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On Halloween Night, the partnership of Elaine and her professional companion Alan Bersten not only lit up the ballroom but also created a very unique ambience with their combined vigor and liveliness. According to the DWTS account, the combo was branded ‘bad to the bone’ and they revealed that the apocalypse-themed Argentine Tango would be their performance for the Halloween special episode with the song being aired in the background since it was a Halloween-themed song. The preview of the dance created immediate excitement among the viewers, and a lot of them were quickly guessing that the pair would be the one to have a great moment.
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The performance has caused such a stir that the whole audience has unambiguously declared that Elaine and Alan are the title fighters for this season. The very choice of Halloween night, with its spookiness and eeriness, for the performance of the already dramatic and difficult Argentine Tango shows how much faith the production team has in the dancers. While the dancers’ psychological aspect is deeply explored, the style with its jerky and quick movements is quite appropriate for the horror-like vibe and apocalypse story. It requires extreme expressiveness, and this is usually not only the reason that judges are attracted but also that the home viewers note.
Overall, the first response to the performance preview was positive and, furthermore, it was in the form of expectation. One viewer pointed out the meta-reference to “the parent trap” but he also acknowledged that for the others it would remain a nice mystery to be solved while the performance was on air. The comment section morphed into a platform of encouragement very quickly whereby a number of people expressed their conviction that “She’s going to the finals.” The same idea was voiced several times, indicating that there is a very active, vocal, and passionate support group that is really behind Elaine and her competition participation.
The issue of Ellen’s luck was raised again by one commenter who said, “Fingers crossed for a better outcome for Alan this year on Halloween night.” This statement hints at the past seasons when the dancing couples had to deal with scoring issues or bad ratings during ghostly-themed events and thus, a performance narrative was created. Even though there is no solid proof of Alan receiving low scores on Halloween, the hope for a redemption arc on that day adds to the allure of their dance being way more worth-watching.
People have not only been fascinated by the dance but also the comments have shown readers’ concern with the staging and fun aspects of the event. One especially imaginative and humorous fan made a very outlandish and funny request: “Please tell me one or both of you come out with silk green varsity jackets and shades swinging around a sock filled with coins.” Fantasies like this one reveal how the audience is emotionally connected not just to the performances but to the whole artistic production surrounding each piece.
Most of the comments were about Alan and Elaine but they just contacted the audience in a broad and brief way. A fan from Sweden commented, “Honestly give Alix a raise, she’s the only reason the show is popping this year, I’m from Sweden and I use a vpn to watch just because of her.” This in turn raised a small debate about the who the individual international star among the contestants is since another user politely stated that they only watch because of Elaine, Robert, and Dylan. This little exchange illustrates that different contestants pull different audience segments worldwide, the overall effect being an increase in global interest in the show. Hilaria Baldwin also generated significant discussion during her time on the show.
Put very simply, the common sentiment is one that a person exclaims excitedly, “I’m so looking forward to this tango”. And indeed this is a sentiment shared by many. The audience is already asking for “10s” before the performance even happens, which means that Elaine and Alan will have to deliver a show that not only meets but also surpasses the huge expectation. The apocalyptic tango of theirs is surely going to be one of the major highlights of the Halloween night. The ballroom is just waiting for them to set it on fire. Danielle Fishel also performed a memorable Argentine Tango on a different themed night.
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The show’s professional dancers always bring incredible energy, with Jenna Johnson sharing her expertise in rehearsal preparation. Other memorable performances include Whitney Leavitt’s emotional contemporary routine. Behind the scenes, judge Carrie Ann Inaba has faced health challenges that affected her participation.