Chandler Kinney Struggles With Harsh Criticism From Dancing With the Stars Judges

Chandler Kinney spilled her heart on the ballroom floor on the Tuesday, October 15 episode of Dancing With the Stars. Yet, the former Disney Channel star and her pro dance partner Brandon Armstrong failed to impress the judges with their contemporary dance. 

DWTS Fans Claimed They Were ‘Robbed’

Tuesday’s episode was “Dedication Night.” Chandler Kinney dedicated her dance to her mother, Taryn. The young star and pro dancer performed a contemporary dance to the hit song “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. Kinney and Armstrong’s stunning dance was a great way to start the emotionally-charged episode.

The pair received all 8’s from the judges, totaling her score to 32 out of 40. DWTS fans on X, formerly Twitter, claimed Kinney was robbed of 9s. The judges also offered tough criticism, asking her to “dig deeper.” While most of them loved the beautiful dance performance, they picked at minor mistakes. 

Fans are rallying around Kinney. They stormed the social media app to praise her dance and remind other fans to vote to keep her on the show.

High Expectations

Kinney is still digesting the criticism she received. She told Us Weekly that she doesn’t understand the comments the DWTS judges made. Even though she was “nervous,” she did everything she was supposed to. “I just want as many opportunities to dance as possible,” Kinney explained. 

Thankfully, Kinney and Armstrong made it through the elimination round. The actress added that she was “disappointed” because she knew their dance wasn’t the “best.” She had that feeling as soon as their dance ended. Regardless, Kinney felt that she was “true and authentic” about her feelings for her mom. 

“I don’t know what their expectation of me was emotionally tonight,” she questioned. 

Meanwhile, Armstrong sees the positive in this situation. The dance pro always looks for the criticism so they can improve the next time around. In fact, he liked the criticism they received. He told Us Weekly that previous pairs received strong critiques before soaring back to the top of the leaderboard. 

What did you think of Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong’s contemporary dance? Do you think the judges were too tough on them? Let us know in the comment section.