‘Dancing With the Stars’ Week 2 Recap: 2 Pairs Tie for the Top of the Leaderboard

With a double elimination on the line, the pressure was on for the celebrities to bring it on the dance floor. This week’s scores were combined with last week’s, with two contestants being sent home at the end of the episode.

Follow along below for a recap of the entire night, from all the performances, scores, and judges’ reviews, to which two pairs received the lowest combination of scores and viewer votes, resulting in them being sent home.

Alix Earle — 21/30

Alix Earle and Valentin Chmerkovskiy danced a jive to “Mambo No. 5.” After being on the higher end of the leaderboard last week, Earle was feeling confident, but knew she needed to step it up to stay in the competition.

Inaba was back in the ballroom after missing Week 1 and told Earle, “That was incredible! You blew me away. I had no idea. You are such a great performer, you’re fun and there’s a freshness to you. I can tell it’s all new but it makes it so much fun.”

Hough noted that Chmerkovskiy choreographed a “difficult routine,” but said Earle did a “fantastic job,” although it got “a little wild” at some points. Tonioli described the routine as a “breakthrough.” With her scores from last week, Earle’s overall total is a 34/50.

Danielle Fishel — 19/30

After being “kept awake at night” by her mistakes in Week 1, Danielle Fishel returned with a tango to “The Rhythm of the Night,” alongside her partner Pasha Pashkov. Fishel was already dealing with injury after a hamstring tear, which led to popped blood vessels down her leg when she got a massage for relief.

“I loved it because what you did, it was sensual, and you had just the right amount of spice to get me going,” Tonioli said. “Nice ease of movement. There’s still a couple of issues you have to watch.” Specifically, he noted her shoulder issues.

“I really like watching you perform,” Inaba said, praising Fishel’s naturalness and “at-easeness.” She also urged Fishel to relax and added, “Were you breathing during the first half? I can’t wait to see what you do when you actually breathe.” Hough said the routine was “good.”

Fishel earned a 7 from Inaba and 6s from Hough and Tonioli. Now, her total for both weeks is 31/50.

Andy Richter — 16/30

Andy Richter and Emma Slater were on the bottom of the leaderboard last week. This time, they returned with a tango to “It’s Raining Men.”

“You truly capture the essence of why this show was created,” Hough raved. “I really mean that. You put so much hard work in that. Of course, you could move more, the frame was down a little bit, but we see the joy you put into it. I hope to see you next week.”

Tonioli agreed. “The way you tangoed is a bit frightening, but very, very entertaining.” Inaba described the dance as “improved.” She gave Richter a 6, while Hough and Tonioli came in with 5s. With his 9/20 from last week, Richter’s total score is now 25/50.

Lauren Jaureugi — 21/30

Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui returned to the dance floor with a foxtrot to “Lovefool.”

“There’s something very mesmerizing about you when you dance, you draw people in,” Inaba said, while also complimenting Jauregui’s partnership with Brandon Armstrong. “It had all the elements of foxtrot.”

Hough said Jauregui was like a “willow tree dancing in a gentle breeze.” He also said it was “gorgeous,” although he noted there was “one little part” that took him out of the dance a bit. Jauregui earned 7s across the board, bringing her total for both nights to 34/50.

Jordan Chiles — 22/30

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa danced a jive to “Maniac,” and after receiving lower scores than she expected in Week 1, the gymnast said she was ready to prove she has room to grow.

“Your focus, your determination, you really listened to what we said. You worked at it and you came back stronger than ever,” Tonioli excitedly told Chiles. He also applauded her for putting personality into the dance.

Inaba said Chiles had the star quality of Tina Turner and also let her know that she “loved” her routine last week, even though she wasn’t in the ballroom to judge it due to illness. From Inaba, Chiles got an 8, while Hough and Tonioli gave her a 7. After both weeks, she’s at 32/50.

Corey Feldman — 15/30

Corey Feldman tied at the bottom of the leaderboard last week and said he was “hurt by the scores.” This time, he and Jenna Johnson hit the floor with a cha-cha to “Baby Got Back.”

Hough said, “Sometimes it’s not about what we say, it’s not about our scores, it’s just about being memorable. And, my friend, that was memorable!” However, he made sure to note the timing issues, but still said it was “a lot of fun.”

Tonioli agreed that it was an “unforgettable routine,” but said he wasn’t “quite sure” there was enough cha-cha itself. Inaba said Feldman “committed” to the dance, as well. All three judges gave Feldman 5s, bringing his total from both weeks to 24/50.

Jen Affleck — 22/30

For her one-hit wonder routine, Jen Affleck danced a quickstep to “Take on Me” with Jan Ravnik.

Inaba said the routine was “very good,” but warned Ravnik to “be careful about lifts.” However, she noted she wouldn’t be deducting a point this time around.

“That was so much better this week,” Hough said, calling it a “big improvement.” “Less time in the air, more time on the floor dancing. Seeing you in that frame, moving across that floor, well done!” Hough and Tonioli both gave the routine 7s, while Inaba gave it an 8, bringing Affleck’s two-week total to 34/50.

Robert Irwin — 22/30

Robert Irwin topped the leaderboard last week and received rave reviews for his jive, so he knew he had to keep it up with his and Witney Carson‘s tango to “Move Your Feet.”

Tonioli called the routine “powerful, clean, and clear,” while also noting that Irwin was in “leading man” mode. However, he also questioned the break in the tango choreography in the middle of the routine, letting Irwin know he doesn’t need “gimmicks.”

“What week is this?” Inaba wondered. “Your charisma is off the charts. It’s the way you commit to every movement.” With an 8 from Inaba and 7s from Hough and Tonioli, his score from both weeks is a 37/50.

Elaine Hendrix — 21/30

Elaine Hendrix hit the floor with a jive to “Hey Mickey.”

Hough told Hendrix he was “impressed” by her dancing and performance ability. “That was a really difficult routine, fantastic,” he added. “Small details get big rewards: Watch the hands and the arms, especially in the turns.”

Tonioli said Hendrix put the “fun factor through the roof,” and applauded her versatility from week to week. The dance earned Hendrix 7s from all three judges, bringing her total from both weeks to 33/50.

Baron Davis — 18/30

This week, Baron Davis and Britt Stewart danced a samba to “Return of the Mack.”

“That was a tough one. You made a mistake and it took you out of it for a minute,” Inaba said. However, she went back to the beginning of the dance where she like the “smooth quality” of the dance before Davis “lost it.”

Hough said the dance was “full of content,” while Tonioli assured Davis he was still “smooth.” All three judges gave Davis 6s, so he has a 28/50 total from both weeks.

Whitney Leavitt — 22/30

Whitney Leavitt tied Irwin to be at the top of the leaderboard in Week 1, and this week, she and Mark Ballas danced a cha-cha to “Play That Funky Music.”

“You are definitely not a one-hit wonder,” Tonioli raved. “That was a killer cha-cha-cha. The amount of content you put in, and it was so fast. It was literally nuclear powered and so hot I am melting!”

Inaba said Leavitt “lit up” the ballroom both last week and this week, although she noted there was a “mishap” at one point in the routine. With 7s from Inaba and Hough and an 8 from Tonioli, Leavitt is now tied at the top for both weeks with a 37/50.

Hilaria Baldwin — 21/30

Hilaria Baldwin hit the stage with a tango to “What Is Love.”

“That was amazing. That was incredible,” Hough gushed. “The frame was beautiful. You’re not really supposed to break frame, but the way you did it was beautiful.” He gave “one little note” to have “a few more heel leads,” but said that was being “super critical.”

Tonioli said the routine was both elegant and powerful, while Inaba had to point out that there was an illegal lift in the routine. All three judges gave the dance 7s, bringing her two-weeks total to 35/50.

Dylan Efron — 20/30

For Week 2, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach danced a samba to “Macarena.”

“You’re kind of a conundrum because you’re a little bit of a beginner, but those hips are expert level. i see you’re learning the technique, and that’s the difference. You’re learning the technique.”

Hough said it was “impressive” to see how Efron moved his hips, although he noticed that it “lost a little steam” at points. However, he praised Efron for nailing the samba roll in his routine. Inaba and Tonioli gave Efron 7s, while Hough gave him a 6, bringing his total from two weeks to 30/50.

Scott Hoying — 18/30

The final dance of the night was Scott Hoying’s cha-cha-cha to “Blue (Da Ba Dee).”

“Better! Well done. Focused. Intent. Your timing was better. Your consistency through the routine was better. Keep going this way,” Tonioli said. Inaba also noted Hoying’s “growth,” but told him to “take up more space” in the future. With 6s from all three judges, Hoying’s two-week score is 28/50.

Dancing With the Stars Week 2 leaderboard

Leavitt and Irwin topped the leaderboard after Weeks 1 and 2, while Feldman was at the bottom. See the full leaderboard with Week 1 and 2 scores combined here:

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 37/50

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 37/50

Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko: 35/50

Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong: 34/50

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 34/50

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik: 34/50

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 34/50

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 32/50

Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov: 31/50

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 30/50

Scott Hoying and Rylee Arnold: 28/50

Baron Davis and Britt Stewart: 28/50

Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 25/50

Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson: 24/50

Who went home on Dancing With the Stars Week 2?

The two pairs that went home first in the double elimination were: Corey Feldman and Jenna Johnson, and Baron Davis and Britt Stewart.

Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+ 

For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands now.

More Headlines:

• ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Week 2 Recap: 2 Pairs Tie for the Top of the Leaderboard
• ‘AGT’ Live Blog: The Top 10 Finalists Hit the Stage for Final Performances of Season 20
• ‘Alien: Earth’ Creator Noah Hawley Breaks Down Wendy’s Ruling Ambition & What It Could Mean for Season 2
• ‘Alien: Earth’ Star Sydney Chandler on How Wendy’s Rise to Power Could Impact Her Bond With Brother Joe
• ‘Murder in a Small Town’ Stars Rossif Sutherland & Kristin Kreuk Break Down ‘Freeing’ Season 2 Premiere