Why Did Maura Higgins Score 22 on DWTS? Her Yacht Rock Quickstep Explained

Maura Higgins continued to establish herself as one of Dancing With the Stars Season 35‘s stronger competitors on Yacht Rock Night. The Traitors star and professional partner Mark Ballas performed a quickstep to George Benson’s “Turn Your Love Around” and earned 22 points out of 30, putting them among the higher-scoring couples of the episode.

The performance stood out because it showed a more controlled side of Maura after a week in which she admitted that she had allowed nerves and pressure to get into her head. Rather than relying on a big stunt or emotional storyline, the quickstep impressed the judges with its elegance, speed and classic ballroom character.

Also Read: Does Maura Higgins Have Dance Experience? Her Irish Dancing and Dancing on Ice Past Explained

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas Scored 22 for Their Quickstep

Maura and Mark received a 7 from Carrie Ann Inaba, a 7 from Derek Hough and an 8 from Bruno Tonioli, giving them a total of 22 out of 30. That represented another step forward for the partnership. Maura had earned 19 points for her Week 2 cha-cha, and the quickstep allowed her to show more polish while maintaining the performance quality that has made her an early contender.

During rehearsals, Maura acknowledged that she had become too caught up in her own thoughts the previous week. She also spoke about the support she had received from viewers online, which appeared to give her renewed confidence heading into Yacht Rock Night.

Derek Hough Called It a Quickstep Masterclass

Derek Hough delivered some of the strongest praise Maura has received so far this season, describing Mark’s choreography as a “quickstep masterclass.” The compliment reflected how clearly the routine embraced the assigned style. Quickstep requires speed and lightness while still maintaining frame, control and precise footwork. Maura had to keep moving rapidly across the floor without allowing the performance to look rushed or heavy.

Hough was impressed by what she and Mark produced, although he still gave them a 7 and encouraged Maura to continue completing her movements more fully. The critique suggested that the foundation of the routine was strong, but there is still technical detail she can refine as the season progresses.

Bruno Tonioli Compared Maura to Ginger Rogers

Bruno Tonioli was even more enthusiastic and gave Maura the couple’s highest score of the night with an 8. He praised the classic quality of the performance and compared Maura’s presentation to Old Hollywood, specifically invoking Ginger Rogers. That comparison suited the routine, which leaned into the sophisticated ballroom style of the quickstep rather than trying to modernize the dance with unnecessary tricks.

The 8 was also significant because it showed that Maura is moving closer to the upper end of the Season 35 leaderboard. While Amber Glenn and Harry Shum Jr. topped Yacht Rock Night with 24 points, Maura’s 22 kept her firmly within the group of contestants consistently producing competitive scores.

Why Maura’s Quickstep Worked Better Than Her Previous Dance

The biggest difference was confidence. Maura’s Week 2 cha-cha had already demonstrated that she could perform and connect with an audience, but she admitted afterward that pressure had affected her. Yacht Rock Night looked more settled, with Maura appearing more comfortable trusting Mark’s choreography and allowing the dance to flow.

That matters in a quickstep because hesitation becomes easy to see when the couple is moving rapidly around the ballroom. The performance required Maura to stay connected to Mark, maintain her frame and commit to the pace rather than stopping to think about every movement.

Also Read: Why Was Taylor Hanson Eliminated From DWTS Despite Scoring Higher Than Guillermo Rodriguez?

The judges’ reactions suggest that she succeeded. Carrie Ann responded enthusiastically, Derek praised the construction and execution of the dance, and Bruno saw enough polish to award an 8.

Is Maura Higgins Becoming a DWTS Frontrunner?

It is still early enough in Season 35 that the leaderboard can change quickly, but Maura has now put together several competitive performances.

Her 22 on Yacht Rock Night placed her below the night’s 24-point leaders but ahead of much of the remaining cast. Entertainment Weekly also grouped Maura among the contestants maintaining an early frontrunner position alongside names such as Ezra Frech and Jenna Dewan.

The quickstep may ultimately be important because it showed that Maura’s appeal is not limited to personality or reality-TV popularity. She is beginning to demonstrate the ballroom control needed to compete with Season 35’s more experienced dancers.

For Maura and Mark, the next challenge is turning that consistency into another scoring jump. Yacht Rock Night proved that the judges already see significant potential. A 22 was strong, but their comments also made clear that Maura has not reached her ceiling yet.