This article contains spoilers for episode 2 of Dancing With the Stars season 31.
Elvis is in the building! The season 31 Dancing With the Stars contestants and their professional partners grooved to songs by the king of rock and roll during the Monday, September 26, episode.
After finding herself in the bottom two last week, Teresa Giudice and partner Pasha Pashkov worked on the Real Housewives of New Jersey star bringing more passion to the performance. The reality TV personality dedicated her performance during Monday’s episode to her late father, whom she used to watch DWTS with.
“I have to say, in the beginning I choked up,” Giudice, 50, told host Alfonso Ribeiro after the performance. The judges noticed a difference from last week and Derek Hough told her he’d seen a “huge improvement.” However, Len Goodman had some constructive criticism, telling the New Jersey native her kicks were “not sharp enough.”
At the end of the night, the Bravo star and Pashkov, 36, landed in the bottom two again along with Cheryl Ladd and Louis Van Amstel. The judges were split on which duo to send home, but head judge Goodman’s vote ultimately sealed Giudice’s fate and she was eliminated.
“This was something that I’ve always wanted to do, and I finally did it,” she said after Goodman, 78, made his decision.
One DWTS pro was missing from Elvis Night — Joseph Baena‘s partner, Daniella Karagach.
“Unfortunately, Daniella Karagach tested positive overnight for Covid. She is completely asymptomatic and is self-quarantining. Everyone who has been in close contact with her has tested negative,” a spokesperson for the reality competition series told Us Weekly in a statement on Monday.
Dance troupe member Alexis Warr stepped in to dance with Baena, 24, instead. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son wore a mask during his performance as he was considered to have close contact with Karagach, 29.
The dancer and choreographer took to social media to implore viewers to vote for Baena in her absence. “Joe has so much to give,” she said via her Instagram Story, adding that the fitness model was “in the absolute best hands” with his stand-in partner. The judges gave the duo a score of 24 and complimented Baena for leading a dance so early in the competition.
At the end of the night, three pairs were tied for first place with a score of 32 — Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy, Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas and Wayne Brady and Witney Carson.
Dancing With the Stars airs on Disney+ on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
