Dancing with the Stars: Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten discuss their up-coming performance

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten are taking “Dancing with the Stars” to new heights. The pair just teased their upcoming Wicked Night performance, where they’ll dance a contemporary routine to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande on October 21. In an interview with Extra, they spilled that the choreography includes aerial stunts and lifts because, apparently, walking on the floor is too basic for them now.

Each week, celebs and their pro partners hit the ballroom to battle it out for scores, votes, and glory. This round’s Wicked-themed episode lands right as buzz builds for the musical’s movie version, perfect timing for a little magical mayhem. Hendrix, best known as the iconic Meredith Blake from The Parent Trap, and Bersten say this is their boldest routine yet.

The song’s a Broadway heavyweight, so the pressure’s sky-high, but Alan’s feeling confident and maybe a little spellbound. Rehearsal clips he dropped on Instagram show the duo twisting, twirling, and levitating their way into fans’ hearts, defying gravity and probably a few safety rules, too.

Dancing with the Stars: What did Elaine and Alan reveal about their up-coming performance?

Bersten described their interpretation of the famous musical number during the Extra interview. He emphasized that they plan to incorporate actual flying elements into the choreography. The song's title provides obvious inspiration for ambitious staging.

Hendrix confirmed the literal approach to defying gravity on Dancing with the Stars. She noted that much of the concept is already embedded in the source material. The pair intends to lean heavily into those theatrical elements. Bersten highlighted the advantages of contemporary dance for this particular number. The style permits lifts and tricks that other genres restrict. It also creates space for vulnerability and emotional expression. He revealed this marks the first time he'll lift Hendrix during their partnership, adding significance to the moment.

Bersten posted rehearsal footage to Instagram on October 20. The video showed him and Hendrix performing comedic dance moves. They lip-synced to audio from Renee Rapp expressing excitement about Wicked. The playful clip contrasted with the serious nature of their actual routine. The caption mentioned a camera blocking scheduled for the following day. This technical rehearsal allows dancers to coordinate with production equipment before live performance.

What are the stakes?

The October 21 Dancing with the Stars broadcast will determine whether their ambitious choreography translates successfully to the competition stage. Contemporary dance requires both technical precision and emotional authenticity. Hendrix faces the added challenge of executing aerial work without prior experience in that style.

Themed nights on Dancing with the Stars often produce the season's most memorable routines. The Wicked connection gives them built-in narrative power if executed properly. Judges will evaluate how well they balance spectacle with proper dance technique. Their placement on the leaderboard could significantly impact their trajectory in the competition as the remaining episodes dwindle.

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Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams the next day on Disney+.

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