Val Chmerkovskiy Has Hilarious Reaction to Alix Earle’s Bold Dance Moves at DWTS Afterparty: ‘Saw His Mirrorball Flash Before His Eyes’

Val Chmerkovskiy is keeping a watchful eye over his Dancing with the Stars partner, Alix Earle.

While competing during week seven on season 34 of the reality dance competition, the pair earned nearly a perfect score for their tango to the Billie Eilish song “bury a friend.”

Judges Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba all awarded Earle and Chmerkovskiy 10s for their number, while guest judge Cheryl Burke gave the two a 9, for a total of 39/40. Their scores placed them at the top of the leaderboard.

In the audience watching on were a group of Earle’s college friends from the University of Miami.

Before she performed on Tuesday, Oct. 28, the influencer posted a video with a large of her friends to the song “The Boys are Back” from High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The 12 girls showed their support from the audience during the live taping of the show.

“It’s going to be extra loud tonight,” Earle, 24, said in a video posted from the makeup chair while she got all glammed up for the night.

After performing, Earle made sure to squeeze in some celebration time with the cast and crew of the show at Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough’s “A Dancing Halloween Party.”

Taking to the dance floor with a drink, Earle launched into a half split amid a circle of friends and coworkers — including Chmerkovskiy, 39. When Earle stumbled getting up, Chmerkovskiy could be seen starting toward Earle.

Throughout the video, Earle’s college friends could also be seen joining the afterparty’s dance circle.

Commenters were quick to point out that Chmerkovskiy’s reaction to Earle was perhaps protective of his dance partner as they head into week eight of the season.

“Val saw his mirrorball flash before his eyes 😂 😂 😂,” one commenter wrote, while another said, “U stay stressing this man 🤣,” adding in a screenshot of Chmerkovskiy making his way toward Earle as she struggled to emerge from her split.

One joked that the show would open next week by announcing that Earle was injured.

This week’s episode began with the announcement that Elaine Hendrix, star of the 1998 version of The Parent Trap, would be unable to compete in the competition that evening, after hurting her rib during rehearsals the same morning.

For his part, Chmerkovskiy chimed in, validating the commenters jokes, writing, “These comments knew exactly what I was thinking.”

Next week, Earle and Chmerkovskiy will return to the ballroom on Nov. 4 with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, guest judged by Flavor Flav. They will dance a Paso Doble to Bon Jovi’s 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer.”