Emotions were running high on “Most Memorable Year” week! On the Monday, October 8, episode of Dancing With the Stars,
Mary Lou Retton’s most memorable year was 1984, when she competed at the Summer Olympics and took home a gold medal, two silver medals and two bronze medals. However, the year was so important to her not because of the win but because she competed only six weeks after getting knee surgery! She and Sasha Farber danced the Viennese waltz to “We are the Champions.” While she became extremely emotional ahead of the dance and had a few missteps, she still earned a score of 24/30.
Milo Manheim named 2018 as his most memorable year as his movie, Zombies, came out, he’s on Dancing With the Stars and is graduating high school. He and Witney Carson danced a Jive to “Can You Do This,” and wow’d all the judges, earning a 27/30.
Nancy McKeon and Val Chmerkovskiy danced the Rumba to “Love Someone,” dedicated to the year 2006, when she completed her family. She and her husband share two daughters. While the dance was slow and lacked hip action, according to Len Goodman, the charm and beauty earned her a score of 22/30.
Alexis Ren’s named 2014 as her most memorable year, the last year she had with her mother before she passed away from cancer. She performed a very emotional contemporary dance with Alan Bersten to “How to Save a Life,” which moved everyone and earned her a score of 26/30.
.@AlexisRenG remembers her mom on the stage that would surely make her very happy. #DWTS pic.twitter.com/l74faeCLrx
— Dancing with the Stars (@DancingABC) October 9, 2018
When Evanna Lynch was a kid, the Harry Potter series helped her when she struggled with an eating disorder. She even wrote to author J.K. Rowling and they became pen pals while Evanna was in and out of hospitals. So, her most memorable year was 2006, when she went to as casting call and landed the role in the film – and Rowling didn’t even know she had auditioned. Evanna and Keo Motsepe danced an impressive and very fast Viennese Waltz to “Hedwig’s Theme,” and the judges called it magical. She scored a 27/30!
Joe Amabile and Jenna Johnson performed the Viennese Waltz to “You are the Reason,” after he named 2018 as his most memorable year. He overcame his fears that he had on The Bachelor and was able to fall for Kendall Long on Bachelor in Paradise. The dance showed that he was a bit more confident, but unfortunately it lacked the grace the others took on. They scored 18/30.
Juan Pablo Di Pace’s most memorable year was 1999, when he left Argentina to become an entertainer. He revealed he was bullied when he was a kid for being “a little different,” and found himself in Los Angeles. He and Cheryl Burke danced a very impressive Samba to “Ni Tu Ni Yo,” which earned a standing ovation from Len and was called “one of the best sambas ever” by Bruno Tonioli. They not only received the first 10 of the season but also the first perfect 30!
John Schneider named 2016 as his most memorable year, due to a flood in which he lost everything. During that time, he leaned on his girlfriend, Alicia Allain. Alicia also delivered the news to him later that year that his mother had passed away. He and Emma Slater performed a Waltz to “Smile,” a dance dedicated to his mother. He admitted he got caught up in what the dance meant, which caused a few missteps but still felt so happy afterward. They earned a 21/30.
Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess danced a contemporary number to “A Million Dreams,” dedicated to his most memorable year, 1998. It was the year he had graduated high school, the first to do so in his family after a life of struggling and having nothing. The dance was extremely emotional and showed a different, calmer side of the DJ. Carrie Ann Inaba called the routing “spectacular,” Len called it his “best dance” and they earned a score of 23/30.
A million dreams come to life as @mrBobbyBones and @SharnaBurgess give us a contemporary dance full of hope.#DWTS pic.twitter.com/G4g5PU9j8C
— Dancing with the Stars (@DancingABC) October 9, 2018
Tinashe released her debut album in 2014, which became her most memorable year. She and Brandon Armstrong danced a powerful Rumba to Tinashe’s song, “2 On.” The judges thought the dance was very smooth and their best yet. They earned a 27/30.
DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold danced the final number of the night, an Argentine Tango to “Lux Aeterna.” It was dedicated to the year 2016, the year he won a Super Bowl. He and his then-wife had three difficult pregnancies and lost a child. So, they decided to adopt in 2006, and had a son in 2010. Having his whole family at the game made it that much more special. Following the dance, his two kids ran out onto the floor. Len said that the lifts in the dance weren’t traditional but still incredible, and they earned a score of 26/30.
An emotional night ended on an emotional note. Nancy and Val and Tinashe and Brandon were in jeopardy, and in the end, Nancy and Val were eliminated.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
