Tonight is “Dedication Night” on Dancing with the Stars, meaning the dancing couples will build a routine around someone close to them. Historically, it’s an emotional night for the contestants, and this week’s behind-the-scenes drama around Val Chmerkovskiy’s suspension will only increase the stakes.
Expecting a repeat of last year's results on this same theme night, Kalshi traders are pricing a 78% chance that no one will be leaving the show tonight.
Following in a distant second and third are Jackson Olson and Tyler Cameron at 11% and 11%, respectively.
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Dedication Night
The ten remaining couples have chosen songs and built routines around music that reminds them of a loved one. The night will feature everything from Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” to “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys.
Both Julia Stiles and pro partner Ezra Sosa, and Tatyana Ali and pro partner Jan Ravnik will surely bring the waterworks as they dedicate their routines to their late co-stars: Stiles’s 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Heath Ledger, and Ali’s late Fresh Prince TV dad James Avery.
Kalshi traders hedging on no elimination seem to be leaning on historic results: during season 34’s Dedication Night, none of the dancers went home. However, this is not a confirmed precedent or official format change, and season 33 did feature an elimination on this night.
Val Chmerkovskiy suspension
An added wrinkle for episode 7 is the suspension of Val Chmerkovskiy.
For the second time this season, Instagram comments have caused drama on the ABC reality dancing series. This time, the network took action and suspended Jenna Dewan’s professional partner Chmerkovskiy for one week. The suspension was the first time a pro dancer has ever been suspended from the long-running series.
Chmerkovskiy’s Instagram comment was directed at Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who had criticized Chmerkovskiy’s wife (and fellow pro dancer) Jenna Johnson’s performance with partner Harry Shum Jr. on “Super Bowl Night.”
Chmerkovskiy referenced Will Smith’s infamous Chris Rock Oscar slap by posting in a now-deleted comment, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” Inaba responded on Instagram asking, “So is this what we're doing now?”
Though Chmerkovskiy apologized and deleted the comment, the producing studio BBC Studios suspended him for a week based on the veiled threat. “The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” a statement read.
Dewan will dance with Alan Bersten (Giada De Laurentiis’s former partner) this week, and it’s possible the feel-good show will try to raise the morale by foregoing an elimination tonight.
Does this change the season's winner odds?
So far, nothing seems to be able to touch Ezra Frech's odds: the Paralympian continues to lead the season 35 winner market at 54%.
Fellow Olympian Amber Glenn and reality star Maura Higgins trail him at 12% and 11%, respectively.
The takeaway:
Kalshi markets now predict
No one will be eliminated in episode 7 of 'Dancing with the Stars': 78%
Follow Radhika Menon on Instagram: @menonrad
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