▁into ▁male - f em ale ▁cou ples ▁that ▁will ▁sometimes ▁stay ▁pa ired ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁competition ▁if ▁neither ▁is ▁elimin ated ▁( since ▁season ▁ 7 , ▁compet itors ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁occasionally ▁pa ired ▁with ▁" All ▁Stars ", ▁returning ▁d anc ers ▁from ▁previous ▁seasons ▁who ▁partner ▁with ▁the ▁contest ant ▁d anc ers , ▁but ▁who ▁are ▁not ▁themselves ▁compet ing ). ▁ ▁These ▁cou ples ▁perform ▁ 1 – 2 ▁du ets ▁per ▁week ▁in ▁different ▁styles ▁which ▁are ▁typically , ▁but ▁not ▁always , ▁randomly ▁selected . ▁ ▁These ▁du ets , ▁as ▁with ▁all ▁non - sol o ▁performances ▁at ▁this ▁stage ▁in ▁the ▁competition , ▁are ▁ch ore ograph ed ▁by ▁professional ▁ch ore ograph ers . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁most ▁du et ▁performances , ▁a ▁video ▁packet ▁of ▁cli ps ▁of ▁the ▁couple ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁perform ▁the ▁routine ▁is ▁shown ; ▁these ▁packets ▁are ▁intended ▁not ▁only ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁master ▁the ▁routine , ▁but ▁also ▁to ▁give ▁g lim ps es ▁of ▁the ▁personal ities ▁and ▁personal ▁histor ies ▁of ▁the ▁d anc ers ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ins ights ▁from ▁the ▁ch ore ograph er ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁them atic , ▁narr ative , ▁and ▁art istic ▁intent ions ▁of ▁the ▁piece . ▁ ▁Following ▁each ▁du et ▁performance , ▁the ▁week ' s ▁panel ▁of ▁jud ges ▁gives ▁critical ▁feedback , ▁often ▁emphas izing ▁the ▁two ▁key ▁areas ▁of ▁technique ▁and ▁performance ▁value