“Disney Heroes Night” – Season 30, Episode 4 (2021)
This episode featured no eliminations, though the following week required dancers to incorporate a “Mickey Dance Challenge” into their routines. The set was filled with nostalgic Disney magic, highlighted by Olivia Jade and Val Chmerkovskiy’s samba to “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King. Meanwhile, Emma Slater and Jimmie Allen moved the audience to tears with their paso doble to “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” dedicated to Allen’s late father.
“Grease Night” – Season 30, Episode 6 (2021)
Long before High School Musical, there was the legendary Grease. This episode celebrated the 1950s with leather jackets, poodle skirts, and dance routines inspired by the film. Amanda Kloots and Alan Bersten brought elegance with a Viennese waltz to “Beauty School Dropout,” performed live by Frankie Avalon, earning the highest score of the night. Shockingly, Melanie C and Gleb Savchenko were eliminated after performing a quickstep to the classic Grease hit.
“Most Memorable Year” – Season 32, Episode 5 (2023)
This emotional episode honored longtime judge Len Goodman following his passing. Pro dancers Julianne and Derek Hough performed a heartfelt waltz to “Moon River,” choreographed by Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy. Tears flowed throughout the night, especially when Mira Sorvino shared a mother-daughter dance with her child, Mattea. Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev earned top marks for their performance to “Lose You to Love Me,” which reflected Lawson’s personal journey out of a toxic relationship.