The last episode of Dancing with the stars lit up the ballroom with its dazzling “Oscars” theme, bringing Hollywood glamour and a series of standing ovations. But choreographer Brandon Bieber says it was the dancers, not the sequins, that created the real drama.

“Dancing transcends all language barriers; it is like a celebration of what the human body is capable of,” says the Broadway dancer and co-choreographer of the upcoming Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Jennifer Lopez, Yahoo Entertainment said.

The connection between Hollywood and dance is particularly significant for Bieber. As an associate choreographer, he has worked on a number of Ryan Murphy projects such as Fosse/Verdon, American Horror Story And HalstonHe knows that films have played a crucial role in developing the dance styles that define pop culture.

“Dances from the 20s, 30s and 40s, much of what you would hear on Dancing with the stars – cha-cha, rumba, mambo, quickstep – were anchored in the culture through films,” he said.

This was reflected in the performances last night, which received well-deserved standing ovations. Among them were Olympian Ilona Maher and professional Alan Bersten, actress Chandler Kinney and professional Brandon Armstrong, Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik and professional Rylee Arnold and Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Phaedra Parks and professional Val Chmerkovskiy.

Convicted fraudster Anna Delvey and actress Tori Spelling faced elimination last night when they were sent home in a double elimination.

Spelling, who sang a soulful rumba to “This is Me” by The greatest showman with pro Pasha Pashkov, dedicated her routine to her children. “I want my children to know that they can be anything they want to be,” she said.

Delvey danced the quickstep to “Suddenly I See” by The devil wears Prada alongside professional Ezra Sosa. The so-called “fake heiress” is under house arrest due to her conviction for grand theft, but was given special conditions by the court to appear on the show – ankle bracelet and all. When Hough asked Delvey what she took away from the experience after her elimination, Delvey joked: “Nothing.”

One of the greatest highlights of this week’s Oscar theme, according to Bieber, was the reminder of how deeply these films “are rooted in us as Americans.” Even more magical, he noted, is that the stars on Dancing with the stars are not professional dancers, which is why it is exciting to watch them bring famous movie moments to life.

“In the Golden Age of Hollywood, you had Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Shirley MacLaine, who were trained dancers. One reason they became great actors was because of their dancing talent,” Bieber explained. “It’s exciting to see a celebrity do something unexpected, and that’s the point of Dancing with the stars – to see people who are known for something else do it. That’s what we celebrate in the movies.”

As the only Oscar nominee in the competition, actor Eric Roberts became visibly emotional during a visit to the Academy Museum in Hollywood, where he and professional Britt Stewart watched a clip from the 1985 Oscar ceremony, when he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Runaway train.

Reflecting on the moment, Roberts told the cameras it was “a dream come true.”

Reginald VelJohnson, popular for his roles in Die Hard and the sitcom from the 90s Family mattersalso became nostalgic when co-host Alfonso Ribeiro poked fun at the ongoing debate about whether Die Hard is a “Christmas film”.

VelJohnson, who finished in the final three last night, dedicated his performance to his longtime co-star Bruce Willis, who is currently battling dementia.

In terms of movement, Bieber says dances like tango, rumba or mambo are ideal for beginners because they are often based more on personality than technique – although not always.

“(The tango) requires character, you act,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. “But the leg line is just as important, the way you walk and how you move your feet through the ground.”

Rumba and mambo, on the other hand, offer a little more freedom. “These dances seem more spontaneous and we want the joy, the celebration and the social aspect of the dance,” Bieber explained. “If your hips move, you get a lot of points from me.”

For Bieber, last night’s performances were a testament not only to his abilities, but also to the endurance and resilience of the human spirit.

“Dancing is so timeless,” he said. “With all the problems and division in the world, it’s just the simplest pleasure to see people come together in unity, despite all the hard work that goes into it.”

Dancing with the stars airs Tuesdays on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT. The October 1 episode will not air due to the vice presidential debate, but will be repeated on two consecutive days on Monday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 8.

How did the stars perform?

Jury: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli

Anna Delvey and Pro Ezra Sosa: OUT

• Dance: Quick step

• song: “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall from The devil wears Prada

• Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 5, Bruno 6

• In total: 17/30 (Total for both nights: 35)

Tori Spelling and professional Pasha Pashkov: ELIMINATED

• Dance: Rumba

• song: “This Is Me” by Keala Settle and ensemble from The greatest showman

• Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 6, Bruno 6

• In total: 19/30 (Total for both nights: 36)

Jenn Tran and professional Sasha Farber: SAFE

• Dance: Tango

• song: “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)” by Fergie, Q-Tip and GoonRock by The Great Gatsby

• Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 6, Bruno 7

• In total: 19/30 (Total for both nights: 38)

Eric Roberts and professional Britt Stewart: SAFE

• Dance: Waltz

• song: “The Godfather Waltz” by Nino Rota and Carlo Savina from The Godfather

• Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 4, Bruno 5

• In total: 15/30 (Total for both nights: 30)

Danny Amendola and professional Witney Carson: SAFE

• Dance: Jive

• song: “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins from Super shooter

• Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 21/30 (total for both nights: 41)

Chandler Kinney and professional Brandon Armstrong: SAFE

• Dance: Rumba

• song: “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish from Barbie

• Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 8, Bruno 8

• In total: 24/30 (total for both nights: 47)

Reginald VelJohnson and Pro Emma Slater: SAFE

• Dance: Double step

• song: “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven from Die Hard

• Score: Carrie Ann 6, Derek 4, Bruno 5

• In total: 15/30 (total for both nights: 31)

Stephen Nedoroscik and Pro Rylee Arnold: SAFE

• Dance: Paso Doble

• Song: “Superman — Main Theme” by John Williams from Superman

• Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 22/30 (total for both nights: 43)

Joey Graziadei and professional Jenna Johnson: SAFE

• Dance: Rumba

• song: “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper from A star is born

• Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 22/30 (total for both nights: 43)

Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy: SAFE

• Dance: Foxtrot

• Song: “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” by Jennifer Hudson Dream girl

• Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 21/30 (total for both nights: 40)

Dwight Howard and professional Daniella Karagach: SAFE

• Dance: Foxtrot

• song: “City Of Stars” by Ryan Gosling from LaLaLand

• Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 22/30 (total for both nights: 44)

Brooks Nader and professional Gleb Savchenko: SAFE

• Dance: Quick step

• song: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton from 9 to 5

• Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 6, Bruno 7

• In total: 20/30 (total for both nights: 38)

Ilona Maher and professional Alan Bersten: SAFE

• Dance: Salsa

• song: “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes Dirty Dancing

• Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7

• In total: 21/30 (total for both nights: 39)