Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap is all about rising pressure, stronger performances, and one elimination that will leave fans debating all week. Mariah Carey Night gave the ballroom a glamorous theme, but it also exposed which couples are improving at the right time and which ones may be running out of road.
With the competition now a month in, Season 35 is starting to separate the contenders from the crowd. After last week’s surprise exit, the remaining cast entered Week 4 knowing that popularity alone may not be enough. The result was a night full of noticeable growth, several standout routines, and a result that felt harsher than the scoreboard suggested.
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 Recap: The Best Performances of Mariah Carey Night
If this episode proved anything, it’s that several couples are finding their stride at exactly the right moment. Mariah Carey’s catalog offered a mix of emotional ballads and high-energy pop, and the strongest dancers used that range to show more control, storytelling, and confidence.
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas lead the night
Maura Higgins emerged as the top scorer of the evening with a graceful waltz to If It’s Over. Her 25 out of 30, boosted by a 9 from Carrie Ann Inaba, confirmed that she is becoming one of the most polished performers in the cast. More importantly, the routine had elegance and poise rather than just technical competence.
Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr. and Ezra Frech stay in the mix
Jenna Dewan’s rumba to My All was one of the emotional highlights of the night. After weeks of hearing notes from the judges, she delivered a softer and more connected routine that finally seemed to unlock her full potential. She scored 24 out of 30 and looked every bit like a serious contender.
Harry Shum Jr. also posted a 24 with a sharp tango to It’s Like That. His performance had attack, precision and a level of intensity that judges clearly appreciated. Ezra Frech matched that score with a sophisticated rumba to Anytime You Need a Friend, continuing his run as one of the season’s most consistent competitors.
Who Improved Most in Week 4?
A big part of any Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap is recognizing the contestants who made the clearest leap. This week, several celebrities moved beyond simply surviving and started to look more comfortable in the ballroom.
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess scored 21 and surprised the room with a much-improved foxtrot to #Beautiful.
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater also earned 21, with judges praising a performance that revealed a more complete dancer than viewers had seen before.
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa reached 21 with a Viennese waltz that felt like a personal breakthrough.
- Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong delivered what judges called her best dance yet, earning 21 for a jazz routine to Emotions.
That last result is especially important, because it makes the elimination even more surprising. Ciara finally appeared to be building momentum, only to leave just as her scores started to climb.
The Middle of the Leaderboard Remains Crowded
One reason this season feels unpredictable is how tightly packed the middle of the leaderboard has become. In this Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap, that cluster once again shaped the drama of the night.
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov scored 23 with a strong rumba to Hero, keeping them among the leaders even if they did not match last week’s peak. Tatyana Ali earned 20 for her jazz routine to Fantasy, impressing overall even if the judges wanted more energy. Connor Wood landed at 19 with a playful rumba to Touch My Body, while Guillermo Rodriguez remained at the bottom with a 15 for his samba to Obsessed.
That spread matters because there is now very little margin for error. A one- or two-point difference can mean safety for one couple and danger for another, especially when fan voting enters the equation.
The Shock Elimination: Why Ciara Miller Going Home Stings
No Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap would be complete without addressing the biggest talking point: Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong were eliminated despite turning in a stronger routine and matching several other competitors on score.
On paper, Guillermo looked more vulnerable after earning just 15. But Dancing With the Stars has always been a combination of judges’ scores and audience support, and Week 4 was another reminder that ballroom quality does not always guarantee safety. Ciara’s exit feels particularly tough because she was clearly improving and had just received some of her most encouraging feedback of the season.
That result could have a ripple effect across the cast. If there was any complacency left in the ballroom, it likely disappeared once the bottom result was announced.
Full Score Snapshot From Mariah Carey Night
- Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas — 25
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach — 24
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson — 24
- Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy — 24
- Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov — 23
- Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong — 21
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess — 21
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater — 21
- Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa — 21
- Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik — 20
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold — 19
- Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson — 15
What’s Next for Season 35?
The show now turns toward Super Bowl Night, which sounds designed to bring bigger spectacle and a different performance energy. After a musically themed week built around Mariah Carey, next week could reward couples who excel at showmanship and crowd-pleasing choreography.
Based on this Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap, the couples to watch are Maura Higgins, Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr., Ezra Frech and Amber Glenn. But if Week 4 taught viewers anything, it’s that the leaderboard only tells part of the story.
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Dancing With the Stars Season 35 Week 4 recap shows a competition entering its most unpredictable phase. The dancing is improving, the pressure is mounting, and as Ciara Miller’s exit proved, no couple can afford to assume they are safe. If Mariah Carey Night was about breakthrough performances, it was also a warning: from here on out, every vote counts.
