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Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and guest judge Jon M. Chu all awarded this new frontrunner the top score for the first time. DWTS awards first 10 of se

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and guest judge Jon M. Chu all awarded this new front-runner the top score for the first time.

*DWTS *awards first 10 of season 34 on Wicked night: 'We are discovering a star'

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and guest judge Jon M. Chu all awarded this new front-runner the top score for the first time.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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October 21, 2025 9:32 p.m. ET

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'DWTS' Wicked Night. Credit:

The power of "Popular" carried this *Dancing With the Stars* season 34 contestant to the front of the pack on *Wicked *night.

Last week's "Dedication Night" theme was going to be hard to top, with its heartfelt tributes to the celebrity contestants' friends and loved ones. But the first few routines on *Wicked *night, devoted to the highly anticipated musical sequel *Wicked: For Good*, set the tone for something spectacular.

Social media personality Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy's jazz number to "What Is This Feeling?" sparked major high score speculation, and wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and Witney Carson's jazz spin on "Dancing Through Life" upped the ante. But neither managed to crack the judge's refusal to go higher than 9 this season thus far.

Then,* Secret Lives of Mormon Wives* star* *Whitney Leavitt and her pro partner Mark Ballas took to the* *ballroom to perform a quickstep to "Popular" — and season 34 was forever changed.**

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas.

Channeling pop princess Ariana Grande and Glinda the Good herself in matching pink attire, Leavitt and Ballas lit up the stage with a quick, nimble, explosively energetic dance that got the audience on their feet.

When cohost Alfonso Ribeiro turned it over to the judges' panel for critiques, Derek Hough channeled his stalwart colleague Bruno Tonioli by shooting out of his seat and declaring, "What?!"

"I feel like we are discovering a star before our eyes," Hough continued. "The way you animate, the way you perform, the way you draw in, the way you are so giving to the audience... it was jam-packed, it was so advanced, and so fantastic."

Guest judge Jon M. Chu, who helmed both adaptations of the beloved stage musical, described Leavitt's performance as "The perfect blend of technical prowess and fun and art. I was so lost in it, I forgot I was judging anything." In a nod to Grande's character's iconic entrance into the film that started it all, Chu shared, "I was floating on air in a bubble and I think he whole world was, too."****

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Judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba echoed the sentiment, with Tonioli calling the routine "insanely good. It was the campest, fastest, funniest, it was Galinda gone ballistic." Inaba praised Leavitt's footwork as "unhinged but in all the right ways."

"You are so exciting to watch," Inaba continued. "Even though you started as a great dacner, you are getting better with every performance."**

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas.

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Before the judges revealed their scores, Leavitt told cohost Julianne Hough that her sole goal in week 6 was to redeem her week 5 stumble during a soulful contemporary routine dedicated to her husband. "I just wanted to get back on top, baby!"

Get back on top she did, as Inaba, Chu, and Tonioli all revealed 10s, with Hough the sole 9 keeping her from a perfect score. The *Dancing With the Stars *leaderboard has officially shaken up.**

*Dancing With the Stars* airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, and streams the next day on Hulu.**

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Source: "AOL TV"

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