For Jordan Chiles, week 1 of the DWTS has been an uphill battle as she scored 10/20 post her salsa routine. However, she came back strong in week 2, and by week 3, she was able to clinch a season-high score of 24 points. This time, when she performed tango on the stage, the UCLA gymnast not only received applause from her fans, but the judges were also impressed with how Chiles and Ezra Sosa turned things around. Interestingly, this time the 24-year-old decided to express her own struggles through her performance.

Jordan Chiles chose Doechii’s “Anxiety” for her Week 3 tango. The choreography was built in such a way that her partner, Ezra Sosa, embodied ‘anxiety’, controlling her movements and even covering her mouth to symbolize being silenced. As the dance unfolded, Jordan fought back with sharp, deliberate movements, and the routine ended with her regaining control, turning the tango into a story of confronting and overcoming anxiety. The three panel of Judges: Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough were elated with the pair’s choice of theme.

Tonioli called the performance “your best dance yet” and praised her growth. “Your improvement has been astonishing,” he said, pointing out that she “has transformed into a stalking panther. Clean, clean, powerful, focused.” In week 1, Tonioli said he loved the performer’s energy and “Spice Girl” vibe, but he noted that Chiles needs to work on full-body expression. He gave a score of 5 in week 1, which went up to 8 in week 3.

Derek Hough said, “I was really impressed with the way you kept your frame despite the height discrepancy here.” For him, her performance demonstrated an emotional, aesthetic transformation. “You turned anxiety into artistry,” he said. In week 1, Hough mentioned that Jordan’s first dance was amazing, with impressive flips and tricks. But he also said, “I wish there was a little more content of salsa in there, but overall, that was fantastic dancing.” He, too, gave her only a score of 5 in week 1, but now it’s 8 in week 3.

“That was an example of how to be smooth and fierce! Amazing again!” Carrie Ann Inaba said. She also gave her a score of 8 this week. Though she was not a part of the week 1 episode because of illness, in week 2, she did call Jordan Chiles, Tina Turner (Queen of Rock’ n Roll).

Talking of her week 3 performance,  Chiles herself said, “That was really hard“. She further mentioned that as an athlete, she feels people don’t always understand what she goes through, so being able to express it through dance was relieving and allowed her to let go. Indeed, Chiles was not only able to express herself, but she also felt amazing about how she evolved after her week 1 performance.

Jordan Chiles and her Week 1 performance

In Week 1 of Dancing with the Stars, Jordan Chiles and her partner Ezra Sosa performed a salsa to Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul.” The choreography featured Jordan’s signature flips and acrobatic elements, showcasing her gymnastics background. The performance did not earn very good remarks from the judges. As a result, the couple received a score of 10 out of 20, with only two judges present due to Carrie Ann Inaba’s absence.

After her debut performance on Dancing with the Stars, the Olympian was asked how things are on the show and how they differ from her sport, gymnastics. “Honestly, the speed of it all. In gymnastics, I am used to a set routine where every move is locked in. On that dance floor, it felt like the music, the crowd, the cameras, all hit at once. The adrenaline was so strong. One second I was starting, and the next it was over. I wanted to run it back,” On the surface level, one might think Chiles is doing what she does on the floor, but when you ponder upon it, things are vastly different.

In Week 2 of Dancing with the Stars, Jordan Chiles and her partner Ezra Sosa performed a jive to Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” for the “One Hit Wonders” night.

In gymnastics, you can repeat the same routine at different competitions, but here she has to create something new and stand out each week. When asked about her pre-show rituals, she said it’s the same as gymnastics: “deep breath, quick prayer, and remind myself I got this. I also stretched because I was not about to pull a muscle on national TV.” Now that has helped her do better in weeks 2 and 3. Jordan Chiles is now all set to rule to leaderboard in week 4, as after her tango performance, she added, “we’re not done yet.”