Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Oct 7

Ciara Miller, Brandon Armstrong Exit DWTS as Maura Higgins Posts Season-Best 25/30

Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Oct 7

Ciara Miller, Brandon Armstrong Exit DWTS as Maura Higgins Posts Season-Best 25/30

Q: Why did a star with a poignant emotional journey face a shocking early elimination while the lowest-scoring dancer survived?

Ciara Miller’s early exit was not driven by judges’ scores alone; it happened because *Dancing With the Stars* uses a combined system of judges’ points and live viewer votes, and that total appears to have left her behind Guillermo Rodriguez despite his much lower score. Miller and Brandon Armstrong earned 21/30 for their jazz to “Emotions,” tying with several mid-pack couples. That meant she was not in immediate danger based on the leaderboard alone. But the show does not eliminate the lowest scorer automatically. Results are effectively split between judges’ rankings and audience support, with ties decided by public vote. In that format, a contestant with a weak score can survive if viewers vote heavily for them. That helps explain why Guillermo, who had the night’s lowest score at 13/30, remained safe. He has built a strong novelty and fan-support narrative, with visible backing from viewers and promotion tied to his *Jimmy Kimmel Live* profile. Miller, by contrast, appears to have drawn fewer votes in the live window, which closes shortly after the last performance and can produce unpredictable outcomes. Her elimination felt especially shocking because it cut short a story viewers and judges had emotionally invested in. Carrie Ann Inaba had previously been moved by Miller’s personal journey and praised dance as a way for her to express pain, making the result feel more poignant. But under the show’s rules, emotional momentum does not outweigh the math of live voting.

Q: Which iconic Mariah Carey hit secured the season's first nine, and what does it mean for the remaining competitors?

Mariah Carey’s “If It’s Over” secured the season’s first 9, helping Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas earn a season-best 25 out of 30. That score matters because it establishes a new standard in Season 35 and signals that the competition is tightening around the top of the leaderboard. Maura and Mark’s breakout waltz gave them clear momentum, while several other contenders — including Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, and Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy — remained close behind at 24/30. For the remaining competitors, the message is clear: strong judges’ scores alone are not enough. Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong were eliminated despite scoring 21/30 and tying multiple couples, showing that viewer votes can overturn the leaderboard. With eliminations determined by the combined total of judges’ scores and live audience voting, contestants now face pressure to deliver both technically stronger routines and performances that connect with viewers in real time. In practical terms, Maura and Mark have emerged as the pair to beat, but the margin is still narrow enough that one standout dance — or one weak week — could quickly reshuffle the field.

3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Oct 7

Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong were eliminated at the end of Dancing With the Stars' Mariah Carey Night after posting a 21/30 jazz to "Emotions."
The pair exited despite not finishing last on the judges' leaderboard, because elimination is based on the lowest combined total of scores and viewer votes.
Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas led the night with a 25/30 waltz to "If It's Over," the highest score of season 35 and the first 9 paddle awarded by Carrie Ann Inaba.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson landed at the bottom with 13/30, while Ezra Frech, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan each scored 24/30.
The result marked DWTS' second straight surprise exit after Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were eliminated during Yacht Rock Night last week.