Dancing with the Stars 32 Spoilers: Whitney Houston Night Dance Styles, Song Choices – Everything to Know
Dancing with the Stars season 32 heads into a special themed evening when the seven remaining couples perform to iconic songs by one of music’s best-selling artists, Whitney Houston. The episode, billed as “Whitney Houston Night,” is scheduled to air TUESDAY, NOV. 14 (8:00–10:01 p.m. EST/PST, 7:00–9:01 p.m. CST) and will simulcast across ABC and Disney+ in local time zones, with next-day availability on Hulu. The showcase promises emotional renditions, high-energy numbers and direct homages to Houston’s powerful catalog.
The evening opens with a group production choreographed by Ray Leeper to Whitney’s upbeat classic “How Will I Know.” Actor and singer Billy Porter, a longtime fan of Houston, joins the panel this week as a special guest judge, bringing a fresh perspective to the scoring alongside the regular judges.
Representatives of the Whitney E. Houston estate welcomed the tribute. Pat Houston, executor of the estate, said the family is honored by the episode and noted that Whitney was a fan of the show and would appreciate this recognition. The tribute aims to celebrate Houston’s artistry while giving each couple material that showcases vocal-driven melodies and dramatic storytelling through dance.
This episode also marks the return of the show’s “Dance-Off” format. In the Dance-Offs, two couples compete head-to-head: they perform the same dance style simultaneously and the judges select the winner. There will be three Dance-Offs in total, and the victorious couple in each will receive a three-point bonus added to their judges’ score for the night. That bonus can have a meaningful impact on the leaderboard as the competition nears its final stages.
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov earned the top spot on last week’s leaderboard and, as a result, have immunity from participating in the Dance-Offs this week. They receive the three bonus points automatically as part of that immunity. Despite this advantage in the Dance-Off round, all couples — including Ariana and Pasha — remain subject to the overall elimination process based on combined judges’ scores and viewer votes.
Dancing with the Stars Whitney Night Dance Styles and Song Choices
- Alyson Hannigan and pro Sasha Farber — Contemporary to “Greatest Love of All.”
- Xochitl Gomez and pro Val Chmerkovskiy — Tango to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).”
- Ariana Madix and pro Pasha Pashkov — Paso Doble to “Queen of the Night.”
- Charity Lawson and pro Artem Chigvintsev — Viennese Waltz to “I Will Always Love You.”
- Jason Mraz and pro Daniella Karagach — Samba to “Higher Love” (Kygo & Whitney Houston version).
- Harry Jowsey and pro Rylee Arnold — Viennese Waltz to “I Have Nothing.”
- Barry Williams and pro Peta Murgatroyd — Rumba to “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.”
Dancing with the Stars Whitney Night Dance-Off Dance Styles and Song Choices
Xochitl + Val vs. Charity + Artem
Cha Cha — “So Emotional”
Jason + Daniella vs. Barry + Peta
Salsa — “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay”
Harry + Rylee vs. Alyson + Sasha
Rumba — “One Moment In Time”
Vote
Viewer participation will play a key role in determining which couples remain in the competition. Fans can vote during the live simulcast in the EST/CST time zones. Online voting is available in all U.S. time zones, U.S. territories and Canada through dwtsvote.abc.com, and viewers with a participating U.S. wireless carrier may also cast votes via SMS/text (note: SMS/text voting is not available in Canada). Live viewer votes are combined with the judges’ scores to determine which couples may face elimination each week.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough serve as co-hosts of Dancing with the Stars. The judges’ panel includes Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, with occasional guest judges joining for themed nights. BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions produces the series in front of a live audience, maintaining the show’s mix of theatrical staging, vocal tributes and competitive ballroom dance.
Whitney Houston Night offers a mix of heartfelt ballads and upbeat classics that should test each couple’s range — from lyrical contemporary pieces to technically demanding tangos and dramatic Paso Dobles. With bonus points, Dance-Off pressure and viewer votes all in play, Tuesday’s episode could shift the leaderboard and shape the path to the season’s finale.