Jenna Dewan Ties for Top Spot on 'Dancing With the Stars' Before Surprise Elimination

Dancing With the Stars concluded its second week of season 35 with a surprise elimination, sending celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis home. The episode featured contestants performing to viral hit songs, with Jenna Dewan emerging as a strong contender, tying for the top spot.

De Laurentiis, partnered with Alan Bersten, performed a salsa to "CHULA" by Becky G. Despite incorporating flips and lifts, her performance received mixed reviews from the judges. Bruno Tonioli described it as a "salsa without spice," Derek Hough noted a desire for "more power," and Carrie Ann Inaba found the dance "shaky." The trio scored 12 out of 30, ultimately leading to their elimination.

Jenna Dewan, performing with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, opened the night with a jive to "Animal" by KATSEYE. The pair earned a score of 21 out of 30, with judges praising their energy. Tonioli called it a "great way to start the show," Inaba stated it was a "job well done," and Hough described it as "Fast, fierce, fantastic."

Other notable performances included Olympian Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, who tied for the top spot with a score of 21 for their tango to "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u. Paralympian Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach also secured a 21 for their cha-cha to Flo Rida's "Low."

Julia Stiles, partnered with Ezra Sosa, danced to "The Door" by Teddy Swims and received a score of 16 out of 30. Stiles, who has been open about her private nature, reflected on the song's lyrics and her journey to become more public. "It was a big deal to get her on the show because she's a very private person, but is now working on being more open with the public," the notes stated.

Contestants who received a score of 18 included Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong, who danced to "No Broke Boys" by Disco Lines & Tinashe; Jackson Olson and Emma Slater dancing to "That's So True" by Gracie Abrams; Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik performing to "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish; and Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson dancing a Viennese waltz to "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls.

Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess earned a 16 for their dance to "Girls" by The Kid LAROI, with Hough commenting it felt more like "cabaret than a salsa." Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, who had the highest score the previous week, received a 19 for their cha-cha to "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire, with Inaba suggesting the performance was "a little safer" this time.

Among the lower scores, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson received a 12 for their paso doble to Rihanna's "Where Have You Been." Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart earned a 15 for their cha-cha to DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean," and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold received a 15 for their tango to "12 to 12" by Sombr.

Last week saw the double elimination of Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader. The remaining contestants continue to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy, including Golden Globe nominee Julia Stiles, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actress Tatyana Ali, Olympic gold medalist Amber Glenn, reality TV personality Maura Higgins, "Summer House" star Ciara Miller, "The Bachelor" fan-favorite Tyler Cameron, Paralympian Ezra Frech, Hanson musician Taylor Hanson, athlete Jackson Olson, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez, "Glee" alum Harry Shum Jr., and comedian Connor Wood.

Dancing With the Stars airs live on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays and streams the next day on Hulu.