The semifinal song list is out, and nobody is dancing just once. ABC announced Thursday that the six remaining Dancing With the Stars couples will each perform one ballroom dance and one Latin dance on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, live on ABC and Disney+.
The featured image is official Season 35 key art from ABC, not a still from the Nov. 17 live show, which has not aired yet. The field is down to six since the Grammy Night elimination of Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy.
The Lowdown
ABC is treating this as a head-to-head showdown: every remaining pair gets two routines in the same two-hour window, then the public and the judges decide who is still standing for the finale. The live simulcast is on ABC and Disney+ in local time zones, with the episode available the next day on Hulu, the network says. The details below, including every song title, are from the official Disney Entertainment Television press release.
Key Takeaways
- The Season 35 semifinals air Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. EST/PST (7:00 to 9:00 p.m. CST), live on ABC and Disney+, and the next day on Hulu, according to ABC’s Nov. 12 announcement.
- The six remaining couples will each perform one ballroom dance and one Latin dance. ABC also lists an additional pro routine to “edamame” by bbno$ featuring Rich Brian.
- Votes are combined with the judges’ scores. Viewers can vote at dwtsvote.abc.com or by SMS; ABC says SMS voting is not available in Canada.
- The series is produced in front of a live audience by BBC Studios. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough host, with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough. The official podcast is hosted by Andy Richter.
The Full Story
The Official Routines
The Disney Entertainment Television press release, posted Nov. 12, names all six remaining couples and both of their songs. Here is the list as ABC published it:
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: Jive to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins; Quickstep to “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down.
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: Viennese Waltz to “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande; Salsa to “Bemba Colorá” by Celia Cruz.
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: Viennese Waltz to “Shrike” by Hozier; Samba to “Samba Vocalizado” by Luciano Perrone.
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: Quickstep to “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy; Jive to “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley.
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: Waltz to “Open Arms” by Journey; Cha Cha to “I Like It Like That” by Pete Rodríguez.
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: Quickstep to “Valerie” by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse; Paso Doble to “We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris.
ABC did not rank the couples or say who dances first. The release also does not name an elimination format beyond the usual mix of judges’ scores and viewer votes, so that is not something we can fill in from this announcement.
When and How to Watch
The semifinals are a live simulcast, ABC says, airing Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. EST/PST (7:00 to 9:00 p.m. CST) on ABC and Disney+ in local time zones, then the next day on Hulu. The show is produced in front of a live audience by BBC Studios. Viewers can vote at dwtsvote.abc.com or by text; Canada cannot vote by SMS, the network says, and those votes are combined with the judges’ scores.
The same release notes that Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough host, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough on the judges’ panel, and that the official Dancing With the Stars podcast is hosted by Andy Richter, a job he began in Season 34.
PCP Take
Two dances each is the point of a semifinal: nobody gets a bye, and a single shaky number is no longer enough cover. The song list already tells you the assignments. “Footloose” and “Blue Suede Shoes” are the crowd-pleasers. A Hozier Viennese Waltz and a Journey waltz are the let-me-have-a-moment picks. Harry Shum Jr. drawing both “Valerie” and “We Found Love” looks like a statement. Where do you land on the six? Tell us on our socials, and catch more reality coverage in our Reality TV section.
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More Context
- Disney Entertainment Television Press — Official announcement: Dancing With the Stars goes head to head in a semifinals showdown on ABC and Disney+ ↗
- PCP — Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy eliminated on Grammy Night
- PCP — Maura Higgins
People in This Story
Bios from PCP’s Who’s Who. Tap a name for the full profile.
TV Personality · Model
Maura Higgins is an Irish TV personality and model whose credits include season 4 of The Traitors. Born in County Longford, Ireland.
Photo credits
1. Featured image: Official Dancing With the Stars Season 35 key art, courtesy of ABC / Disney Entertainment Television Press. The social card is a crop of the same official still.
