Jenna Dewan Eliminated From DWTS on Grammy Night

Photo by Kevin Paul, cropped (CC BY)

The ballroom’s biggest upset of the season came on Grammy Night. Jenna Dewan and pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy were sent home from Dancing with the Stars at the end of the Tuesday, Nov. 10, episode, one week short of the semifinals, even though they finished tied for second on the judges’ leaderboard, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

The featured image shows Dewan at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026.

The Lowdown

Dewan came into season 35 as a former professional dancer, and most viewers treated her as a lock for the finale. Then she had arguably her best night: a jazz number to a Janet Jackson song, a good-luck video from Jackson herself, and a dance-off win. None of it saved her once the fan vote was added in. Our read: this is the kind of result that reignites the old argument about whether DWTS is a dance contest or a popularity contest, and Grammy Night just handed fans a new exhibit.

Key Takeaways

Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated from Dancing with the Stars season 35 on Grammy Night, Nov. 10, 2026, finishing seventh.
Their jazz routine to Janet Jackson’s “All for You” scored 28 out of 30, and Jackson sent a video message wishing Dewan luck.
They also won their dance-off against Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, finishing the night with 30 points, tied for second.
Six couples move on to the semifinals, including Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, who topped the night with 31.

Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy’s Grammy Night Jazz, via Dancing with the Stars on YouTube

The Full Story

A Full-Circle Janet Jackson Moment

Week 9 was the show’s first Grammy Night, with every couple dancing to a song tied to a Grammy-winning or nominated artist. Dewan and Chmerkovskiy drew a jazz routine to “All for You,” and the pick was personal: Dewan once worked as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson. After the routine, the show played a video Jackson recorded for her, THR reported. The judges gave the pair 28 out of 30, second only to Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson’s 29.

A Dance-Off Win

The night also brought back the dance-off, with two couples performing the same style to the same song side by side for two bonus points. Dewan and Chmerkovskiy faced Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik in a cha-cha to “The Middle,” with Maren Morris singing it live in the ballroom, and the judges gave Dewan and Chmerkovskiy the win, UPI reported. That pushed them to 30 for the night, level with Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov.

Then the Votes Came In

It still wasn’t enough. DWTS combines judges’ scores with viewer votes, and at the end of the episode the pair were the ones who missed the cut. ABC News, which tracks each week’s eliminations, confirmed Dewan and Chmerkovskiy were sent home after Grammy Night. UPI reported that the final reveal came down to them and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, after Ali and Ravnik were called safe.

Who Is Left

That leaves six couples in the semifinals: Shum and Johnson, Glenn and Pashkov, Ali and Ravnik, Wood and Arnold, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, and Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas. USA Today’s live recap called the exit shocking, and it is the second straight result to shake up the field after the Horror Night double elimination sent Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson home. More reality TV is on our Reality TV page.