During Most Memorable Year Night on Tuesday, October 24, Dancing with the Stars took on a personal touch as contestants showcased dances that were inspired by important moments in their lives.
A number of the dancers' years that stood out in their memory were filled with joyous memories.
"My heart exploded with love as I embraced my role as a mother," Mira Sorvino shared with partner Gleb Savchenko during rehearsal, reflecting on the profound joy she experienced after welcoming her daughter Mattea in 2004, with her then husband Christopher Backus. (Accompanying Sorvino, 56, and Savchenko, 40, on stage was Mattea, who is also a talented dancer.)
In addition, other contestants opened up about the difficult moments in their lives. Charity Lawson, overcome with emotion, tearfully confided in partner Artem Chigvintsev about escaping from a toxic relationship, a defining chapter in her life that occurred in 2022.
Lawson explained that the main reason for their breakup was a high level of infidelity and her continuous efforts to salvage the relationship. She also mentioned that she is currently happily engaged to Dotun Olubeko, who proposed to her during the season 20 finale of The Bachelorette in August.
Following their emotionally charged contemporary routine to Selena Gomez's "Lose You to Love Me," judge Carrie Ann Inaba awarded Lawson the first perfect score of the competition and predicted that their performance would be regarded as a standout moment of the season.
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix has personal experience with difficult breakups. She considers the year 2023 to be particularly memorable, as it was during this time that she had to navigate her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval's affair with their costar Raquel Leviss. Madix, 38, openly shared her struggles with anxiety and depression, revealing that her life unraveled in the public eye. She admitted to experiencing high levels of stress, which affected her eating and sleeping habits. Madix added that Sandoval, 41, and Leviss' betrayal went far beyond just infidelity, making it difficult for her to put into words.
Madix and her partner, Pasha Pashkov, mesmerized the audience with their graceful Viennese Waltz. They chose Billie Eilish’s soul-stirring track, "Happier Than Ever," which beautifully captures the emotions of moving on from a past relationship. Reflecting on her journey, Madix expressed, "Although I never imagined it then, I am amazed at how far I have come since the days of tearful car renditions of this song."
Scroll down to view the scores of all the performers from Dancing With the Stars' Most Memorable Year Night:
Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless
Emotions Run High During Dancing With the Stars’ Most Memorable Year Night: See Who Went Home
Dancing With the Stars got personal during Most Memorable Year Night on Tuesday, October 24, as contestants performed dances inspired by significant moments in their lives.
The dancers had a collection of remarkable years filled with joyful memories.
Mira Sorvino expressed her intense emotions during rehearsal, declaring motherhood as her most profound and treasured role. Sorvino, aged 56, shared her experience of becoming a mother after welcoming her daughter, Mattea, in 2004, with her husband Christopher Backus. Alongside her partner Gleb Savchenko, aged 40, Sorvino had the privilege of performing alongside her daughter who is also a dancer.
During the course of the competition, other contestants shared their personal struggles. Charity Lawson, for instance, emotionally revealed to her partner Artem Chigvintsev about leaving a harmful relationship in her most memorable year, 2022.
Reflecting on the situation, Lawson, aged 27, explained, "The main reason our relationship didn't succeed was due to numerous instances of infidelity, and I always pushed myself beyond limits to salvage it." She further disclosed that she is currently in a blissful engagement with Dotun Olubeko, who proposed to her during the grand finale of Season 20 of The Bachelorette in August.
Following Lawson and Chigvintsev's poignant contemporary routine to Selena Gomez's "Lose You to Love Me," judge Carrie Ann Inaba awarded the Bachelor Nation star the first perfect score of the competition. Inaba expressed her belief that the performance will be remembered as a standout moment of the season.
Ariana Madix, a personality from Vanderpump Rules, is well-versed in the realm of difficult breakups. When asked about her most memorable year, she candidly discussed the challenges of navigating her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval's affair with their fellow costar Raquel Leviss.
Madix, 38, expressed that her anxiety and depression reached a peak as she witnessed her entire life falling apart in the public eye. She admitted to cameras that she was no longer able to maintain a normal eating and sleeping routine. Madix further conveyed the depth of betrayal she felt from Sandoval, 41, and Leviss, stating that their actions extended far beyond mere infidelity and were difficult to put into words.
During her performance with partner Pasha Pashkov, Madix chose to showcase a Viennese Waltz set to Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever," a fitting anthem celebrating the liberation and joy of moving on from a former relationship.
"When I reminisce about passionately belting out [this song] in the car, I never imagined this is the path I would find myself taking," Madix reflected on the melody.
Amidst all the emotions displayed by the stars in Tuesday's episode, one pair experienced heartbreak as their DWTS journey concluded. Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold, along with Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber, received the lowest scores of the night, but it was Sorvino and Savchenko who ultimately faced elimination.
Keep scrolling to see all the performers’ scores from Dancing With the Stars’ Most Memorable Year Night:
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Savchenko — Eliminated
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper
Score: 22
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
Dance: Viennese waltz
Song: “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish
Score: 24
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Lose You to Love Me” by Selena Gomez
Score: 28
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber
Dance: Viennese waltz
Song: “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
Score: 21
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer
Score: 18
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
Dance: Quickstep
Song: “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson
Score: 27
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders
Score: 24
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Viennese waltz
Song: “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez
Score: 29
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater
Dance: Contemporary
Song: “Rise Up” by Andra Day
Score: 24
Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles
Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
Score: 24