Top 10 Dancing with the Stars Disney Night Performances

Both James and Peta chose this as their favorite dance and you only have to watch to see why. The contemporary choreography lends itself very well to storytelling and their lifts are spellbinding. Plus those stunning animations just add a little extra sparkle to the performance as a whole. It’s an emotional routine with Len saying that it could melt the coldest of hearts, even his, which he proves by scoring them a ten. This magical dance earned them a perfect score and the first full marks of the season.

Gaston can be quite the charmer and this Viennese Waltz certainly charmed the judges and viewers. Tom Bergeron even goes as far as saying that out of 27 series, this has got to be one of his favorites. Their dance is full to the brim with varied content, good technique and plenty of flair. Juan admits that he was just living his best life and it shows. Even before the judges get a chance to speak, we can read them like one of Belle’s books and, boy, are they happy.

We loved Rashad’s ability to connect to a character, so when Disney Night came around, we knew we were in for something special. Admittedly, the tempo is a bit different than your average Foxtrot tune but that doesn’t stop him from putting on quite the show with Emma. It’s elegant, emotive and we just can’t tear our eyes away from them. Even though we totally love this routine, they ended up near the bottom of the leaderboard. Nevertheless, they still managed to dance their way to the final and ultimately the Mirrorball.

Is it just us or does Ginger actually look a little like Belle? Either way, she certainly sells the character effortlessly. The Foxtrot is hardly the easiest ballroom dance at the best of times, but even a theme can’t throw off this dancer from nailing the choreography. We feel like we’re right there in Belle and Gaston’s quiet little village, but the story doesn’t outshine the impressive routine they delivers. Len calls it the best dance of the season and, if you ask us, Ginger truly is the Belle of the ball.

If you’re going to dance to “Friend Like Me,” then you had better be ready to pull every trick out of your hat - and this duo certainly does just that. Antonio takes center stage for this dance from the start and he really knows how to command the stage. As well as delivering a sharp and entertaining routine, his smile throughout is infectious and, it’s clear that he’s having a lot of fun. We loved watching Antonio improve week after week, but there’s no doubt that this number with Sharna is his dance.

Talk about a blockbuster. This dance is exciting from beginning to end. Who knew “Pirates of the Caribbean” would lend itself so well to a Paso? The choreography is sharp, fast and every movement hits the beat like cannon fire. It’s impossible not to get drawn in by the drama and fire of this dance and clearly, these two agree as they reprise it in the finals. This time, they not only score a standing ovation from Len but also the perfect score we all knew this dance deserved.

Can we just say something crazy? Doesn’t Heather Morris make the perfect Anna? We already knew that this contestant could dance and act, but she magically transports the studio to Arendelle when she embodies this character. Understandably, the judges had exceptionally high expectations for this pair and aren’t quite as enchanted with the routine as the rest of us. Nevertheless, they still achieved a decent score of 34 for the dance. We love the energy and characterization and if you ask us, it looks like something out of a Broadway show.

Week after week, Nyle delivered incredible routines so Disney Night was just another opportunity to dazzle us. Everything about this performance is simply joyous and his costume certainly caught the judges’ attention . The samba can be a tricky dance, but Nyle makes it look effortless with his bounce action, fluidity, and incredible synchronization - plus, check out that backflip. There’s great chemistry between Nyle and Peta, which really helps the partners deliver this outstanding routine. It’s obvious how much fun they’re having and we just want to be part of the party.

It’s such an iconic song and it made it even more amazing to have Donny Osmond singing it as they dance. This is a fierce, empowering routine, with Bruno even dubbing Normani an “all-conquering Paso princess.” She really gets the spirit of this dance style and gives it all the attack it deserves. Val choreographed combat-style movements into the routine, but it’s still very much a Paso at its core. Her precision, sharpness, and artistry are sensational and even props can’t break her focus. And to no one’s surprise, this duo topped the leaderboard.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.

Foxtrot to “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”
Hannah Brown & Alan Bersten

Contemporary to “Beauty and the Beast” from “Beauty and the Beast”
Ally Brooke & Sasha Farber

Jazz to “Love Is an Open Door” from “Frozen”
Nastia Liukin & Derek Hough

Quickstep to “Incredits 2” from “Incredibles 2”
Milo Manheim & Witney Carson

Samba to “I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” from “The Jungle Book”
Meryl Davis & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

The choreography, the storytelling, the music, sung by Moana herself, Auli’i Cravalho all contribute to this unforgettable dance. Sasha expertly choreographed this acrobatic, gravity-defying, contemporary routine that showcases his partner’s talents. While we enjoy seeing Simone do what she does best, she is just as strong on the dancing side too. We love the energy in this performance and how well the movements work with the music. While we may not be dance experts, we think this routine deserved top marks, which it sadly did not receive - but at least it’s topping our list!