Tatyana Ali and her professional dance partner, Jan Ravnik, faced a nerve-racking wait for safety during Dancing With the Stars’ Horror Movie Night. After receiving a particularly harsh critique from guest judge Shirley Ballas, the pair were the last team announced as safe, leaving them uncertain about their future in the competition.

Although they were not necessarily among the bottom three based on scores and viewer votes, their late announcement made for an anxious evening.

Shirley Ballas Delivers a Tough Verdict

Ali and Ravnik performed a paso doble, but Ballas was far from impressed with their execution. While acknowledging the performance’s theatrical elements, she argued that it lacked recognizable paso doble technique, including twist turns and sufficient flamenco style.

“I give you on the power and theatrics. [But] as a paso doble goes, it didn’t do it for me,” Ballas explained.

The judge’s score of 4 stood in sharp contrast to the 8s awarded by Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli.

Ali and Ravnik entered the episode with 32 points from the previous week and added their latest scores to reach a combined total of 60 out of 80. Ultimately, viewer support helped them advance, while Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, along with Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, were eliminated in a double departure.

Speaking to TV Insider, Ali admitted she had no idea what the result would be.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” she said. “It was nice to hear our name. That’s how this show is. Anything can happen.”

Why the Critique Was Especially Intimidating

Ali understood that their Latin dance could attract particularly close scrutiny from Ballas, who is renowned for her achievements in the genre.

“She’s won all kinds of championships,” Ali noted. “I was prepared for her to critique [us] and that’s what she did.”

Ravnik agreed that performing in front of Ballas was intimidating, given her expertise.

“We all know she is incredible in her field,” the professional dancer said. “So, doing a Latin dance in front of her, yeah, it was terrifying.”

Despite the disappointing score, Ravnik was prepared to take the feedback seriously rather than dwell on the setback.

“As a pro, I’m going to take her critique and think about it,” he said. “The next time that I’m doing a paso doble, I need to do something more.”

Ali Focuses on How Far She Has Come

With another week secured, Ali is looking forward to continuing her dancing journey and discovering what she can accomplish.

“I’ve learned to do things that I never dreamed I’d be able to do,” she said. “I have been proud of myself at the end of every single night, independent of what the score is.”

Ravnik has been equally enthusiastic about his partner’s development, saying he regularly tells her—and everyone else—how proud he is of her progress.

Ali may also have support from longtime fans of The Young and the Restless. She portrayed Roxie on the CBS soap for approximately six years, beginning in 2007. Reflecting on the character, Ali recalled Roxie’s relationship with Devon, played by Bryton James, and how the character eventually left after his financial circumstances changed.

Ali and Ravnik will return for Disney Night on Dancing With the Stars Season 15, Episode 8, airing Monday, November 2, at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.

Source: Compiled from various sources