'The whole place shimmered.' 'Dancing With the Stars' celebrates the music of Taylor Swift
LOS ANGELES - The whole place shimmered for "Dancing With the Stars: A Celebration of Taylor Swift" night.
Watching from behind the stage curtain, media gathered from national outlets to watch (some cheered!) the show 50 feet away.
Swift appeared on a giant screen to welcome contestants and open the show, including thanking guest judge Mandy Moore (not the actress, the award winning choreographer who choreographed the Eras Tour.)
"Thank you so much for having this me themed night," Swift said. "I so wish I could be there to see what you and your amazing choreographers and my friend, Mandy Moore, have put together. I wish I could be there, but I’m on tour in Brazil. But I’m sending you guys all my love and best of luck to all the contestants.”
Can you find the Easter eggs?'Dancing with the Stars' says there will be clues to figure out Taylor Swift songs
Swift has performed in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro and is scheduled to perform in Sao Paulo next week.
Six couples kicked-off the night with a whimsical dance to Swift's "Love Story" in a magical garden at twilight setting. The themed night followed other popular nights during this season including a Whitney Houston night among others.
"In order to get to the semi-finals," Moore said, "all you have to do is exactly what you've done all week. You've put in the work. You've put in the hours. You have to trust the process and you have to go. It's live. It's go-time kids. You have to go."
Six pairs cha-cha, rumba, tango and quick-step
Actress Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber cha-cha danced onto the floor to Swift's "You Belong With Me." Hannigan twirled in a gold-fringed dress to honor the "Fearless" era, and stuck an impressive handstand. The two ended with a white poster board, permanent marker signature sign: "I love you (in a comedic way)." Score: 29.
Up next, Ariana Madix ("Vanderpump Rules") and Pasha Pashkov brought the heat for their interpretation of rumba to a tender, slow-tempo version of "Cruel Summer." Score: 37.
"What I like about Taylor Swift," Madix said, "is when she performs, she commands that stage."
Singer Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach dazzled in their Argentine tango to "Don't Blame Me" from "Reputation." (Side note: Did you know Mraz and Swift performed his song "I'm Yours" on the Speak Now Tour?) Score: 40.
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold whisked a romantic rumba to "August."
"You still have work to do," judge Carrie Ann Inaba said, and praised Jowsey for his vulnerability. Score: 30.
Dancing a fiery Argentine tango to "Look What You Made Me Do" were "Bachelorette Star" Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev. Chigvintsev's palm showcased a permanent marker "13" to honor the "Speak Now" era. Score: 38.
Actor Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy quick-stepped in "Lover" pastels to "Paper Rings." The lightning on their feet and cute note at the end that read "We ❤️ you Taylor Swift" impressed the judges. Moore stood and gave Gomez a friendship bracelet. Score: 38.
Who won 'DWTS' Taylor Swift week?
For the last competition, the couples competed to the same song, with the winner taking three extra points.
Madix and Pashkov faced-offed against Gomez and Chmerkovskiy in a Vietnamese waltz to "Lover," the title track off the seventh album. Winner: Gomez and Chmerkovskiy.
The second "Shake It Off" challenge between Jowsey and Arnold and Hannigan and Farber tested their abilities to jive. Winner: Hannigan and Farber. Hannigan referenced that her first score on the show was 13, Swift's favorite number. Host Ribeiro said, "That's cute you know her favorite number." Cue Swifties around the world exasperating a playful sigh.
Mraz and Karagach competed in a cha-cha against Lawson and Chigvintsev in the final relay to a sped-up version of "Lavender Haze." Winner: Mraz and Karagach.
The relays left Mraz and Karagach on the top of the leader board with 43 and Jowsey and Arnold at the bottom with 30. The fan vote was not enough to save Jowsey. The social media influencer was the latest contestant eliminated and not in contention for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
"We had more votes tonight than any other night this season," Ribeiro said about the fans' vote.
In true Swift style, the show had hidden Easter eggs online and on social media hinting at which songs would be featured next.
More:'Dancing with the Stars' says there will be Easter eggs to figure out Taylor Swift songs
Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.