Tonight on ABC the glitz and the glitter returns to the ballroom as Dancing With The Stars and continues with an all-new Monday, October 31, 2016, season 23 episode 8 and we have your Dancing With The Stars recap below! On tonight’s DWTS Season 23 episode 8 “Special Halloween-Themed Night,” each of the seven remaining couples will perform an individual Halloween-themed routine in a dance style not yet danced.
Did you watch last week’s DWTS season 23 episode 7 episode where The eight remaining celebrities danced to some of the most popular songs throughout the decades, on “Eras Night” and we lost Maureen McCormick? 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, ““Dancing with the Stars” treats viewers to a frightfully delightful night filled with chilling performances. For the first round of the competition, each of the seven remaining couples will perform an individual Halloween-themed routine in a dance style not yet danced. The highest-scoring couple from the first round will receive immunity, cannot be eliminated and does not have to compete in the Dance Off, and will also receive an additional five points added to their judges scores.”
Make sure to bookmark this spot and come back from 8PM – 10PM ET for our live coverage of the Dancing With The Stars Season 23 episode 8. While you wait for our recap make sure to head over and check out all our DWTS recap, spoilers, news & videos, right here!
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It’s Halloween night tonight on Dancing With The Stars! Tonight’s episode kicks off with an exciting opening number packed full of ghouls, zombies, and goblins. Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews take the stage and reveal that tonight’s first round of Halloween dances will decide which one of the celebs win immunity.
The first couple to take the stage tonight will be Terra Jole and Sasha, (VIDEO HERE) tonight they are dancing the Cha-Cha to the theme song from the classic spooky movie “Beetle Juice.” Terra and Sasha hit the DWTS floor and show off their Cha-Cha skills. They wait to hear the judges’ critiques.
Julianne: As you can see I love Halloween night, you totally set the mood and the tone. Thank you so much, Beetle Juice is one of my favorites, it was so fun! When you dance and what you do is so great, now I want to see you guys push it a little more. We gotta see you guys change it up a little bit, but wait to set a tone for tonight!
Bruno: You were like a possessed little seed with splendidly shocking table manners, but I liked it. I loved the whacky cartoonish Beetle feel. The timing was not really a Cha-Cha-Cha but you managed to fit it in. It’s a little bit sharper, push it a little bit more, but great!
Carrie Ann: As soon as you started dancing the audience went crazy because you have a spark. It was a really good performance but what we want is great. Like Julianne was saying, we want to see you push it a little bit more. It was a hard dance though, you did it well, but it wasn’t your normal oomph. You have another dance tonight hopefully, we’ll find out! Who knows what is happening?
Scores Carrie Ann: 8 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8 Total: 24/30
The next couple to take the stage for Halloween night is Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy. (VIDEO HERE) Tonight, Laurie and Val dance the Viennese Waltz for the judges to a Willy Wonka inspired song. Laurie and Val have been rehearsing extra hard this week, Val actually got emotional during practice and shed a few tears because he is so moved by Laurie’s spirit and passion for life. After Laurie and Val’s dance, they wait to hear what the judges have to say.
Bruno: that was a truly magical Halloween treat. You were so feeling it, it nearly brought tears to my eyes, your acting has improved a thousand fold. It was a Viennese wonder waltz, beautiful!
Carrie Ann: You brought me to tears, there was something so magical happening, it connected us all in this truly magical moment and your dancing was divine.
Julianne: I have so many things to say right now, it’s like a jumble. First of all, your quality of dancing is so high. Secondly, Val has looked at you in the most beautiful way this whole competition. And, tonight I saw you looking at him the same way and there was this childlike dream enchantment. Halloween is supposed to bring out our fantasies as children and that is what you did for us tonight, and we were all transported on this journey with you.
Scores Julianne: 10 Carrie Ann: 10 Bruno: 10 30/30
Marilu Henner and Derek Hough (VIDEO HERE) had a tough time last week on DWTS and they are hoping to redeem themselves. They take the stage next and perform a spider web inspired Argentine Tango to the popular song “Sweet Dreams.” Now, it’s time to heart what the DWTS judges have to say about their dance tonight.
Carrie Ann: You had a bad week last week and I loved the way you came back, although there were a lot of missteps. They’re so little and so tiny and I see that you are trying. Everyone at home can call in and vote but I gotta do what I gotta do.
Julianne: That was like Black Widow sexy hot mama, I mean literally you were like a spider and you have legs for days and you could have eaten Derek alive. Honestly, there were two moments where you second-guessed yourself and I think that it is getting in your head. Trust yourself!
Bruno: I like Marilu the Black Widow! No one is safe once entrapped in your web with those killer legs! Why hesitating when you have all of the equipment? You doubt yourself and doubt your partner. Never hesitate when he knows himself and knows what to do. Trust it!
Scores: Carrie Ann: 7 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8 Total: 23/30
The next couple to take the stage tonight on Halloween is NFL player Calvin Johnson JR and his pro partner Lindsay Arnold. (VIDEO HERE) Tonight they are dressed as skeletons and performing the Quickstep for the judges. After their exciting and fast-paced performance, the DWTS judges share their critiques.
Julianne: First of all I just have to say thank-you, you totally captured the theme of the dance without compromising the integrity. Mega bones!
Bruno: Calvin, the Voodoo master! It was the perfect balance of content. It was superb, superb!
Carrie Ann: You remind me of one of my favorite contestants ever, Emmett Smith! It looks like it’s just fun, but you are filling the stage with content, great content too! It was fantastic!
Scores: Carrie Ann: 10 Julianne: 10 Bruno: 10 Total: 30/30
Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke (VIDEO HERE) are the next couple to perform their Halloween dance tonight. Ryan and Cheryl have been at the bottom of the leaderboard for several weeks – Cheryl really cracked the whip this week during rehearsals, she’s been kicking the Olympic swimmer back in to shape. Ryan and Cheryl dance a creepy Tango tonight and then wait to hear the judges’ thoughts.
Bruno: The Prince of Darkness with bite! That’s what I want to see, come out of yourself! Give us a true believable performance, a couple of things – don’t lose your shoulders. In the Tango glide a little more, don’t make it so steppy, but performance wise, so much better!
Carrie Ann: I agree Cheryl created a great world for you to kick and punch your way back, but you lost a little bit of your grace. It lacked some elegance and posture, but there was a lot of content in there. It was good and it was a little ughhhh…
Julianne: When Bruno called you the Prince of Darkness, you stood up like that and I realized that is what we have been missing. So from now on, just call yourself the Prince of Darkness. It was a little squatty at times, but your content outweighed that so I have to commend you – much better than last week. Scores
Scores: Carrie Ann: 7 Julianne: 8 Bruno: 8 Total: 23/30
Jana Kramer and Gleb (VIDEO HERE) take the DWTS stage next. Tonight, their performance is little more upbeat than the other Halloween dances. Jana and Gleb dance the Jazz to a very glitzy “Little Shop Of Horrors.”
Carrie Ann: It was really refreshing to see you this way, it was really upbeat. You threw some jive in there, which you didn’t do too well before, and I commend you – well done!
Julianne: I kind of actually disagree, at this point in the competition you should highlight your strengths, so it was surprising to see you throw the jive in there. You nailed the character, I felt like it was straight off from Broadway. It was beautiful!
Bruno: Where is the plant? I don’t know! There was nothing horrible about that, high energy, high sparkles, very bendy – it was a musical concoction that hit all of the right spots. Well done!
Scores: Carrie Ann: 9 Julianne: 9 Bruno: 9 Total: 27/30
James Hinchcliffe is up next. Last week his pro partner Sharna Burgess injured her knee and is out of the competition for at least 3 weeks, so pro dancer Jenna is standing in for her. Tonight James and Jenna dance a Suicide Squad inspired dance to “You Don’t Own Me,” dressed as Harley Quinn and the Joker.
Julianne: What! I know how hard it is to switch partners, I had to do that when I was a dancer. But it just goes to show that you are the real deal because you can dance with any partner and knock it out of the park. You are so amazing!
Bruno: Freud would have a ball trying to analyze those two psychotic thrilling and evil creatures! Amazing! In spite of a new set of wheels you still had the ride of a lifetime.
Carrie Ann: It burst my heart so much to see Sharna watching you because you guys were so incredible. You had a new partner this week, James you were incredible, you had a totally new style of dancing, and James you are a pro!
Scores Julianne: 10 Carrie Ann: 10 Bruno: 10 Total 30/30
James and Sharna/Jenna have won immunity this week, now the remaining couples will be participating in a dance off. Laurie and Val choose to go up against Calvin Johnson and Lindsay Arnold. Terra Johnson and Sasha will be dancing off against Jana Kramer and Gleb. The final dance off will be between Ryan Lochte and Cheryl and Marilu Henner and Derek Hough.
Laurie Hernandez and Val vs. Calvin Johnson and Lindsay are up first.
Julianne: The strategy behind that, there were constant scores, it’s very consistent. Both of you were very clean. Calvin I did see a tiny mess-up at the end. But that was a very tight match-up.
Bruno: That was an epic battle. It was David and Goliath, every moment was, “oooh what are they going to do!” The kicks and flips, someone did the a little better. But, both of you brilliant.
Carrie Ann: I am surprised with your strategy for Laurie for choosing Calvin, there was a chance you might not win, very brave I respect that. I loved your strategy too Calvin, just block her out so that we can’t see Laurie.
America is voting live for the dance off’s, now it is time to hear the results and see who won this match-up. According to America’s votes combined with the judges’ scores, the winner of this dance off was Laurie Hernandez and Val.
Round 2 of dance-offs is Jana Kramer and Gleb vs. Terra Jole and Sasha doing the salsa. After the two couples tear it up on the dance floor, it is time to hear what the judges think.
Bruno: One can be sexy and salsy, what a fanning disco, I don’t know what I am going to do!
Carrie Ann: I was amazed with Terra and Sasha, you guys kind of took it easy and then you came out like no we are going to take it!
Julianne: And so the competition continues with Bruno. We’ll just say both of you are extremely tight, like Carrie Ann said you came out really strong and then you came out in the second round and nailed it.
According to America’s votes and the judges’ votes, the winners of this dance off are Jana and Gleb, they get an additional 3 points added to their scores.
Now, it’s time to hear tonight’s eliminations. Marilu Henner and Derek, Laurie Hernandez and Val, Calvin Johnson and Lindsay, and Jana Kramer and Gleb are all safe. James Hinchcliffe and Sasha have immunity. Ryan Lochte and Cheryl and Terra Jole and Sasha are in jeopardy of going home.
According to America’s votes, Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke are officially eliminated from DWTS.
THE END!
