Swimsuit

Jordan Chiles Shined During Emotional Tango on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

The gymnast and 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model notched one of the top scores of the season during her third week in the ballroom.

Bailey Colon

Jordan Chiles
Jordan Chiles / Frank Micelotta/Disney/Getty Images

Jordan Chiles had her “best dance yet,” judge Bruno Tonioli declared on Tuesday night, as the 2025 SI Swimsuit cover girl and Olympic gymnast commanded the Dancing With The Stars ballroom with a tango to Doechii’s “Anxiety.”

Chiles’s third dance on the show with her partner Ezra Sosa not only resulted in her highest scores in the competition so far, but it earned the duo one of the top scores of the entire night (a 24/30), alongside Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas. And Tonioli wasn’t the only judge raving over the duo. Following the performance that moved Chiles to tears, Derek Hough issued this powerful proclamation: “You turned anxiety into artistry.”

The partners’ number displayed anxiety personified, as Sosa—representing the emotion—artistically battled with Chiles throughout the performance. At one point, he covered the 24-year-old’s mouth to “silence” her, paralleling the song’s lyrics. His portrayed control over Chiles loosened throughout the piece, as she eventually conquered anxiety’s reign at its conclusion.

The model told ExtraTV that Hough’s comment was “an honor” as she reflected on the dance’s powerful storytelling post-show. “When it comes to something very deep inside of you [like anxiety], you can turn it into something very beautiful and creative,” she said.

Chiles and Sosa’s performance also resonated with its viewers, who are getting a closer look at the fellow 24-year-old’s choreography following his early exit last season with his partner Anna Delvey. The show posted a handful of snaps from the number to Instagram, as fans cheered in the comments.

“This was INSANE and my favorite of the week. This choero was spectacular,” one user penned.

“Found my new dance I’ll rewatch 100 times,” another fan exclaimed.

One commenter emphatically called the number the “BEST DANCE OF THE SEASON,” while another claimed that the duo “LITERALLY DEVOURED THE DANCE FLOOR.”

Chiles’s roaring momentum heading into Week 4 is tangible, as she and Sosa’s upcoming performance for the show’s “Disney Night” debuts on Oct. 7. While the styles and songs for the remaining 11 couples have not been revealed yet, we’ll be keeping an eye on the show’s social media platforms in the upcoming days for more insight into their next number.

For now, we’ll be soaking in our cover model’s latest feat, which has stolen the hearts of the judges and fans alike. But don’t fret if you missed last night’s festivities: DWTS’s latest episode hits Hulu today, or check out every dance and their scores (plus which couple was eliminated) with our full recap from Tuesday night!

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Bailey Colon
BAILEY COLON

Bailey Colón is a writer on the Breaking and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit, Colón worked at the National Basketball Association where she served as a founding member of the ‘Starting 5’ newsletter and led editorial operations for the NBA App and dotcom. Colón is particularly passionate about the impact of athletics on popular culture, fashion and media. The New England native has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College in journalism and political science.

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