‘Dancing With The Stars’ Recap: Lots Of Breakthroughs On Mariah Carey Night Stiffen Competition

Dancing With the Stars has once again honored Mariah Carey's discography on an episode of "Dancing With the Stars," as the 12 remaining couples whirled and twirled to her iconic whistle notes. While Carey may not have officially taken credit for the strong performances, her timeless tunes did make way for some of the season's most impressive dances.

One couple did not fare as well, marking two consecutive weeks where the eliminated contestant was not the one at the bottom of the leaderboard. Ezra showed no signs of slowing down in his rumba performance, demonstrating his mastery of the notoriously tough style for male contestants. Harry, a contestant with prior dance experience, displayed a consistently good performance but may face a plateau in improvement.

Jenna broke free from the high expectations placed upon her, showcasing her partner's raw talent during the rumba.

Tyler's foxtrot performance brought a sense of relief, as he bounced back from his previous performances with a lightness on his feet and relaxed confidence. Maura transformed her faux-confidence into real confidence, displaying grace and poise in her spins. Connor improved significantly, despite some herky-jerky hips, and showcased a memorable worm during the routine.

Unfortunately, Tatyana's jazz performance did not break out of perfectly fine territory, with choreography seeming padded by gimmicks. Connor, like his counterparts, improved meaningfully but did not reach the level of impressive technique.