Dancing With the Stars Horror Night Double Elimination: Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson Dumped in Brutal Ballroom Cull

Reality television heartthrob Tyler Cameron and Savannah Bananas athlete Jackson Olson have been dumped from Dancing With the Stars in a merciless double elimination that brought Horror Movie Night to a devastating close. The sudden double exit brought an abrupt halt to both competitors’ ballroom ambitions, slicing the remaining pool of contenders down to just eight couples fighting for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

The high-stakes cull followed the relief of Dedication Night, where all ten remaining pairings had been granted temporary safety. However, that temporary reprieve came with a catch: scores and viewer voting tallies were rolled over into this week, creating an insurmountable mountain for couples languishing at the lower end of the judges’ leaderboard.

With tension peaking under the studio spotlights, Cameron and his professional dance partner Sharna Burgess found themselves vulnerable after securing a combined two-night score of only 58 out of 80. Olson and partner Emma Slater followed them out of the competition shortly afterwards despite earning 67 out of 80 across the two weeks.

Tyler Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess pose ahead of their ballroom performance.

Jackson Olson and professional partner Emma Slater in the Dancing With the Stars studio.

High Voltage Horror Routines and a Historic Perfect Score

The themed evening opened with Hollywood screen star Julia Stiles and partner Ezra Sosa tackling a theatrical Argentine tango set to “The Dogs Attack” from the 1976 horror staple The Omen. Stiles, who featured in the 2006 cinematic remake, encountered sharp feedback from judge Derek Hough, who categorised the performance as a distinct low point in her progression.

The panel awarded Stiles and Sosa 26 points out of 40, which combined with their previous score of 36 to yield a cumulative total of 62 out of 80.

Julia Stiles and professional dancer Ezra Sosa on the ballroom staircase.

The atmosphere shifted rapidly when Glee performer Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson delivered an electric contemporary routine choreographed to 2WEI’s reimagining of Britney Spears’ hit “Toxic”. The performance drew creative cues from the Saw horror franchise and captivated the judging panel from start to finish.

Guest adjudicator Shirley Ballas remarked that she had never witnessed anything quite like the display, whilst Bruno Tonioli hailed it as pure perfection. Shum Jr. and Johnson walked away with a flawless 40 out of 40—securing the inaugural perfect score of the season and establishing a imposing two-night tally of 76 out of 80.

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson backstage after their routine.

Contrasting Fortunes Across the Mid-Table Contenders

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Tatyana Ali linked up with Jan Ravnik for an imposing paso doble honouring the vampire feature film Sinners. Performed to Miles Caton’s track “I Lied to You”, the sequence prompted Carrie Ann Inaba to commend Ali for executing her most powerful and embodied dance of the series, earning 28 points to land on an aggregate of 60 out of 80.

Returning from a one-week suspension that he addressed openly upon his return to the ballroom, professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy partnered Step Up star Jenna Dewan in an intense Argentine tango set to “Uninvited” by Damned Anthem and Kendra Dantes, inspired by post-apocalyptic thriller 28 Weeks Later.

Despite Dewan catching her heel in the fabric of her costume mid-routine, Hough described the sequence as unbelievable. The judges handed down a score of 37 out of 40, lifting their joint two-week aggregate to an exceptional 74 out of 80.

Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik during the live broadcast.

Jenna Dewan and professional partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy on the studio staircase.

Solid Footing for the Athletes and Creators

Comedian Connor Wood and dance partner Rylee Arnold took on a contemporary piece set to “You Are My Sunshine” by Charles McDonald, pulling inspiration from Annabelle: Creation. Inaba designated Wood the contemporary king of the ballroom as the pair collected 37 points, leaving them with an overall mark of 69 out of 80.

Paralympic gold medallist Ezra Frech joined forces with Daniella Karagach to perform a jazz routine to “Madness” by Ruelle, paying tribute to The Invisible Man. Ballas offered warm words of encouragement, with the judges awarding 35 points to move the pair onto a resilient two-week total of 72 out of 80.

Connor Wood and professional partner Rylee Arnold posing in the studio.

Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach during the ballroom competition.

The Final Performances and the Deadly Double Axe

Olson and Slater took to the floor for a cinematic contemporary interpretation of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life”, directly channelling the gritty 2019 box-office triumph Joker. Tonioli commended Olson for completely inhabiting the comic-book antagonist, rewarding the pair with 35 points for an aggregate of 67 out of 80, though it ultimately failed to protect them from the combined audience vote.

Meanwhile, Cameron and Burgess presented a gothic Viennese waltz to Annie Lennox’s haunting classic “Love Song for a Vampire” from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. A panel disagreement erupted when Inaba openly challenged Ballas’s high praise of Cameron’s theatricality, resulting in a modest 26 out of 40 that left them rooted to the foot of the two-night scoreboard with 58 out of 80.

Figure skater Amber Glenn and professional dancer Pasha Pashkov.

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas posing together on the studio set.

Figure skating sensation Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov countered with an intricate Argentine tango set to Clint Mansell’s “Perfection” from psychological thriller Black Swan. Hough hailed the Olympian as exquisite to watch, and the panel’s 36-point award lifted their cumulative standing to an enviable 74 out of 80.

Rounding out the horror extravaganza, The Traitors standout Maura Higgins teamed up with Mark Ballas for a contemporary interpretation of Gerard McMann’s “Cry Little Sister” from cult vampire hit The Lost Boys. Shirley Ballas applauded the pair for a deeply powerful routine, with the panel awarding 32 points to secure a two-week aggregate of 67 out of 80.

Key Leaderboard Standings Heading into the Next Stage

• Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson: 76/80 (Season-first perfect 40/40 on the night)
• Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov: 74/80
• Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy: 74/80
• Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach: 72/80
• Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold: 69/80
• Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas: 67/80
• Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa: 62/80
• Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik: 60/80
• Jackson Olson & Emma Slater: 67/80 (Eliminated)
• Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess: 58/80 (Eliminated)

The ruthless ballroom cull demonstrates just how precarious every routine becomes when cumulative scoring and public votes align. With the margin for error shrinking to zero, the remaining eight pairs face an intense road ahead in their pursuit of the Mirrorball trophy.

💡 The departure of two prominent contenders reshuffles the competitive dynamics completely, leaving the leaderboard leaders under intense pressure to maintain form.

🔍 Did the judging panel and viewers make the right call in cutting Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson, or did another couple deserve the exit? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: pagesix.com