It’s semi-finals week on Dancing with the Stars, and after ten weeks, we can confidently say that every remaining pair of contestants will win. It was Taylor Swift night last week, but our stars and pros had only one thing on their minds – mirror balls.
Last night’s semi-finals were even more competitive, with each pair of dancers doing two dances. That’s right, you get two dances for the price of one session – one Latin style and one ballroom style. That’s 5 pairs, 10 performances and 1 shocking elimination. So if you missed last night’s episode, we’re recapping all the dancing (and drama) right here.
In the first round, the remaining five couples (Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, Xochitl Gomez and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev, Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber) performed classic ballroom dances style. While all the couples were dazzled, only Xochitl Gomez and partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy received full marks for their passionate samba dance.
After the first round of performances, the five semi-finalists will perform a second dance – this time a Latin dance. Naturally, the second round was intense.
Jason Mraz and Daniela Karagach: Paso Doble
After making a triumphant return to the top of the charts last week, singer Jason Mraz needs to prove his latest performance isn’t a one-off. Fortunately, he is able to do this easily and in a confident, contented way.
Jason was challenged by his partner Daniella Karagach in this performance with a very serious choreography. But he nailed the final move, especially on his challenging knee-walking signature move. We’ve seen serious dancers knocked down by dancing of this magnitude, but not once did Jason stumble.
The judges loved the performance, with judge Carrie Ann Inaba getting out of her seat to give Jason and Daniela a hug, telling them they had performed “magic.” The two received three 10s out of 30.
Xochitl Gomez and Valentin Cherkovsky: Waltz
Week after week we see Xochitl and Val bring magic to the dancehall. Xochitl dazzles us with her unbridled energy and her signature 1000-watt smile. But this week, Xochitl and Wahl stun with simpler, more subtle performances.
The two performed a waltz to Lady Gaga’s “La Vie en Rose” that ended with the entire audience in tears. But the real heartbreak came when judge Derek Hough told Hochitel and Wahl that former chief judge, the late Ryan Goodman, would have loved the show. We can’t disagree.
The judges gave Xochitl and Val three 10s, another perfect score.
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov: Foxtrot
Reality star Ariana Maddix has been through her fair share of challenges this season, facing injuries, harsh ratings from the judges and more. But heading into week 10, she was ready to compete for a spot in the finals — and she won the title with this smooth foxtrot.
Where we’ve seen the biggest growth in Ariana this season is in the fluidity of her movements. While she had struggled with stiffness in previous weeks, her performance this week was silky smooth with not a step out of place. Even when partner Pasha Pashkov challenged her with some serious dancing, she remained confident – a testament to how far she’s come since week one.
The judges gave Ariana and Pasha 10 points, another perfect score.
When all the dancing is over, it’s elimination time. Shockingly, the two celebrities who are likely to be sent home despite their stellar results are Xochitl and Ariana, shocking dancehall (and audiences at home).
But evenly more In a shocking twist, hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that the eliminated couple was…no one! That’s right, all five pairs will advance to the finals next week. We can’t wait to see them save The Last Dance.
