From five couples to three, just like that. But first things first, the Dancing with the Stars weekly roundup:
Wanyá Morris and pro Lindsay Arnold (Charleston)— Wanyá’s Round 1 paso doble earned him a righteous amount of praise, and rightly so, even while his stronger effort would come later in the broadcast where he ultimately got canned. He and Lindsay fully committed to both numbers this fateful night, the upbeat, fast-paced, ’20s-inspired routine being a real sight to behold.Wanyá kept his energy up the entire time, matching Lindsay step for step. Judges’ Score: 30/30
Nyle DiMarco and pro Peta Murgatroyd (Argentine Tango)— Nyle’s blindfolded portion of the dance didn't have quite the same gravitas as last week’s partially-silent routine. Still, the ANTM champ’s ability to master choreography and exact a very real chemistry with partner Peta — without being able to see or hear anything in the ballroom — indicates a level of skill and self-discipline that none of Nyle’s competitors possess. It would be an anticlimactic victory, but it is a victory decided upon by viewers, so there really isn't much we can do about it. Judges’ Score: 30/30
Paige VanZant and pro Mark Ballas (Argentine Tango)—While some Dancing rookies definitely struggle with bringing the heatto any of the numbers assigned, let alone Latin dance styles, Paige doubled down. The resulting dance was so intimate, watching it bordered on voyeurism. Can sexing it up get you to the winner's circle? It just might in this contestant's case. Judges’ Score: 29/30
Nyle DiMarco and pro Peta Murgatroyd (Jive, performed with Jenna Johnson)— Peta’s ill-timed stumble in the middle of the number was a major factor in the pair’s lackluster routine and subsequent score. Nyle never seemed totally comfortable with the jive’s fancy footwork, resulting in kicks and flicks that looked mailed-in and out-of-sync with the ladies. Plus, when Peta slipped a bit on the ballroom floor, Nyle’s entire sense of timing was thrown out of whack, and the trio was unable to regain their handle on the admittedly tricky choreography. Judges’ Score: 27/30
Results:
THREE COUPLES ADVANCING TO FINALE
Ginger Zee and pro Val Chmerkovskiy
Nyle DiMarco and pro Peta Murgatroyd
Paige VanZant and pro Mark Ballas
ELIMINATED
Antonio Brown and pro Sharna Burgess
Wanyá Morris and pro Lindsay Arnold
So there are no "household" names in the finals this season, except maybe for GMA's Zee. That takes some of the fun out of things, but it is what it is. I'll have a better handle on things when this gets down to two, because right now any one of these pairs has a shot.
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