Since 2005,Dancing with the Starshas pairedcelebrities with professional dancersto train and compete in ballroom dancing, with couples eliminated each week based on a combination of judges' scores and audience votes. The winner is awarded the Mirrorball Trophy, now named for late judgeLen Goodman. It has been on the air for 33 seasons, with more on the way, and is the American version of the British seriesStrictly Come Dancing.
Dancing with the Starsoften features themed weekly dances, and for Halloween, it goes all out. The couples get into the Halloween spirit with costumes and themed dances, often with a horror slant—famous monsters of all types have taken to the dance floor for the holiday. But the best Halloween dances have taken familiar ballroom staples and completely transformed them. The bold paso doble becomes even more dramatic, romantic dances become sinister and contemporary performances showcase how creepy dance can really be.
Dancing with the Stars
10Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Laurie HernandezandVal Chmerkovskiyused “Pure Imagination” for theirWilly Wonka-inspired Halloween performance in Season 23, with bright, colorful lights and candy props evoking the feel of the movie. The dance—which highlighted their close bond—earned them a score of 10 from all three judges, automatically granting them immunity and keeping them safe from elimination for the week. JudgeBruno Toniolipraised the dance as “a truly magical Halloween treat.”
Hernandez and Chmerkovskiy took a more imaginative approach for their Halloween night dance, as opposed to channeling the spookiness of the season. While some of the shows best Halloween night dances have leaned into its creepiness, their “Pure Imagination” waltz was a reminder that Halloween can also be very whimsical and fun. The dance itself was elegant, charming and wonderfully executed—Hernandez proved her skills—demonstrated by their perfect score.
9Janel Parrish and Val Chmerkovskiy
In Season 19,Janel ParrishandChmerkovskiy danced a Viennese waltz for Halloween Night, featuring just the two of them with the backdrop of a window and curtain used as a prop at the very beginning and end of the dance. The dance received both praise and criticism from the judges, with some notes for Parrish to improve on, butCarrie Ann Inabain particular complimented their combination of technique with story.
Chmerkovskiy had another Halloween Night success with this dark yet romantic waltz.It was simpler than some Halloween dances tend to be—they relied very little on costumes and effects and instead let the dance and music speak for themselves, with a dark, murderous twist at the very end. It was a fitting dance for Parrish and was reminiscent of her character onPretty Little Liars, Mona Vanderwaal. The dance scored a total of 31 out of a possible 40.
8Johnny Weir and Britt Stewart
Two-time Olympic figure skaterJohnny Weirand pro partnerBritt Stewartdanced a Viennese waltz to “Creep” in a re-imagined version of Weir’s ice-skating routine to the same song, but with a creepy Halloween twist. Weir and Stewart were dressed in all white, with Weir donning a redDracula-esque cape. The dance was awarded 9s across the board from the judges, in an impressive rebound from having been in the bottom two the week before.
Everything about Weir and Stewart’s performance was haunting, from the musical arrangement of “Creep” to the vampire character Weir played. The dance itself was intense yet graceful and tapped into the sensual side of vampire lore. The song itself had a personal meaning to Weir, as he explained in interviews prior to performing—as a figure skater, he struggled to feel accepted, and his sexuality was a factor in that.
7Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas
For their Halloween night performance in Season 25, violinistLindsey Stirlingand proMark Ballasdanced a paso doble to Stirling’s song “Roundtable Rival,” in which they played two thieves trying to crack a skeleton safe—only for them to kill each other in the end. The week prior, Stirling had displaced a rib during rehearsal, which continued to present a challenge for Halloween Night. But ultimately, the judges each scored the dance a 9, for a total of 27.
Everything about the “Roundtable Rival” performance was a true Halloween treat, from Ballas and Stirling’s amazing skull makeup to the great song choice.It was a dramatic and intense paso doble beautifully done in the spirit of the dance, complete with an amazing knee walk—and Stirling’s injury didn’t seem to hold her back at all, despite still being in pain. She was already the frontrunner in the competition, and her Halloween paso proved why.
6Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold
Jordan FisherandLindsay Arnoldput a twist on the tale of “Little Red Riding Hood” by infusing it with werewolves in their paso doble to “Animals” byMartin Garrix, with the stage adorned with the shadows of trees and lit by a full moon. The dance began with Fisher backed by other dancers, and together, they pursued Arnold, turning her into one of them. The dance earned the couple a perfect score of 30.
“Animals” featured great choreography from Arnold, with great dancing from both her and Fisher. In their hands—or, rather, feet—the paso doble became a fight for survival against supernatural forces, perfectly evoking the energy of a horror-movie chase scene, and the choice of song only helped underscore that. It was no surprise that the dance received a perfect score. Fisher was already the frontrunner of the competition, and this dance only proved his skills.
5James Hinchcliffe and Jenna Johnson
In Season 23, race car driverJames Hinchcliffewas partnered withSharna Burgess, but when she was sidelined due to an injury,Jenna Johnsontook her place. She and Hinchcliffe played the roles ofJokerandHarley Quinnfor a Viennese waltz set to “You Don’t Own Me,” which began with Johnson in a jail cell. After being broken out by the Joker, the two danced a waltz, alternately tender and violent until the end.
Hinchcliffe and Johnson perfectly embodied the characters of the Joker and Harley Quinn as they danced to “You Don’t Own Me,”a great song choice for the characters. Paired with Burgess’ choreography, it perfectly conveyed the characters’ toxic relationship, while the two dancers demonstrated amazing chemistry with each other—somewhat surprising, given Johnson was replacing Burgess as Hinchcliffe’s partner. It was also a beautifully done waltz, with clean, precise steps from Hinchcliffe.
4Nev Schulman and Jenna Johnson
As part of Villains Night in Season 29—days before Halloween—Nev Schulman, creator of reality seriesCatfish, danced a paso doble with partner Jenna Johnson inspired by the classic balletSwan Lake, set to the song “Swan Lake Remix” by District 78. The routine drew on the dark plot of the ballet, as Jenna danced the role of an innocent white swan, while Nev took on the villainous role of a black swan.
It was a dramatic and intense performance, made all the more so by the dark set with eerie green lighting.Schulman was downright menacing—his costume and makeup made his character even more terrifying and was reminiscent of the thriller filmBlack Swan—especially as the dance progressed and built to its spine-chilling and deadly conclusion. The judges were impressed and awarded him a perfect score, the first of the season.
3Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach
NBA playerIman Shumpertand proDaniella KaragachchanneledJordan Peele’s horror filmUsfor their contemporary dance for Halloween Night, clad in the red jumpsuits from the movie as they danced to “I Got 5 on It (Tethered Mix),” also featured in the film. The performance channeled the film’s theme of nefarious doppelgängers and earned them a perfect score of 40—their first of the season. Inaba praised the routine as “genius.”
Shumpert and Karagach made their dance look effortless—it was a great performance overall, not just in terms of Halloween. But the creep factor was certainly there, with both wonderfully in character, especially as they ended the performance by staring down the judges. Best of all, the dance featured sharp footwork from both dancers and impressive moves, most notably Karagach’s fall from standing on top of Shumpert’s shoulders.
2James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater
In Season 28, actorJames Van Der Beekand proEmma Slaterdanced a Viennese waltz to “I Put a Spell on You,” which told the story of a demon, played by Van Der Beek, who seduced an innocent woman and lured her away from her lover, played byKeo Motsepe. While the dance is normally a romantic one, their characters and choreography turned into something more sinister. It came up just short of a perfect score due to a small mistake on the part of Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek and Slater’s black costumes—and Van Der Beek’s incredible dramatic makeup—along with the creepy red lighting and an unsettling pair of staring eyes in the background helped set the tone for the dance. It was an amazing routine overall.Van Der Beek was menacing yet alluring as he danced the role of the demon, and he really demonstrated his skill in this performance, in particular, with a small mistake that was hardly noticeable.
1Milo Manheim and Witney Carson
Set in a padded cell,Milo ManheimandWitney Carson’s contemporary Halloween Night dance featured a dark version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” Manheim began on his own in a costume resembling a padded cell, then was joined by Carson’s nurse character—but in the end, it was implied she was just a figment of his imagination. The judges gave the dance a perfect score of 30, putting them at the top of the leaderboard.
Manheim and Carson’s Halloween performance was a true spectacle, incredible and amazing to watch from start to finish and standing solely on the strengths of its performers. Manheim was perfectly in character and deeply unsettling, with colored contact lenses completing the effect. But the dance also highlighted Carson’s skill, both as a dancer and choreographer. The choreography made the most of the song’s musical cues, with sharp, intense movements as the duo moved across the stage.
Dancing with the Starsis available to stream on Disney+ in the US.
