Ali and Ravnik earned a 32 out of 40, with judge Bruno Tonioli telling her she appeared to be “floating on the wings of [her] guardian angel.”

Ali was already an experienced performer when she landed The Fresh Prince at 11. She began working on Sesame Street at six and competed on Star Search before becoming Ashley Banks, the youngest member of the sitcom’s central family.

The series also introduced audiences to her singing voice, setting up a second act that included the gold-certified 1998 album Kiss the Sky . Its lead single, “Daydreamin’,” reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Ali later toured with *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

Avery’s influence stayed with her through every stage of that career. “He was very much a father figure for all of us,” Ali said before taking the ballroom floor.…