During the third episode of Season 35, filmed in Los Angeles, California on September 23, 2026, the Dancing with the Stars studio witnessed a startling exit. Pop-rock veteran Taylor Hanson, best known for the 1990s hit “MMMBop,” and his professional partner Britt Stewart bowed out after judges’ scores and audience votes were combined. The moment left the live audience visibly shocked and silent, and Hanson’s only audible reaction was a simple “Wow.”
The episode, themed “Yacht Rock Night,” featured twelve remaining couples performing to smooth-rock classics from the 1970s and 1980s. The night’s atmosphere was intended to celebrate mellow grooves, yet the elimination of the fourth pair this season added an unexpected edge to the competition.
Scores, leaders and the bottom of the leaderboard
Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli each awarded a maximum of ten points per performance, producing a total possible score of 30. Amber Glenn with partner Pasha Pashkov and Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson both earned the highest marks of the night, each receiving 24 out of 30. Their Foxtrot and Jive routines respectively garnered praise for elegance, theatricality, and a Broadway-level presence.
Close behind were Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas (22), and a three-way tie at 21 points among Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik, Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy, and Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach. The lowest score was recorded by Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, who received 15 out of 30. Despite the poor score, Rodriguez survived the vote thanks to a strong fan base.
Who left and who stays
The elimination round paired the judges’ totals with viewer votes submitted via text and online platforms. Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart, who had earned 18 out of 30 for their Foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes,” fell short of the combined threshold and were sent home. Their departure marks the fourth elimination of the season, joining earlier exits of Connor Leavitt & Adele Zaikman, Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills, and Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten.
With Hanson and Stewart gone, twelve couples remain in contention for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The remaining lineup includes Amber Glenn, Harry Shum Jr., Maura Higgins, Tatyana Ali, Jenna Dewan, Ezra Frech, Connor Wood, Julia Stiles, Ciara Miller, Taylor Hanson’s fellow contestants Jackson Olson & Emma Slater, Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess, and Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson.
What’s next for the dancers?
The competition returns on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC and Disney+, with the following episode billed as “Yacht Rock Night.” The official logline promises that the thirteen remaining couples (before the elimination) will “cruise into Yacht Rock Night” with performances set to smooth-rock standards that defined the era. After the broadcast, the show will be available for streaming on Hulu the next day.
Looking ahead, Week 4 will shift gears to “Mariah Carey Night,” where the surviving contestants will interpret hits such as “Fantasy” and “Hero.” As the season progresses, the duo of judges will continue to shape the leaderboard, while audience voting remains a decisive factor in the march toward the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
