Guillermo Rodriguez delivered one of Yacht Rock Night’s biggest crowd reactions when he suddenly ripped open his Hawaiian shirt at the end of his latest Dancing With the Stars routine with Witney Carson.
Guillermo and Witney performed a foxtrot to Rupert Holmes’ “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” but the dancing wasn’t the only thing viewers remembered once the music stopped.
At the very end of the routine, Guillermo tore open his shirt to reveal a coconut bra underneath — along with the words “Dancing 4 the People” written across his stomach. The ballroom erupted, with the crowd applauding and getting to its feet.
Afterward, Guillermo was asked who had actually come up with the unexpected idea.
His answer was simple: Witney Carson.
Guillermo explained that Witney creates the routines and that he has essentially given his professional partner permission to throw whatever she wants at him. If Witney tells him to do something, Guillermo says he is willing to try it.
But Witney quickly tried to give some of the credit back.
She explained that many of their funniest ideas happen simply because Guillermo brings such a unique personality to rehearsals. His attitude gives her room to experiment and push their performances in directions she might not attempt with another celebrity partner.
And the message written across Guillermo’s stomach actually came from something he already says: “Dancing for the people.”
Witney joked that Guillermo essentially supplied the idea himself — she was simply the person who decided his belly was the perfect place to display it.
The stunt helped end an otherwise challenging night on an enormous high. Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli each gave Guillermo and Witney a 5, producing a 15 out of 30, their highest score of the competition so far.
Guillermo was thrilled with the three 5s because he has been working toward gradual improvement each week. Witney has also revealed that even when she calls for a rehearsal break or sits down to rest, Guillermo often keeps practicing the choreography by himself.
So the shirt-rip wasn’t simply a random Guillermo moment after all. Witney planned the reveal, Guillermo supplied the personality — and together they turned a coconut bra, a handwritten message and one perfectly timed surprise into one of Yacht Rock Night’s loudest reactions.
