I knew Shirley Ballas would be tough on the stars when it was revealed she’d be guest judging during Dancing with the Stars' Horror Movie Night on the 2026 TV schedule. However, I did not expect her to be that harsh. The constructive and blunt criticism from the guest judge was needed, though, and I actually really appreciated it, despite the fact that it felt like the biggest jump scare of the Halloween episode.
Shirley Ballas' Scores Scared Me
Now, as someone who did watch DWTS: The Next Pro, I know Shirley Ballas is a tough critic. I also know that’s her reputation on Strictly Come Dancing too. However, the stark juxtaposition of some of her scores and the other judges’ scores actually spooked me for a second.
The instant that got me the worst happened right at the beginning. Coming off their fantastic dance that was dedicated to Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa performed an Argentine Tango that got an eight from Bruno Tonioli, sevens from Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba…and a four from Shirley Ballas.
She also handed out a four to Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik while the other three judges gave the pair eights. Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess got a five from Shirley while the other judges handed out sevens. And I think it’s worth noting that she gave her son, Mark Ballas, and his partner Maura Higgins a seven, while they got a nine from Carrie Ann and eights from Derek and Bruno.
Overall, she was the toughest critic of the night. Plus, when you mix that with the fact that the other three judges typically align with their scores, her low numbers really stood out. However, I think they were necessary.
Her Feedback Was So Good, The Numbers Were Fair, And Her Methodology Makes Sense
Even though Shirley Ballas is a tough judge, it’s not without reason. When she was giving feedback to Julia and Ezra, she was specific. She pointed out that she didn’t see much tracing on the floor, she said some of the moves were too slow, she wanted “sharper controlled legs,” and she explained that Julia's posture could be improved. All of that led to her giving them a four, and I think that makes sense.
The other judges were also critical about Julia’s dance, but they weren’t as specific, and they still gave her fairly high scores. I loved how real Shirley kept it, and she provided very clear and precise reasons for the number she gave. Overall, her honesty and fearless criticism were refreshing, and I feel like she really gave the stars feedback they need to grow as dancers.
Her scores also just make sense. She may have given some of the “worst scores we’ve ever seen in Week 7,” as a journalist for On The Red Carpet described it; however, her reasoning for it is sound, as she explained:
Now, to me, those scores are actually still quite good, because they’re not twos and threes. So, fours, fives and sixes for me is a generally good score. You’re on a good track. And then when you get to sevens, eights and nines, you’ve really mastered your craft.
She noted that she’s “never been a great person of fluff,” and the lack of it was great for this episode. While I like how positive the judges keep it, their scoring gets high quickly, and they can provide commentary on the routines that lacks substantial feedback for contestants to use in the next week. So, when we get to the later weeks of the competition, things can feel a bit stagnant. However, with Shirley on the panel, that was not the case.
Also, her range of scores really made the highest scores of the night more meaningful. Like, her giving Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson a ten felt like she gave them a 20, because it’s clear she will not give out a score that high unless the contestants meet her incredibly high bar.
So, overall, I was here for her critical and at times scary scoring, and I really want to see her on this panel more often. However, she has to go back to Strictly Come Dancing, and DWTS will move forward to the always beloved Disney Night, which will air on Monday, November 2 at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch it and see how the next guest judge, Cynthia Erivo, shakes things up by catching the show on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.
