This week's "Dancing with the Stars" had the celebrity contestants dancing with another pro for Switch Up Week. On Monday's live telecast, the celebrities were given the opportunity to get out of their comfort zones as they danced with someone else for this week only, and at the end of the night, one of the pairs earned the season's first perfect score.
Season 18 winner Maks Chmerkovskiy was on board as a guest judge, and the former "DWTS" dancer looked quite comfortable at the judges' table with Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Julianne Hough.
Here are the performances and scores for "Switch Up Week":
Tamar Braxton and Louis Van Amstel
Dance: Samba
Score: 29 (out of 40)
Van Amstel was happy to be paired with Braxton as he could really challenge her to be a dancer with their samba. Their routine to Beyonce's "End of Time" was full of samba elements, and Chmerkovskiy said that though their performance was great, there was a "disconnect" whenever they danced as a couple.
Hayes Grier and Allison Holker
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Score: 31
Holker wanted fans to see the sophisticated side of Grier this week, and she was able to showcase his mature side with their elegant waltz.
"You are the ideal Prince Charming that one day will be king," said Tonioli. "It was very sweet in your own unique way," said Inaba.
Paula Deen and Mark Ballas
Dance: Jive
Score: 26
At rehearsals, Deen told Ballas that she was scared of him because he was "so edgy" and she didn't know if he had the patience to teach her. But Ballas's fun and sassy routine seemed to be in keeping with Deen's outgoing personality. The judges loved their Jive, and Inaba declared it to be Deen's "best dance ever."
"You certainly got into character," said Hough.
Alek Skarlatos and Emma Slater
Dance: Rumba
Score: 29
The pair's routine is a first for Slater as she has never done the Rumba on the show before, while Skarlatos was excited to be partnered with the British pro. Their sultry Rumba showed off Skarlatos' sexy side, and Hough teased the pair, saying, "I think we saw something happening on the dance floor."
"I think you're the dark horse in this competition," said Chmerkovskiy. "You're turning out to be a great dancer."
Bindi Irwin and Val Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Cha Cha
Score: 37
Last week's performance was very emotional for Bindi, but this week, the Australian star switched gears as she performed a happy and bubbly Cha Cha with Val.
"I loved it, for me, it was the dance of the night for sure," said Chmerkovskiy. "I saw a new flair, I saw a new style and a whole new level of confidence," said Inaba.
Carlos PenaVega and Lindsay Arnold
Dance: Quickstep
Score: 39
Carlos was immediately at ease with Arnold during rehearsals, as she is best friends with his original partner, Carson. The Big Time Rush member proved that he was in it to win it as he executed a flawless quickstep, and Tonioli said that their performance had some Charleston elements that he really liked.
"You owned that quickstep," said Hough.
Alexa PenaVega and Derek Hough
Dance: Tango
Score: 40
Alexa said that being partnered with Hough gave her a new perspective on dance, and their Tango was sharp, powerful and full of purpose. Inaba gave the pair a standing ovation, and said that it was "incredible." All of the other judges were equally impressed as they gave Alexa the first perfect score of the season.
Andy Grammer and Sharna Burgess
Dance: Tango
Score: 36
Grammer and Burgess had chemistry on the dance floor, and Burgess's choreography brought out Grammer's passionate side. Their performance also got Grammer his highest score on the show since week 1.
Nick Carter and Witney Carson
Dance: Paso Doble
Score: 35
Carter's Backstreet Boy routine from last week was hard to beat, but Carson was up to the challenge and Carter proved that he can go edgy for their "Matrix"-inspired Paso Doble.
"It had a wonderful, rock and roll feel," said Tonioli, while Hough admired his commitment and tenacity.
Monday night's scores will be combined with last week's scores to determine who goes home next week.
"Dancing with the Stars" airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
