Dancing With the Stars alum Maks and Sharna discuss the season's front-runners after Rock ’n’ Roll Night

After a night of high-energy routines and one unexpected guest judge, Dancing With the Stars is entering its final stretch — and two of its most recognizable alumni, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Sharna Burgess, aren’t holding back.

In their Ballroom Breakdown video on The Penthouse with Peta, the pair analyzed the Rock ’n’ Roll Night performances, critiqued the scoring system, and debated who should be considered the true front-runners of the season.

Maks and Sharna agreed that while Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy have emerged as the couple to beat, several others are closing in fast.

“This was her best dance for me. I was obsessed with this dance for her,” Peta said during the discussion, referring to Alix’s performance.

“This one was the best based on some pivots that were done in previous episodes, and these were the most well executed,” Maksim added, praising Alix’s confidence and technique.

The conversation soon turned to other standouts of the night — and a few who seemed to be losing ground.

Dancing with the Stars: Flavor Flav’s judging 

Guest judge Flavor Flav’s appearance became an early talking point for both pros. Maks questioned the purpose of guest-judge scoring, saying:

“My problem with this is again, what is the significance of that number? The score.”

Sharna responded with a dose of humor and realism:

“It brings comments. I think it brings clickbait and rage bait.”

Their exchange echoed what many Dancing With the Stars viewers expressed online — that celebrity guest judges often bring energy but rarely provide meaningful critique.

Momentum shifts among the top contenders

When reviewing the night’s routines, both Maks and Sharna felt Robert Irwin and Witney Carson remain in contention but showed some signs of inconsistency.

“For me, he’s very kind of like there’s no more enigma about him. He’s fantastic at slow … grindy, hippie stuff, and he gets lost in the sauce once it’s like, you know … he gets a little bit, you know,” Maks explained.

Their consensus: Robert remains a strong performer, but not as commanding as Alix or Whitney.

In contrast, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach were described as slipping behind the curve.

“I think Dylan is losing steam, and if he’s not, then we’ll see it on the next dance because that dance seemed a little bit like steam was lost,” Maks said.

He also acknowledges that Robert has been performing better as compared to Dylan, and “there is no steam lost at all” when it comes to him.

Peta agreed, adding, “I felt like in the beginning of the dance he slid through … but then … I didn’t feel the ‘let’s go, it’s Jive’.I felt like he looked unsure of himself in this dance until he ripped the shirt open,” 

By the end of their analysis, Maks and Sharna agreed that Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy have the clearest upward momentum going into the semifinals, with Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas close behind.

The duo noted that viewer voting patterns and narrative arcs now weigh as heavily as pure technique — a long-standing dynamic on Dancing With the Stars that often propels fan favorites deep into the competition.

As for their predictions, both believe the finale will likely feature Alix & Val, Whitney & Mark, and Robert & Witney — with Dylan & Daniella needing a major comeback to stay alive.

After Rock ’n’ Roll Night, Dancing With the Stars seems to have a more defined hierarchy: Alix and Val at the top, Whitney and Mark close behind, Robert and Witney in solid standing, and Dylan and Daniella battling to rebound.

The judges’ unpredictability, guest appearances, and public voting will continue to shape the final outcome — but as Maks and Sharna’s breakdown shows, performance growth and connection with viewers remain the deciding factors.

Stay tuned for more updates.