DWTS next pro cut its field to four on Aug. 17, and AJ Pritchard stayed in the race after Episode 6. The latest elimination left only four remaining contestants as the semifinals moved closer.
Episode 6 put five potential pros under the same test: teach a paired amateur a ballroom routine in two days. Witney Carson handled guest judging and told the contestants, “This is a pro’s most testing role, and being great at it is just nonnegotiable.”
Bailey on AJ’s pace
Bailey said AJ Pritchard’s teaching style was fast, which fits the episode’s narrow rehearsal window and the pressure on contestants to communicate choreography quickly. AJ said he had nearly 20 years of teaching experience, a number that made his speed part of the evaluation rather than a side note.
Anthony said Adele Zaikman set a high bar for herself and her partner, while Allen Genkin said he wanted to keep his routine simple to help Zaira. Nina Mayster spent her first day with Jay perfecting his frame instead of going over the choreography, another sign that the episode rewarded coaching choices as much as the final performance.
Scores on a one to 10 scale
Witney Carson, Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas checked in after the second day of rehearsals and asked each contestant to rate confidence on a one to 10 scale. Jeremy gave himself an 8, the highest mark in the group, while Anthony was at 4, the lowest, a split that tracked with how much control each pair had over the routine before showtime.
Selena Hamilton had the sharpest contradiction in the field: she had commercial dance background but had never taught a quickstep before. That gap mattered inside a challenge built around instruction, not just execution, because the episode measured whether a dancer could break down ballroom steps for someone with dance experience but no previous ballroom training.
Nina and Adele performances
Nina Mayster and Jay performed first on performance day, and Shirley Ballas said Jay had fundamental issues with the hold and footwork. Mark Ballas said the frame was incorrect, while Witney Carson said she enjoyed the fun hip-hop moments in their routine but thought Nina Mayster could have managed her time better in rehearsals.
Adele Zaikman and Anthony went after them, and the judging stayed pointed. Mark Ballas called Adele Zaikman’s routine ambitious, Shirley Ballas said she was fierce and fair, and Shirley Ballas also said Adele Zaikman’s teaching style could have used more fun. Witney Carson said she was shocked by Anthony’s performance.
The source does not name the eliminated contestant, but the effect is clear: the bracket now sits at four, and the semifinal round is the next filter. For anyone still in the mix, the episode set a blunt standard — quick teaching, clean framing and enough control to survive a challenge built around ballroom basics.
