Maura Higgins Embraces 'Vampire Mode' on Dancing With The Stars, Shirley Ballas Guest Judges

Maura Higgins transformed into a vampire for Horror Movie Night on "Dancing With The Stars" (DWTS) on Tuesday, delivering a powerful contemporary performance with her partner Mark Ballas, inspired by the film "The Lost Boys." Higgins sported a blood-splattered white dress, white contact lenses, and a wet hairstyle, fully embracing the horror theme. The performance was particularly high-stakes as Ballas's mother, Shirley Ballas, a well-known figure from "Strictly Come Dancing," served as a guest judge.

Despite the familial connection, Shirley Ballas maintained a critical eye, scoring the pair lower than the other judges. She offered constructive feedback on Higgins's footwork, advising, "rotate your feet a little bit more for flow," and added that the performance had "dynamic parts" and that Higgins's arms were improving. Fellow judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli offered more praise, calling Higgins a "phenomenal and magnetic performer." Tonioli noted her "fantastic lyrical quality," while Hough described the performance as "weirdly and creepily seductive."

Higgins and Ballas received a total of 32 points, with a seven from Shirley Ballas and eights and a nine from the other judges. Higgins expressed her enjoyment, stating, "I weirdly loved it. I wish we could do this every week!" She later shared images from her performance on Instagram, captioning them "Vampire mode @dancingwiththestars."

Elsewhere in the competition, actor Harry Shum Jr. and his partner Jenna Johnson secured the top spot on the leaderboard with a perfect score of 40. The night also featured a double elimination, with reality star Tyler Cameron and his partner Sharna Burgess, as well as baseball player Jackson Olson and his dance partner Emma Slater, being sent home.

Shirley Ballas's guest appearance on DWTS has sparked discussion about her judging style. Known for her stringent scoring on "Strictly Come Dancing," Ballas brought a similar approach to the ABC show. She notably gave actress Julia Stiles a low score of four for her Argentine Tango, a decision that surprised some, including co-judge Bruno Tonioli. Viewers on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) reacted positively to Ballas's "brutal" scoring, with many suggesting she would be a welcome permanent addition to the DWTS judging panel. Ballas has previously expressed her dream of judging on DWTS while reaffirming her commitment to "Strictly Come Dancing."