Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov entered Week 3 of Dancing with the Stars already looking like one of Season 35’s strongest partnerships — and their Yacht Rock Night performance only strengthened that impression.
The Olympic figure skater and her professional partner opened the September 29 show with a Foxtrot to Toto’s “Hold the Line,” immediately setting an extremely high standard for the couples who followed.
From the opening moments, Amber looked comfortable moving across the ballroom floor, combining the elegance she developed through years of figure skating with the control required for ballroom dancing.
At times, the partnership looked remarkably polished. Pasha’s choreography allowed Amber to use the natural flow and musicality she already possesses as a skater while continuing to develop the ballroom technique the judges have been asking for.
The performance became even more impressive considering what had happened during rehearsals.
While practicing the routine, Amber accidentally hit Pasha in the face, forcing rehearsals to pause while he received attention. Amber was visibly upset about the accident, but Pasha later confirmed that he was okay.
When showtime arrived, however, there was little indication that their preparation had been disrupted.
Derek Hough immediately praised the performance and said Amber appeared to glide effortlessly across the ballroom, adding that the Foxtrot would be difficult for the other couples to beat.
Bruno Tonioli was equally impressed by the routine’s flow and musical progression, while Carrie Ann Inaba highlighted the genuine improvement she has seen from Amber from week to week.
Then came the scores.
Carrie Ann, Derek and Bruno each awarded Amber and Pasha an 8, giving the pair an impressive 24 out of 30.
Those weren’t ordinary 8s either — they were the first 8s awarded during Season 35, and at that point gave Amber and Pasha the highest score of the entire season so far.
They ultimately shared the top score of Yacht Rock Night after Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson later received another 24 out of 30 for their Jive.
Still, Amber’s performance stood out because it demonstrated just how naturally some of her figure-skating strengths can translate into ballroom dancing when combined with Pasha’s choreography.
She had already tied for the top score during the previous week, when her Tango earned 21 out of 30. Week 3 represented another jump forward — three straight 8s and her highest score yet.
Amber and Pasha may still have plenty of competition ahead of them, but after opening Yacht Rock Night with a performance the judges described as difficult to beat, they have given viewers another reason to watch closely. If their scores continue moving in this direction, the race for the Mirrorball could become very interesting indeed.
