the tensions rise, do the fast moves and down – there you go.
Carrie Ann Inaba: I love the choreography, very well done. Jana you have the incredible ability to express yourself so beautifully and there is so much going on. But every once in a while you come out of it and you look a little lost. But, that’s just a tiny critique I want to make because you are so wonderful.
Scores Carrie Ann: 8 Bruno: 8 Julianne: 7 Total: 23/30
Marilu Henner and Derek Hough are up next, they dance the Paso Doble to the Cirque Du Soleil song “Battlefield.” After their performance, the DWTS judges sound off with their critiques. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: Talk about using the whole stage, the essence of “Ka,” that was beautifully done. The creativity was out of this world. You’re so interesting, you hit it very sharply but I feel like you are in your head. I want you to think less and feel more. You know what I mean, though? I feel like you are trying to get it right so much that you are a little bit stiff, so just relax and enjoy.
Bruno Tonioli: Maureen, you were really under attack from all fronts, it was like stopping the four horsemen. I tell you that was a very hard and difficult routine, when you are Derek and you have that kind of performer with you, you have to embrace it. When you are left alone on the stage, somehow the energy drops – that is when you have to own it more.
Carrie Ann Inaba: Okay I sense so much ambition with you and you want to get it right. You have everything it takes to do extraordinarily well, you are fit, agile, you have incredible grace and you move beautifully. What is having is that you are trying to force the dance next to Derek instead of with Derek. Lose like 30 % of that intensity and let him in and something will merge beautifully.
Scores Carrie Ann: 7 Bruno: 7 Julianne: 7 Total: 21/30
Amber Rose and Maks Chmerkovskiy are up next, tonight they are dancing the Argentine Tango to the Cirque Du Soleil song “Zoomanity.” After their steamy performance, it’s time for the judges to weigh in. It will be interesting to see what Julianne Hough has to say after Amber Rose accused her of bullying her last week.
Julianne Hough: I would like to say one thing, the thing that I love about dance is that it is a universal platform for people to express themselves, regardless of their age, height, body shape, ethnicity, it is something that people can express themselves. As I judge on this show I am here to judge you and everyone else for only the dancing. Thank you so much, this to me is your essence, all of those wigs and costumes, this was authentically you and you delivered that, you gave me the energy I wanted to see.
Bruno Tonioli: Presentation beautiful, taste hot, content plenty of it. I would have plenty more of that dish, I tell you that.
Carrie Ann Inaba: People think this is just a dance competition, but it’s so much more than that, it really is what you just experienced – it’s about embracing all of you through dance. You are incredible. It was such a pleasure to watch you be you and blow us away.
Scores Carrie Ann: 8 Bruno: 8 Julianne: 8 Total: 24/30
Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke take the DWTS stage next, they are dancing the Viennese Waltz, inspired by the Cirque Du Soleil show “Oh.” After their dance, the judges share their thoughts on the performance.
Julianne Hough: Cheryl that was the perfect way to integrate that with Cirque Du Soleil, the creative was stunning and the music was gorgeous. I have to agree, I can tell you are really taking the notes and trying really hard and we appreciate that. You are on the right track and keep it up. This was a great dance.
Bruno Tonioli: When you have the elements perfectly balanced, you create perfect harmony. Dancing is the same, you were really dancing tonight. The amount of content you produced is more than you have ever had, your top frame was much better, you had a wonderful connection with Cheryl. It was your best performance to date, you should be proud.
Carrie Ann Inaba: Ryan you have been steady this whole way, but tonight I definitely saw improvement. This is the direction we want to keep going in, I want you to start to express yourself. I want you to go exactly, like this is life, bring it to the dance floor.
Scores Carrie Ann: 7 Bruno: 8 Julianne: 7 Total: 22/30
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Allison are up next, they are dancing the Tango inspired by the Cirque Du Soleil show “The Beetles.” Kenny and Allison hit the stage and dance to “Come Together.”
Julianne Hough: You know what I love though, you have a smile on your face. Yes, it was not your best dance tonight, but you can still come back next week and show us why you are still in this competition.
Bruno Tonioli: It was like watching Poltergeist! You know, ‘Stay to the left, stay to the right, don’t lose the step!’ You know the furies got you tonight, it will be better next week.
Carrie Ann Inaba: There’s a comment I want to give you. If you come back next week, I want to see you a little stronger. I think you are only putting not quite enough energy to make some of those moves stick, I just want it harder and stronger and more definite.
Scores: Carrie Ann: 6 Bruno: 6 Julianne: 6 Total: 18/30
Terra Jole and her pro partner Sasha take the DWTS stage next and dance a fiery Cirque Du Soleil inspired Samba, when they are finished the judges share their thoughts on the performance. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: You are so freaking sexy it is not even funny! When you come out, you make everyone else feel free, you inspire us. You need to give yourself a break and start thinking that you are a dancer, because you are!
Bruno Tonioli: Terra you light my fire! She was going like a mental woman and that is what it is all about. Samba is the ultimate party dance but you put some difficult steps in there, you missed a couple of passes but I praise you for even attempting it.
Carrie Ann Inaba: You are in a league of your own. Samba is one of the hardest dances ever and you killed it. When you dance, you change the energy of the room, I love it – just one more time!
SCORES: Carrie Ann: 9 Bruno: 8 Julianne: 8 Total: 25/30
Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy are up next. They are dancing a super fun Jazz, inspired by the Cirque Du Soleil show “Michael Jackson One.” When they are done, the DWTS judges share their thoughts on the performance. [VIDEO HERE]
Julianne Hough: I literally have nothing to say other than Michael Jackson may be the King of Pop, but you are the Queen of the Ballroom!
Bruno Tonioli: What I was noticing, it was like watching Debby Allen, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson all combined. Stunning!
Carrie Ann Inaba: Normally it is like a no-no to do Michael Jackson because it is really hard to emulate it. But, Laurie Hernandez just killed it! Every movement was perfectly defined, a star is born, a star is born!
Scores: Carrie Ann: 10 Bruno: 10 Julianne: 10 Total: 30/30
Vanille Ice and his pro partner Witney Carson are up next, tonight they are performing a Cirque Du Soleil inspired Viennese Waltz. When their dance is over, they wait to hear what the DWTS judges have to say. Julianne Hough: Well, in this case the theme really worked in your favor. If you were doing a proper waltz, it would have been a bit stompy – but it totally worked in this case for this character.
Julianne Hough: Well, in this case the theme really worked in your favor. If you were doing a proper waltz, it would have been a bit stompy – but it totally worked in this case for this character.
Bruno Tonioli: Of, the mesmerizing musician, it was like entering the mysterious world. Spinning, much better, shoulders much better, be careful not to turn in to Edward Scissor Hands. Just keep working on those but wonderful.
Carrie Ann Inaba: You have struggled so far but tonight I saw who you could really be in this competition. There was a new sort of elegance to your performance, much improved on all levels, keep it up!
Scores Carrie Ann: 8 Bruno: 7 Julianne: 8 Total: 23/30
The final performance tonight will be James Hinchcliffe and his pro partner Sharna. James and Sharna are dancing the quickstep to Cirque Du Soleil’s new Broadway show “Paramour.”
Julianne Hough: I just want to ask, who are you? The Indy car driver that is charismatic and has acting chops and vocal chords. You could literally change careers and be an actor. That was amazing, you are the real deal!
Bruno Tonioli: Broadway show stopper I tell you that! Inspired by the magic of the movies, it was like watching the Oscar-winning film. The sections and holds were pure Fred and ginger. It was such a rousing and pure performance, absolutely fantastic.
Carrie Ann Inaba: That was just an incredible way to end what has been the most magical night of the season. It was all over the place and you hammered it like boink. There was one teeny tiny mistake, I know you know what I’m talking about.
Scores Carrie Ann: 9 Bruno: 10 Julianne: 9 Total: 28/30
THE END!