Four couples have been eliminated from Dancing with the Stars Season 35 so far: Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman, Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills, Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten, and Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart. The first two exits came during the two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, followed by one elimination each in Week 2 (September 22) and Week 3 (September 29), which leaves 12 couples chasing the Mirrorball Trophy. This page tracks every DWTS Season 35 elimination with the dance, song and judges’ score from each couple’s final night. Last updated after the Week 3 results show on September 29, 2026.
DWTS Season 35 Elimination List at a Glance
| Eliminated Couple | When | Final Dance and Song | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman | Week 1, Night 1 (Sept. 15) | Salsa, “Whoomp! (There It Is)” by Tag Team | 12/30 |
| 2. Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills | Week 1, Night 2 (Sept. 16) | Jive, “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne | 14/30 |
| 3. Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten | Week 2, Viral Hits Night (Sept. 22) | Salsa, “Bella Ciao” by Becky G | 12/30 |
| 4. Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart | Week 3, Yacht Rock Night (Sept. 29) | Foxtrot, “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers | 18/30 |
Scores are out of 30 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. Each week’s result combines the judges’ scores with viewer votes.
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Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman: Week 1, Night 1 Elimination
Conner Leavitt, best known as the husband of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt, was the first celebrity sent home this season. He and pro partner Adele Zaikman danced a salsa to “Whoomp! (There It Is)” by Tag Team on opening night, Tuesday, September 15, and earned 12 out of 30 from the judges.
Derek Hough called the routine goofy, playful and a lot of fun, but said the salsa itself never fully came together because the hip action was missing. Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, along with Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, were also in danger when the results were read, which made Leavitt’s exit a surprise for many viewers. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson led the night with 21, followed by Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach with 20.
The result carried extra weight for Zaikman, who earned her professional spot by winning the spinoff Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro and went home in her first week as a pro on the main show. Leavitt thanked her afterward and called her the best dance partner he could have asked for.
Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills: Week 1, Night 2 Elimination
Model and Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader and pro Hailey Bills became the second couple eliminated, on the premiere’s second night, Wednesday, September 16. They performed a jive to Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” and scored 14 out of 30 (5, 4 and 5). Carrie Ann Inaba called the routine super-hot, Derek Hough wanted more content and tighter synchronization, and Bruno Tonioli praised the attitude but pointed to timing issues.
The pairing of two women drew attention from viewers, with ABC7’s coverage noting that it resonated with many in the LGBTQ+ community. Their exit set the field at 14 couples heading into Week 2.
Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten: Week 2 Elimination on Viral Hits Night
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis and pro Alan Bersten were sent home on Viral Hits Night, Tuesday, September 22, after a salsa to “Bella Ciao” by Becky G. Their 12 out of 30 tied for the lowest score of the night with Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson’s paso doble, and it was a four-point drop from De Laurentiis’ Week 1 score.
Three couples shared the top mark of 21: Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, and Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach. Tatyana Ali made the biggest jump of the night, improving by six points on her Week 1 total. Thirteen couples advanced to Week 3.
Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart: Week 3 Elimination on Yacht Rock Night
Taylor Hanson of the band Hanson and pro Britt Stewart were eliminated on Yacht Rock Night, Tuesday, September 29, the fourth episode of the season. They danced a foxtrot to “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers and received 18 out of 30, level with Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong and with Jackson Olson and Emma Slater. Two couples scored lower and stayed: Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson earned 15, and Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess earned 17. That gap between the scoreboard and the result is why the elimination was widely described as a shock.
Hanson later revealed that he had been dealing with nerve pain and numbness in his left leg since Week 1, and that he danced the Week 3 foxtrot on a completely numb foot. Stewart said he handled the heel leads and glides impressively despite it. Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov (foxtrot) and Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson (jive) tied for the top score of the night with 24, and 12 couples moved on to Week 4.
How Eliminations Work on Dancing with the Stars
Every week the judges score each dance out of 30, and those scores are combined with viewer votes to decide which couple goes home. That is why a lower-scoring couple can survive while a higher-scoring one leaves, exactly what happened in Week 3 when Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart went home on 18 while couples on 15 and 17 stayed. To see how scores and votes played out across a full past season, our Season 31 elimination tracker with the highest score by episode is a useful reference.
Who Is Still Left in DWTS Season 35?
Twelve couples remain after Week 3. Here is the field with each couple’s Yacht Rock Night score:
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: 24/30
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: 24/30
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: 22/30
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: 21/30
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: 21/30
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: 21/30
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: 20/30
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: 19/30
- Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong: 18/30
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: 18/30
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: 17/30
- Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson: 15/30
Want a refresher on who everyone is? Our Dancing with the Stars 2026 cast list has photos and partners for all 16 original contestants. For a look at how a scoreboard can shift over a season, see the Season 30 highest and lowest scores leaderboard.
When Is the Next DWTS Elimination?
Week 4 is Mariah Carey Night, airing Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming on Disney+, with episodes arriving on Hulu the following day. The Season 35 finale is scheduled for November 24, 2026.
DWTS Season 35 Eliminations: FAQ
Who was the first person eliminated from DWTS Season 35?
Conner Leavitt and his pro partner Adele Zaikman were the first couple eliminated, on the opening night of the premiere on September 15, 2026, after scoring 12 out of 30 for their salsa.
Who got eliminated on Dancing with the Stars this week?
As of the latest results show, Week 3 on September 29, 2026, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were eliminated after Yacht Rock Night.
How many couples are left on DWTS Season 35?
Twelve couples remain after four eliminations from the original 16.
Why was Taylor Hanson eliminated from Dancing with the Stars?
Hanson and Stewart scored 18 out of 30 for their foxtrot, which was middle of the pack, but they did not collect enough viewer votes. Because results combine judges’ scores with fan votes, couples with lower scores can stay while higher-scoring couples go home. Hanson said afterward that he had been dancing through nerve pain and numbness in his left leg.
Was there a double elimination in DWTS Season 35?
The premiere ran across two nights with one couple eliminated each night, so two couples went home in Week 1. Weeks 2 and 3 each had a single elimination.
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