Dancing With the Stars alum Whitney Leavitt performs a Cha-cha routine for semi finals

Dancing With the Stars alum Whitney Leavitt worked hard to tackle her stiffness as she managed to deliver “a loose yet controlled cha cha” to “1999,” from Prince's first top 10 album. Judges Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba had differing remarks about the performance.

Leavitt was not qualified to move forward for the big finale night. However, the television star expressed her gratitude as she said, 

“I already feel like a winner.”

Dancing With the Stars alum Whitney Leavitt does a Cha-cha routine

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called it a wonderful cha cha, but she pointed out that Leavitt was concentrating more on her moves instead of “making it look effortless.” She added, 

“At times I felt that the technique, I could see you focusing on the technique, and normally that doesn't happen when you perform. It almost kind of hindered it because you're such an amazing performer."

Derek Hough called the performance “literal perfection”, while saying 

“Cha cha is a tough dance for a semi-final, but it got better and better and better, the precision, the technique, the performance. It got better and better and better, the precision, the technique, the performance. That was awesome."

Hough seemingly did not quite agree with Inaba: 

"Carrie Ann, you are out of your mind!"

Bruno called the performance, “saucy stunner of a cha cha cha.”

Whitney Leavitt opens up about her elimination from DWTS

While Whitney Leavitt performed a beautiful dance routine, the television star didn't advance to the finale round of season 34. Leavitt said,

"This show has meant the absolute world for me. It's changed my life and I'll forever be so grateful to have this experience."

Leavitt added that this show changed her life while thanking DWTS producer Deena Katz.

“I wanted to take a break, but once I found out that this would be an opportunity for all of the girls to be able to go after this, I wanted to take that chance."

Leavitt explained that she just really needed a break, but then she heard from her team that the show was going to cast someone from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. That was a motivator, and that is how she ended up on the show.

In a recent appearance on the Weekly Trash podcast, Leavitt opened up about her weight loss journey:

"I've loved the weight loss, I've hated how I've felt on it," she said. "You constantly have diarrhea ... you're nauseous, I feel like I'm easily irritable, but it's probably also because it's also suppressing my appetite."

Dancing pro Mark Ballas also expressed his gratitude towards the show: 

“I had the best time. I love this show."

Watch Dancing With the Stars airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT exclusively on ABC and Disney+, and can be streamed the next day on Hulu. Stay tuned for more updates.