Spectators erupted in cheers when Jordan Chiles chose to perform the Viennese Waltz on the ‘Dedication Night’ with her father, Timothy Chiles. But in the hours after week 5’s performances, the internet was abuzz with debate over whether the gymnast and Ezra Sosa deserved more than a 32 out of 40. And the online chatter prompted Sosa to step forward with a reminder about what really mattered that night.

Days after Chiles and her father impressed the audience, fans began asking for a higher, well-deserved scorecard for the gymnast. Following this, Sosa took to his Instagram to acknowledge the online debate surrounding their scores from the Dedication Night. He stated, “While I’m genuinely happy with the scores I received and fully agree with them, I also believe that this night is about so much more than numbers.” 

Well, Sosa isn’t wrong here. The theme of the Dedication Night was “honor the stories, emotions, and people who shape who we are.” But Sosa felt that the purpose of week 5 theme was defeated when netizens began the discourse over the scores. Of course, no one left the competition in the fifth week because it was all about dedicating the performance to a loved one. Sosa claimed, “That night it’s about LOVE, not competition.”  

More so, judge Bruno Tonioli even complimented Chiles and said he’s “so proud” of her for getting “better and better” each week. In fact, as the UCLA gymnast performed to the tune of John Mayer’s ‘Daughters’ with her father, judge Derek Hough confessed that someday he’d like to share a similar moment with his own child. However, the scores that Chiles received were enough to maintain her position in the Dancing with the Stars, but not enough to please her fanbase. 

Sosa mentioned, “Watching everyone fight over who deserved higher or lower scores takes away from the heart of what this night supposed to represent.” And for Jordan Chiles, ‘Dedication Night’ was special as she dedicated the performance to her father. After all, he was the one who introduced Jordan Chiles to gymnastics when her ADHD seemed to get out of control. Chiles revealed that her decision to choose gymnastics helped her focus her energy where it was most needed.

Jordan Chiles opens up about her dance with her father

Talking to Sadie Murray of Extra TV, the Olympic gold medalist revealed exactly how she felt about dancing with her father. She said, “Honestly, having my dad in my dance just means the world.” She felt like every little girl wants to have a similar dance with her father. But not everyone is as lucky as Jordan Chiles. She continued, “So, it was truly about just the meaning of the connection, the love that we have for each other.” 

Chiles further added, “And that, just like my dad said, ‘You know, hopefully, a dad can, you know, call his daughter, or a daughter can call her father, and just hopefully get that connection back.’” Needless to say, it was truly a special night for the father-daughter duo. And for Jordan Chiles, that Viennese Waltz was more than a dance. It was a tribute to her father who changed her life.

In the end, the goal wasn’t to get perfect scores. It wasn’t about the perfect technique or just getting the votes. Dedication Night was about celebrating a relationship that defines the contestants’ lives.