'DWTS' 500th Episode Recap: Who Went Home, Instant Dance Round Results

Dancing With the Stars celebrated some of the most iconic moments in the show’s history during the 500th episode.

Celebrity contestants and their pro partners reimagined famous performances from past duos during the Tuesday, November 12, episode.

Joey Graziadei chose to emulate one of his “favorite” DWTS moments: Riker Lynch and Allison Holker’s season 20 contemporary routine to “Work Song” by Hozier.

While Carrie Ann Inaba thought Graziadei, 29, and Johnson’s rendition was missing “a bit of rawness,” Derek Hough said, “I disagree,” before complimenting the pair on being “really connected” during the dance.

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ABC (2) There have been many memorable performances on Dancing With the Stars over the years, but a few in particular stick out to Us. Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin brought tears to fans’ eyes with several emotional routines, particularly the one she dedicated to her late father, Steve Irwin. “I’ve tried to just remember […]

Hough, 39, also praised Chandler Kinney after she and partner Brandon Armstrong paid tribute to one of his routines: his season 16 Argentine tango with Kellie Pickler.

After noting that “comparison is inevitable” when recreating dances, Hough told Kinney, 24, “I preferred this one, even over mine.” He added that the performance, which earned the first perfect score of the season, was “smooth as silk” while still having “intensity.”

At the end of the evening, Danny Amendola and Witney Carson and Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach were at the bottom of the leaderboard. Howard, 38, and Karagach, 31, were ultimately eliminated, just one week shy of the season 33 semifinals.

“I learned so much here, thank you everyone,” Howard told the crowd after cohost Alfonso Ribeiro announced the results.

Prior to the elimination, the contestants competed in DWTS’ first-ever instant dance round to commemorate the 500th episode. Each duo was assigned their song and style of dance just five minutes before they took the stage to display their improvisational talents and natural dancing abilities.

Kinney and Armstrong, 30, were the instant dance round winners as the only couple to earn a perfect 30 for their last-minute routine.

Keep scrolling to see all the scores from DWTS’ 500th episode — and how each pair fared during the instant round.

Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson

Dance: Contemporary

Song: “Work Song” by Hozier

Inspiration: Riker Lynch and Allison Holker’s season 20 performance

Score: 28

Instant dance round style and song: Rumba to “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish

Instant dance round score: 27

Overall score: 55

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Many Dancing With the Stars contestants have such a palpable connection on the dance floor that fans start to speculate whether those bonds extend to real life. “We really do get on and have great chemistry, which made this dance so much easier,”  Emma Slater told Us Weekly in September 2022 after DWTS host  Alfonso […]

Danny Amendola and Witney Carson

Dance: Quickstep

Song: “Hey Pachuco” by Royal Crown Revue

Inspiration: Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough’s season 5 performance

Score: 27

Instant dance round style and song: Jive to “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard

Instant dance round score: 24

Overall score: 51

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach

Dance: Argentine tango

Song: “Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)” by Gotan Project

Inspiration: James Hinchcliffe and Shara Burgess’ season 23 performance

Score: 26

Instant dance round style and song: Paso Doble to “Victorious” by “Panic at the Disco”

Instant dance round score: 22

Overall score: 48

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold

Dance: Viennese waltz

Song: “Glimpse of Us” by Joji

Inspiration: Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas’ season 31 performance

Score: 29

Instant dance round style and song: Jive to “Love Is Embarrassing” by Olivia Rodrigo

Instant dance round score: 25

Overall score: 54

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong

Dance: Argentine tango

Song: “Para Te” by Appart

Inspiration: Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler’s season 16 performance

Score: 30

Instant dance round style and song: Cha Cha to “Apple” by Charli XCX

Instant dance round score: 30

Overall score: 60

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten

Dance: Quickstep

Song: “Chuck Berry” by Pharrell Williams

Inspiration: Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold’s season 25 performance

Score: 28

Instant dance round style and song: Salsa to “Da’ Dip” by Freak Nasty 

Instant dance round score: 24

Overall score: 52

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. You can stream episodes on Disney+ the next day.