Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy tied for second on Grammy Night with 30 points and won their dance-off to Maren Morris' "The Middle." Viewers sent them home anyway.
Dancing with the Stars just lost one of its front-runners, and the leaderboard never saw it coming.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated Tuesday, Nov. 10, on Grammy Night. They finished tied for second with 30 points: a 28 for their jazz routine plus 2 bonus points for winning a dance-off. Three couples who finished at 27 are still in.
Fan votes count alongside the judges' scores, and that's where it fell apart. UPI reported that Dewan and Chmerkovskiy landed in the bottom two with Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, who were tied for last.
Co-host Julianne Hough called the result "shocking to say the least," Country Rebel reported. Dewan kept her goodbye short: "All love. All love."
This one stings extra. Just a week ago, Dewan missed immunity by one point. Harry Shum Jr. had 236 season points to her 235, TODAY reported after Disney Night.
What did Jenna Dewan dance on DWTS Grammy Night?
A jazz routine to Janet Jackson's 2001 hit "All for You." The pick was personal. Dewan appeared in some of Jackson's early music videos, and the show surprised her with a video message from Jackson herself, ABC7 reported.
The judges gave it a 28 out of 30, including a 10. Derek Hough said she was "in the pocket."
Then came the dance-off. Dewan and Chmerkovskiy beat Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik in a cha-cha to "The Middle," with Maren Morris singing live in the ballroom. The win added 2 bonus points. It wasn't enough.
What were the DWTS Grammy Night scores?
Seven couples danced to Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated songs. Here's the final board after bonus points:
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: salsa, "Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, 29 plus 2 for immunity, 31
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: paso doble, "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence, 28 plus 2, 30
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: jazz, "All for You" by Janet Jackson, 28 plus 2, 30
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: Argentine tango, "Thong Song" by Sisqo, 27 plus 2, 29
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: Argentine tango, "Crazy in Love (Remix)" by Beyonce, 27
Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: tango, "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas, 27
Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: Argentine tango, "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland, 27
Yes, that's three Argentine tangos in one night. Nobody earned a perfect score.
The judges still had fun with it. Bruno Tonioli told Wood, "Oh yes, you can lead!" and greeted Ali's tango with "Boom Boom WOW!" Carrie Ann Inaba called Higgins "a graceful warrior."
Who won the DWTS Grammy Night dance-offs?
Six couples paired off while Grammy winners sang live. Each winner got 2 bonus points.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov beat Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach in a rumba to "The Boy Is Mine," with Brandy and Monica performing.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy beat Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik in a cha-cha to "The Middle," with Morris.
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas beat Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold in a cha-cha to "All I Wanna Do," with Sheryl Crow.
Hough said the Glenn and Frech matchup was one of the most satisfying dance-off rounds he'd ever seen, ABC7 reported. Shum and Johnson sat the whole thing out thanks to immunity.
Ali got her own surprise, too. Will.i.am FaceTimed her during rehearsal, then showed up in the ballroom.
Who is in the DWTS semifinals?
Six couples are left in the hunt for the Mirrorball:
Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas
Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach
Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik
Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold
Higgins has had quite a turnaround. On Disney Night, she had the lowest judges' total and fans saved her over Julia Stiles. This week she won her dance-off and finished fourth.
When are the DWTS semifinals and finale?
The semifinals air Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu. ABC hasn't announced a theme yet.
The finale is Tuesday, Nov. 24, two days before Thanksgiving. The winner takes home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Voting opens at 8 p.m. ET during the live show. Fans can vote at DWTSVote.abc.com or by texting the couple's keyword to 21523, up to 10 votes per couple each way. Given how this week went, those votes clearly matter.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
ABC7 and OnTheRedCarpet.com (Nov. 11, 2026), the scores, dance-offs, live performers, Janet Jackson video message, will.i.am surprise and judges' comments
UPI (Nov. 11, 2026), the bottom two and Dewan's Janet Jackson history
Forbes (Nov. 11, 2026), the bonus points, immunity and semifinal air time
Detroit Free Press (Nov. 11, 2026), the semifinalists and the Nov. 17 date
Country Rebel (Nov. 10, 2026), Julianne Hough's and Dewan's quotes
TODAY (Nov. 2, 2026), the one-point immunity tiebreaker on Disney Night
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