Fans were expecting tears during Week 5’s Dedication Night, but no one expected the incredible performances that the “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 competitors delivered on Tuesday, October 14.
Fans were blown away by the stunning choreography, technical skills, and incredible emotion of Robert Irwin and his professional dance partner Witney Carson’s contemporary routine. The pair danced to “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins. The performance was dedicated to Robert’s mom, Terri Irwin.
Everyone Is in Tears
This routine was so stunning that everyone was in tears. Judge Derek Hough was overcome by emotion and moved to tears during his critique. The audience felt the emotion in the performance. And Irwin and Carson shared a touching moment onstage when they both wept together, moved by the power of dance and its story.
Irwin’s dance was dedicated to his mom and was a celebration of her strength, as she raised him and his older sister, Bindi Irwin, alone after the sudden and tragic passing of their father, Steve Irwin. Steve died on September 4, 2006. Losing his father at such a young age is something that Robert has discussed before, but his performance really provided insight into his feelings.
The Judges Scores
The judges scored Irwin and Carson an incredible 35 out of 40, but many fans feel this score was not high enough and Irwin deserved all 9s. The comments on the official “Dancing with the Stars” Instagram account include, “So much love for the Irwin family! Carrie Ann you’re on my list for giving that 8 girl,” and “Justice for Robert after Carrie Ann gave him an 8. Like what?!?!”
Fans loved the performance and were honest about being left in tears. “When terri replaced witney, I couldn’t control the tears. what a beautiful testament to his mother’s love. I know that steve would be so proud of his family,” a fan wrote.
“Besides the fact that him and his family are the most lovely people ever… those dance moves weren’t easy! I’m so impressed,” another fan shared.
Ahead of the performance, Robert shared a black-and-white photograph on Instagram, showing himself and Carson in rehearsals. He shared his thoughts in the caption.
“It has been an emotional week in rehearsals. I’ve been thinking a lot about my mum and her strength, I’ve been reminiscing on the times we’ve spent as a family and how she has kept my dad part of my life,” he wrote. “This dance is for my mum, it’s for anyone who’s lost someone… and it’s for all the strong mothers of the world who deserve our recognition and appreciation.”
