Dancing With the Stars’ Jordan Chiles earns trio of perfect 10s for ‘Wicked’-themed rumba with Ezra Sosa

Jordan Chiles and professional dance partner Ezra Sosa earned three perfect 10s from the judges for their rumba performance to For Good from the movie Wicked during Week 6 of Dancing With the Stars.

The pair received a total score of 39 out of 40 points, tying with Whitney Leavitt and professional partner Mark Ballas for the highest score of the night.

The routine marked Chiles’ first set of 10s this season. Judges praised their execution and performance, noting Chiles’ consistency and control throughout the dance.

Jordan Chiles scores trio of 10s in ‘Wicked’ Rumba with partner Ezra Sosa on Dancing With the Stars

Judges’ reactions to the Rumba

Guest judge Jon M. Chu commented on Chiles’ performance, referencing her work ethic and determination. He expressed that he felt very lucky to be in her presence and noted that, similar to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the performers work very hard, are competitive, and make it appear effortless.

Chu remembered seeing Chiles at the Olympics in Paris and also noticed in her the same very focused "eyes" during the show, which, according to her, was the way the athlete made her will to win visible.

Bruno Tonioli referred to the dance as "Wickedly good," as the whole movement seemed to flow naturally from the body through the arms to the legs.

He observed that the performer was very controlled and focused and suggested that Cynthia Erivo would be happy.

Tonioli ended his review by quoting a line from another song in the musical Wicked, saying that now, "nothing" was going to stop her.

Carrie Ann Inaba commented on the performance, noting that it was "perfection."

Derek Hough noted the quality of movement and extension in the routine and stated,

“You have all the motion, you have all the moves. Now I want to see the emotion just a little bit more to go to the next level.”

Performance context and scores

Chiles and Sosa danced to a rumba, which Sosa described as “the dance of love,” while portraying a friendship dynamic. During the live broadcast, the couple’s reactions to receiving the scores were notable.

After Chiles received her first 10s of the season, she ran around Sosa as he dropped to the floor. Chiles screamed, and Sosa fell back down as the live feed cut out the sound of the celebration.

Their total score of 39/40 made them the only other couple besides Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas to earn a 10 on the episode.

During the week’s routines, all 10 couples performed dances to songs from Wicked and its upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good.

Chiles had previously received consistent scores and noted her desire to reach a 9 earlier in the season. In their intro package, Chiles said she was “scared” because she had not shown this passionate side of herself before, adding,

“I feel like this moment is going to be my breakthrough.”

Family support and personal background

During the episode, Chiles’ father, Timothy, and her mother, Gina, were present in the ballroom to support the performance.

Chiles had previously dedicated a Viennese Waltz to her father during Dedication Night to Daughters by John Mayer. She explained that her father had introduced her to gymnastics as a child to help with her ADHD, stating,

“He helped start my career in gymnastics.”

Sosa referenced the personal aspect of their journey, saying that Chiles’ story was “healing” because he does not have a relationship with his own father. Chiles acknowledged that she appreciated Sosa allowing her father to be a father figure to him during the competition.

At the end of the episode, recording artist Scott Hoying and professional partner Rylee Arnold were eliminated from the competition.

Stay tuned for more updates.