Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) is a popular reality TV dance competition that airs on ABC in the United States. The show pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers who compete against each other in choreographed dance routines. DWTS has aired 30 seasons since its premiere in 2005 and remains one of ABC’s highest rated programs.
What time does DWTS come on ABC?
DWTS airs on Monday nights at 8/7c on ABC. This means it starts at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central time. The show runs for around 2 hours, so it typically ends sometime between 10-11pm Eastern/9-10pm Central depending on the episode runtime. Here is a breakdown of DWTS airtimes in all U.S. time zones:
| Eastern | 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm |
| Central | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Mountain | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm |
| Pacific | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm |
| Alaska | 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
| Hawaii | 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
So if you are on Eastern Time, DWTS starts at 8pm on ABC. If you are on Pacific Time, it starts at 5pm. Be sure to check your local TV listings for the exact channel and time in your area.
What episode/week is it tonight?
Tonight, October 10, 2023, is week 4 of DWTS season 31. Each season lasts around 10 weeks, so we are roughly at the halfway point. The contestants have been paired into couples and have been learning and performing a new dance routine each week.
One couple is eliminated each week based on votes from the judges and the viewing audience. By this point in the competition, the weaker dancers have generally been voted off, so the skill level is higher than early in the season.
For this 4th week, the remaining couples will each dance to a new style of music. Some of the dance styles used on DWTS are tango, foxtrot, salsa, rumba, contemporary, and more. The professional dancers work hard each week to come up with creative choreography and teach their celebrity partners.
Tonight will feature the couples’ latest routines as judged by the expert panel of Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman, and Derek Hough. There are exciting guest performances, dramatic backstage moments, and of course the tense elimination at the end. Stay tuned to find out who will be the next to go home!
What is the theme tonight?
For week 4, the theme is “Most Memorable Year Night.” The contestants will perform dances that represent the most memorable year of their lives. They have to convey the significance of that year through their song and dance style choices.
Some contestants may pick a year when they got married, had children, lost a loved one, or achieved a major career milestone. The dances will likely be emotional and personally meaningful.
Past Most Memorable Year Night routines have included:
- Vanessa Lachey’s contemporary dance dedicated to the year her son was born prematurely
- Jordan Fisher’s foxtrot in honor of the year he was adopted by his grandparents
- Janel Parrish’s jive celebrating the year she landed her role on Pretty Little Liars
The professional dancers work with each celebrity to choreograph a dance that fits their story. The judges often give high scores on this night since the dances have such personal significance. It will be interesting to see what memorable moments the stars choose to highlight tonight through their ballroom artistry.
Who are the contestants this season?
Here is the full list of celebrity contestants on Dancing with the Stars season 31:
- Charli D’Amelio – Tik Tok star
- Heidi D’Amelio – Charli’s mother
- Wayne Brady – Comedian & actor
- Sam Champion – Weather anchor
- Jessie James Decker – Country pop singer
- Trevor Donovan – Actor
- Daniel Durant – Actor & deaf advocate
- Teresa Giudice – Reality TV star
- Vinny Guadagnino – Reality TV star
- Cheryl Ladd – Actress
- Jason Lewis – Actor & former model
- Shangela – Drag queen
- Jordin Sparks – Singer
- Gabby Windey – Bachelorette star
This diverse group of celebrities brings different skills and fan bases to the competition. Early favorites included Charli D’Amelio due to her massive Gen Z following and Wayne Brady thanks to his stage experience. But anything can happen over the course of the season! Stars often surprise viewers with unexpected dance ability or touching backstories.
Who are the professional dancers this season?
Here is the list of DWTS pro dancers for season 31 along with their celebrity partners:
| Pro Dancer | Celebrity Partner |
| Britt Stewart | Daniel Durant |
| Cheryl Burke | Sam Champion |
| Alan Bersten | Jessie James Decker |
| Brandon Armstrong | Cheryl Ladd |
| Pasha Pashkov | Teresa Giudice |
| Val Chmerkovskiy | Gabby Windey |
| Mark Ballas | Charli D’Amelio |
| Artem Chigvintsev | Heidi D’Amelio |
| Witney Carson | Wayne Brady |
| Emma Slater | Trevor Donovan |
| Sasha Farber | Selma Blair |
| Daniella Karagach | Vinny Guadagnino |
| Louis van Amstel | Jason Lewis |
| Gleb Savchenko | Shangela |
| Jenna Johnson | Jordin Sparks |
Fan favorite pro dancers like Witney, Val, Cheryl, Mark, and Emma have returned this season. There are also some newer faces like Daniella paired with Vinny. It will be exciting to see the partnerships develop creative dances each week!
Who are the DWTS judges?
The DWTS judging panel provides feedback, constructive criticism, and scores for each dance routine. The 2022 judges are:
- Carrie Ann Inaba – Original judge since Season 1
- Bruno Tonioli – Original judge since Season 1
- Len Goodman – Original judge from Seasons 1-21, returned for Season 31
- Derek Hough – Professional dancer, judge since Season 29
Len Goodman took a break from judging for several seasons but came back this year for Season 31. Derek Hough transitioned from being a pro dancer on the show to a full-time judge starting in Season 29.
Carrie Ann, Bruno, and Len are known for their witty banter, clashing opinions, and dramatic scoring paddles. Derek brings incredible technical expertise from his years competing as a pro. He offers thoughtful feedback geared towards helping the celebrities improve each week. It will be exciting to see what scores and commentary the judges have in store tonight!
What dances will the couples be performing tonight?
Since tonight has the “Most Memorable Year” theme, the dances and song selections will be very personal and emotional. While we won’t know exactly what the couples have prepared until showtime, here are some possibilities:
- Contemporary or lyrical dances are common for emotional routines.
- Waltzes or foxtrots may be used for heartwarming stories about relationships or marriage.
- Jazz or upbeat dances might match triumphant memories like career milestones.
- Latin dances like salsa could represent exciting or fun years.
In past Memorable Year nights, we have seen rumbas, Viennese waltzes, jazz, contemporary, and more. The pro dancers have revealed that their partners have chosen a wide range of impactful moments to honor. There will likely be a mix of dance styles and tempos, but with personal touches added to each choreography.
Some rumored dance choices for tonight:
– Charli & Mark – Contemporary to honor the year TikTok changed her life
– Jordin & Jenna – Waltz to recognize the year she won American Idol
– Jessie & Alan – Foxtrot to celebrate marrying her husband Eric Decker
We will have to tune in at 8/7c on ABC tonight to see what touching, beautiful dances the stars have prepared to commemorate their most memorable years!
Who will be the musical guests?
DWTS often brings in popular musical guests to perform live on the show while the contestants dance. The music adds energy and excitement to the ballroom.
For Most Memorable Year Night, producers tend to book artists who have songs that connect to the stars’ personal stories. The music provides emotion and amplifies the meaning behind the dances.
Rumored musical guests for tonight’s episode include:
- Christina Aguilera – Charli D’Amelio may dance to one of her songs
- Bruno Mars – Several contestants could pick his hits
- Carrie Underwood – Fits with Jessie James Decker’s country music background
In the past, we’ve seen stars like Janet Jackson, Pitbull, Kesha, and Blake Shelton take the DWTS stage as musical guests. The live band led by Harold Wheeler will also be performing tonight.
The talented musicians will surely elevate the most memorable dances and create an unforgettable experience for the contestants and audience!
How can I vote for my favorite couple?
You can have a say in who stays and who goes home on DWTS by voting for your favorite couple each week. Here are the ways to vote:
- ABC Website – Visit dwtsvote.abc.com and sign in with an ABC account to vote online.
- Text Message – Text the couple’s name to 21523.
- Phone Call – Call 1-800-868-3407 and vote by phone.
You can vote starting at the beginning of the live broadcast at 8pm Eastern time. Online and text voting close at 10pm Eastern, but you can still call in votes during the last commercial break.
When voting closes, the combination of judges’ scores and viewer votes determines which pair falls in the bottom two. The judges then decide which couple in the bottom two gets eliminated.
So be sure to vote up to 10 times for your favorite Most Memorable Year dance tonight on DWTS!
How to live stream DWTS online
Don’t have access to a TV to watch DWTS tonight? You can live stream the new episode through the ABC website or app. Just visit abc.com or download the ABC app and log in with your TV provider credentials.
Streaming is available on desktop, mobile, tablet, streaming devices like Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and more. This allows you to watch the emotional Most Memorable Year dances as they happen live.
If you miss the episode, it will also be available the next day on demand on the ABC app and at abc.com. The show will be airing in other countries in the days and weeks following the U.S. broadcast as well.
So grab your streaming device of choice and get ready to witness the personal dances, surprise performances, dramatic backstage moments, and elimination on DWTS tonight!
Who will be eliminated tonight?
It’s always tough to predict who will be sent home each week on DWTS. The bottom two couples are based on a combination of judges’ scores and viewer votes. Sometimes stars with lower scores are saved by their supportive fans voting.
For tonight’s elimination, a few possibilities based on last week’s leaderboard:
- Vinny Guadagnino – Lowest judges’ scores often lead to elimination
- Cheryl Ladd – One of the weaker dancers though she has improved
- Trevor Donovan – Middle of the pack dancer but lacks fan votes
However, anything can happen after tonight’s emotional performances and voting. The contestant going home will clearly depend a lot on their memorable year dance and connection with the audience.
The elimination will likely come down to the judges’ decision between the bottom two couples. Make sure to tune in tonight at 8/7c on ABC to see who makes it through week 4 of Dancing with the Stars!
Conclusion
Dancing with the Stars promises to be a compelling and moving episode tonight with its “Most Memorable Year” theme. We will get insight into pivotal moments in the celebrities’ lives conveyed through creative dances. With talented professional partners, live music, and enthusiastic voting fans, it will be an unforgettable night in the DWTS ballroom. Tune in at 8/7 central on ABC to laugh, cry, and cheer on your favorite couple dancing their hearts out!