Catfish star Nev Schulman and his partner Jenna Johnson got the first perfect score Monday on season 29 of Dancing With The Stars.
Dressed in Black Swan-inspired costumes for the show’s Villains’ Night, Nev, 35, and Jenna, 26, garnered three 10’s for their paso doble, set to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
Their flawless set left judge Bruno Tonioli, 64, marveling, ‘It has to be perfect, and it was.’
Perfect score: Catfish star Nev Schulman and his partner Jenna Johnson got the first perfect score Monday on season 29 of Dancing With The Stars
Nev, a ballet superfan who attends dance performances with his father, was thrilled to hear judge Derek Hough, 35, call his dance ‘an instant classic.’
‘I think I have swan bumps,’ the contestant said, looking at his bare arms.
With 30 points, Nev topped the leaderboard during the episode while Cheer star Monica Aldama, 46, and Val Chmerkovskiy, 34, found themselves at the bottom with 22 points.
They had done a sexy jazz dance to Peggy Lee’s Fever, with Monica dressed as Nurse Ratched from the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest based on the novel by Ken Kesey.
Black swan: Dressed in Black Swan-inspired costumes for the show’s Villains’ Night, Nev, 35, and Jenna, 26, garnered three 10’s for their paso doble, set to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
Flawless set: Their flawless set left judge Bruno Tonioli, 64, marveling, ‘It has to be perfect, and it was’
Lowest score: Monica Aldama, 46, and Val Chmerkovskiy, 34, found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard with 22 points
Bruno wasn’t feeling it.
‘I didn’t get a fever,’ he complained. ‘I got more of a mild chill.’
Monica and Val wound up in the bottom two with Jeannie Mai, 41, and Brandon Armstrong, 26, and judge Carrie Ann Inaba, 52, split the vote to send Monica home.
Wicked nurse: They had done a sexy jazz dance to Peggy Lee’s Fever, with Monica dressed as Nurse Ratched from the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest based on the novel by Ken Kesey
Bottom two: Monica and Val wound up in the bottom two with Jeannie Mai, 41, and Brandon Armstrong, 26, and judge Carrie Ann Inaba, 52, split the vote to send Monica home
In a scary moment, dancer Cheryl Burke, 36, was shown taking a hard fall onto her head during a stage rehearsal with her partner AJ McLean, 42, of the Backstreet Boys.
The duo had been practicing their ballroom tango to the Psycho theme, which would eventually land AJ and Cheryl 26 points.
‘Are you okay?’ AJ asked his partner after she fell. ‘Do you have any ringing?’
Scary moment: In a scary moment, dancer Cheryl Burke, 36, was shown taking a hard fall onto her head during a stage rehearsal with her partner AJ McLean, 42, of the Backstreet Boys
Tango time: The duo had been practicing their ballroom tango to the Psycho theme, which would eventually land AJ and Cheryl 26 points
‘I hit my head hard,’ she replied, before getting an ice pack and a visit from a medic.
Cheryl was ultimately cleared to perform and the two of them took the stage with AJ playing both Norman Bates and his mother, and Cheryl as Marion Crane.
‘You managed to translate the neurosis of the character into the steps,’ Bruno told AJ afterward. ‘Very hard to do, and very believable.’
Medically cleared: Cheryl was ultimately cleared to perform and the two of them took the stage with AJ playing both Norman Bates and his mother, and Cheryl as Marion Crane
The show opened with a Blair Witch-style tribute in which host Tyra Banks, 46, and the judges scrambled on a grainy screen to get away from ‘scary’ celebrities.
For their part, the celebrities acted out parodies of the horror films Seven and Scream.
Carrie Ann came dressed as Pennywise from the movie IT, Derek played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Bruno was ‘Brunojuice,’ his version of the film villain Beetlejuice.
Villainous outfits: Carrie Ann came dressed as Pennywise from the movie IT, Derek played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Bruno was ‘Brunojuice,’ his version of the film villain Beetlejuice.
Scary costume: The 52-year-old judge looked scary as Pennywise
Dual personality: Derek stayed in character and offered his critiques as Mr Hyde
Unique version: Bruno got creative and dressed as his own character ‘Brunojuice’
Tyra wore two costumes, first dressing as The Queen of Darkness, then turning into the Couture Queen of the Sparkly Ballroom midway through.
Jeannie was the first dancer of the night, earning 25 points for her paso doble to Nelly Furtado’s Maneater, which she did dressed as Hannibal Lecter from Silence Of The Lambs.
Jeannie had been terrified of the film growing up and even went vegetarian for two years after seeing Hannibal, played by Anthony Hopkins, eat his victims.
First up: Jeannie was the first dancer of the night, earning 25 points for her paso doble to Nelly Furtado’s Maneater, which she did dressed as Hannibal Lecter from Silence Of The Lambs
Big bite: The TV host had been terrified of the film growing up and even went vegetarian for two years after seeing Hannibal, played by Anthony Hopkins, eat his victims
Johnny Weir, 36, then won plaudits for his sweeping Viennese Waltz to Radiohead’s Creep, which he danced in character as Dracula.
The ice skater knew he hadn’t done well the week before, earning just 22 points for what he called a ‘dumpster fire’ of a dance with partner Britt Stewart, 31.
The two of them scored 27 points for their powerful dance, which Carrie Ann said made Johnny look like ‘a rock star.’
Dracula dance: Johnny Weir, 36, then won plaudits for his sweeping Viennese Waltz to Radiohead’s Creep, which he danced in character as Dracula
Bounced back: The two of them scored 27 points for their powerful dance, which Carrie Ann said made Johnny look like ‘a rock star’
Chrishell Stause, 39, turned out a commanding paso doble as the movie character Maleficent, dancing to Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight.
She and partner Gleb Savchenko got 26 points for what Carrie Ann called ‘simple moves, executed beautifully,’ and Derek said their dance had been truly ‘cinematic.’
Rapper Nelly, 45, and partner Daniella Karagach, 28, earned wild applause for their Argentine tango to The Weeknd’s I Can’t Feel My Face.
Maleficent dance: Chrishell Stause, 39, turned out a commanding paso doble as the movie character Maleficent, dancing to Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight
Simply beautiful: She and partner Gleb Savchenko got 26 points for what Carrie Ann called ‘simple moves, executed beautifully,’ and Derek said their dance had been truly ‘cinematic’
Tango time: Rapper Nelly, 45, and partner Daniella Karagach, 28, earned wild applause for their Argentine tango to The Weeknd’s I Can’t Feel My Face
Nelly dressed as Freddie Krueger and seemed electrified by the role, receiving 27 points for what Carrie Ann told him was ‘by far your best dance!’
Justina Machado, 48, tangoed as telekinetic teen Carrie from the 1976 Stephen King film, and received 26 points.
The actress screamed twice during the dance to Hozier’s Take Me To Church, deliberately breaking through the music and looking, as Bruno said, ‘like a woman possessed.’
Best dance: Nelly dressed as Freddie Krueger and seemed electrified by the role, receiving 27 points for what Carrie Ann told him was ‘by far your best dance!’
Serial killer: The rapper embraced portraying serial killer Freddie Krueger created by horror master Wes Craven
Horror classic: Justina Machado, 48, tangoed as telekinetic teen Carrie from the 1976 Stephen King film, and received 26 points
Skai Jackson, 18, and Alan Bersten, 26, paid homage to the 1998 film The Bride Of Chucky, doing an Argentine tango to what Skai called ‘one of my favorite movies ever.’
With Billie Eilish’s Everything I Wanted playing on set, Skai and Alan danced effortlessly, and Carrie Ann praised the Disney star for ‘coming back stronger than ever.’
‘The power that you exuded in that dance was mesmerizing,’ she said, as Skai was given 27 points.
Comeback kid: Skai Jackson, 18, and Alan Bersten, 26, paid homage to the 1998 film The Bride Of Chucky, doing an Argentine tango to what Skai called ‘one of my favorite movies ever’
The last dance of the episode went to reality star Kaitlyn Bristowe, 35, and Artem Chigvintsev, 38, who got 24 points performing as Cruella de Vil and a dog from 101 Dalmatians.
Derek appreciated their paso doble to Rihanna’s Disturbia, saying, ‘You are dancing your butt out there every single time’—though Carrie Ann called it ‘another not-great dance.’
At the end of the show, Jeannie and Monica fell into the bottom two, and while Derek preferred Monica, both Derek and Carrie Ann decided they wanted to save Jeannie.
Dancing With The Stars will return next week on ABC.
Last dance: The last dance of the episode went to reality star Kaitlyn Bristowe, 35, and Artem Chigvintsev, 38, who got 24 points performing as Cruella de Vil and a dog from 101 Dalmatians
Cheer star: At the end of the show, Jeannie and Monica fell into the bottom two, and while Derek preferred Monica, both Derek and Carrie Ann decided they wanted to save Jeannie