The Shocking Elimination: Who Was Kicked Off Dancing With The Stars Tonight (Season 34 Semi-Finals)
The most recent elimination from Dancing with the Stars sent shockwaves through the ballroom, proving that high scores alone cannot guarantee a spot in the finale. As of today, December 22, 2025, the last celebrity to be "kicked off" the competition before the final round was social media and reality TV personality, Whitney Leavitt, alongside her professional partner, the legendary Mark Ballas. Their dramatic exit during the Season 34 Semi-Finals, often referred to as "Prince Night," was a brutal reminder of the power of the combined judges' scores and viewer votes.
This unexpected result saw one of the season's strongest and most consistent couples fall just short of the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Leavitt and Ballas had delivered a series of critically acclaimed performances, making their Semi-Finals departure a truly stunning moment that left both the audience and the judges, including Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, visibly upset.
Whitney Leavitt: The MomTok Star's Biography and DWTS Journey
Whitney Leavitt entered the Dancing with the Stars ballroom as a strong contender with a surprisingly extensive dance background and a massive social media following. Her profile is a blend of digital fame and reality television experience.
- Full Name: Whitney Leavitt (née Ellis)
- Date of Birth: May 12, 1993
- Age (as of 2025): 32 years old
- Profession: Social Media Personality, Reality TV Star, Dancer, Actress
- Known For: Being one of "MomTok's original It Girls," a prominent figure in the "Mom Influencer" space, and starring in the reality TV show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
- Hometown: Utah, USA
- DWTS Partner: Mark Ballas (Professional Dancer, returning champion)
- DWTS Season: Season 34 (Fall 2025)
- Elimination: Week 10 (Semi-Finals)
- Notable Dances: A flawless Argentine Tango to "Cell Block Tango" during the 20th-anniversary show and a highly praised Contemporary routine.
The Semi-Finals Shock: Scores, Dances, and The Final Verdict
The elimination of Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas during the Season 34 Semi-Finals was particularly jarring because of their high placement on the judges' leaderboard. The night required each remaining couple to perform two distinct routines, both set to the iconic music of Prince, in what was dubbed "Prince Night."
Round 1: The Cha-Cha
For their first dance, Leavitt and Ballas performed a high-energy Cha-Cha to Prince’s hit "1999." The routine showcased Leavitt's technical precision and ability to embody the song's electric energy. The judges were highly complimentary, especially Derek Hough, who awarded them a perfect score.
- Dance Style: Cha-Cha
- Music: "1999" by Prince
- Judges' Scores: 29 out of 30 points (e.g., Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 10)
Round 2: The Redemption Dance
The second round, the "Redemption Dance," saw the couples revisit a style they had struggled with earlier in the season. Whitney and Mark performed a Viennese Waltz to "Slow Love," a dance that had previously been a challenge. They showed significant growth and refinement, once again earning a near-perfect score.
- Dance Style: Viennese Waltz (Redemption Dance)
- Music: "Slow Love" by Prince
- Judges' Scores: 29 out of 30 points (e.g., Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10)
- Total Combined Score: 58 out of 60 points
Despite their impressive total of 58 points—one of the highest scores of the night and the season—the couple found themselves in the bottom two alongside another high-scoring pair, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy. When the combined judges' scores and the millions of viewer votes were tallied, it was Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas who received the lowest overall total, leading to their immediate elimination.
The result was a textbook example of how a passionate fanbase can sometimes override technical excellence in a reality competition format. The elimination of a couple with such high scores in the Semi-Finals is a rare and often controversial occurrence in DWTS history.
The Impact of the Elimination and Remaining Finalists
Whitney Leavitt's emotional exit from the competition sparked a significant reaction across social media platforms, with many fans and even some former pros expressing their dismay at the unexpected outcome. Her journey from "MomTok" influencer to a strong ballroom dancer was a compelling narrative of the season.
The elimination of Leavitt and Ballas solidified the four remaining couples who advanced to the Season 34 Finale. The finalists who battled for the Mirrorball Trophy included:
- Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (who ultimately won the season)
- Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson
- Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
- Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
The Semi-Finals also featured a tight race that saw other fan-favorite celebrities, like comedian Andy Richter and his partner Emma Slater, and actress Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov, eliminated in previous weeks, showcasing the intense competition of Season 34. The final showdown proved to be a thrilling battle of fan support and technical mastery, ultimately crowning Robert Irwin as the champion.
Why Did a Top-Scoring Couple Get Eliminated?
The elimination process on Dancing with the Stars is a delicate balance of two factors: the judges' scores and the public's vote. The shocking exit of Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas can be attributed to a common dynamic in the show:
- The Split Vote: In later weeks, the number of couples is smaller, meaning the fan vote is split among fewer contestants. Couples with massive, dedicated fanbases (like the reality TV stars and athletes who made the finale) often have an advantage, even if their scores are slightly lower.
- Voter Fatigue: Some viewers may assume a high-scoring couple is "safe," leading them to vote for a couple they perceive as being in more danger, an assumption that backfires when the high-scoring couple actually needs the votes.
- The "Shock" Factor: The Semi-Finals are notorious for surprise exits. The show thrives on suspense, and eliminating a frontrunner is a dramatic way to set the stage for the finale.
Ultimately, Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas's journey ended on a high note of performance quality but a low note of public votes. Their legacy in Season 34 is one of technical excellence and a powerful partnership that many believe deserved a spot in the final.
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