Mariah Carey performing on stage; her songs inspired this week's Dancing with the Stars theme night

DWTS Mariah Carey Night Elimination: Ciara Miller Goes Home

October 7, 2026

Summer House star Ciara Miller and her professional partner Brandon Armstrong were sent home on Tuesday night’s Dancing with the Stars after their jazz routine to Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” scored 21 out of 30 — a shock elimination on a night dedicated to the pop icon, with the bottom three decided by a combination of judges’ scores and viewer votes.

Who Was Eliminated on DWTS Mariah Carey Night?

Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong got the axe at the end of the Tuesday, October 6 episode, the fourth competitive week of DWTS Season 35. Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro announced the result live, sending the Summer House star packing just as fans were rallying behind her visible week-over-week improvement.

The decision stunned viewers — and Miller’s Bravo family. Page Six caught up with her Summer House co-star Kyle Cooke at the outlet’s Virtual Reali-Tea Awards in New York City just minutes after the elimination aired, and he admitted he and the cast had all been voting for her. Cooke said Miller had taken the competition seriously, putting in grueling work since training began in August, and called it an incredible opportunity despite the sad outcome.

Who Was in the Bottom Three?

Joining Ciara and Brandon in danger were two more couples — and one of them was the actual lowest scorer of the night:

Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson — the talk show personality and comedian’s samba to “Obsessed” landed the night’s worst score, just 13 out of 30. Somehow, viewer support kept them alive.
Jackson Olson and Emma Slater — the Savannah Bananas player’s waltz to “Without You” earned 21 out of 30, tying Ciara and Brandon’s score. It was enough to survive.

The bottom-three reveal kept the studio on edge: Guillermo and Witney survived the lowest judges’ score of the night on fan votes alone, while Ciara — who had outscored or matched both surviving couples in recent weeks’ improvement — went home.

Who Led the Mariah Carey Night Leaderboard?

The top of the board belonged to Maura Higgins, who became the first contestant this season to earn a 9 from the judges, finishing with a night-leading 25 points. Right behind her, a three-way tie at 24 points: Ezra Frech, Harry Shum Jr., and Jenna Dewan.

Other standout moments from the night: Olympic skater Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov took on the rumba to Carey’s “Hero,” with Carrie Ann Inaba calling her powerful and defined while urging her to breathe a little more. Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa delivered what Inaba called a “breakthrough” Viennese waltz to “Vision of Love” for 21 out of 30 — their best scores of the season.

What Was the Backstage Drama?

It was not just about the dancing. People’s recap notes that Carrie Ann Inaba got booed by the audience at one point during the night — and another couple was moved to tears. Meanwhile, E! News reported fresh off-screen storylines: Witney Carson addressed rumors about her partnership with Guillermo Rodriguez, and Pasha Pashkov opened up about Amber Glenn’s connection with his daughter.

Hollywood Life also broke down the newly announced Season 35 theme weeks, giving fans a roadmap of what’s ahead as the competition narrows to 11 remaining couples.

What’s Next on Dancing with the Stars?

Eleven celebrities remain in contention for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, including Guillermo Rodriguez, Amber Glenn, Harry Shum Jr., Jackson Olson, Tatyana Ali, Ezra Frech, Connor Wood, Tyler Cameron, Jenna Dewan, Maura Higgins, and Julia Stiles. The next episode airs Tuesday, October 13 on ABC and streams live on Disney+, with the season finale scheduled for November 24, 2026.

BuzzCapitol recently covered the week’s other big entertainment stories, including Drake denying fatherhood rumors and the passing of Oscar winner Eva Marie Saint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was eliminated on Dancing with the Stars Mariah Carey Night?

Ciara Miller and her professional partner Brandon Armstrong were eliminated on the October 6 episode after their jazz to Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” scored 21/30.

Who was in the bottom three on DWTS this week?

Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong, Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson (13/30 for a samba to “Obsessed”), and Jackson Olson and Emma Slater (21/30 for a waltz to “Without You”).

Who is leading Dancing with the Stars Season 35?

Maura Higgins leads after Mariah Carey Night with 25 points — the first contestant this season to earn a 9 from the judges. Ezra Frech, Harry Shum Jr., and Jenna Dewan are close behind with 24 points each.

When is the next Dancing with the Stars episode?

Tuesday, October 13, airing on ABC and streaming live on Disney+. The Season 35 finale is scheduled for November 24, 2026.