Tonight’s Dancing With The Stars semi-finals features not only our four final couples, but also the Judge’s Choice – and the judges! Who will make it past the most difficult cut of all to take on the finale next week? The show opens with a bowling themed number from the troupe and pros choreographed by Mandy Moore, joined at the end by the four remaining couples.
Tom shares a fun fact: For the first time in the show’s history, each of the remaining couples has, at one point or another in the season, been the highest scoring of that particular week.
Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy – Viennese Waltz to “Earned It” by The Weekend
Rumer’s bio shows the normal and the Hollywood side of her life – how close she is to her sisters, for example, but also how hard it was for her to make it through her parents’ divorce and the public criticism. Sidenote: If I wasn’t paying attention, I absolutely could’ve mistaken Demi Moore for one of her daughters. She looks THAT good. Her mom credits Rumer’s success on Dancing With The Stars to nothing more than who she is – “America is falling in love with her.” The routine is inspired by 50 Shades of Grey, and it’s a beautifully stripped down dance (pun totally intended) with all the passion you’d expect from Val. Len thought it lost a little bit of Viennese Waltz character, but says it was another great dance. Julianne felt like she was back in the theater, and of course Bruno agrees that it was “steamy” without losing the lyrical quality. Carrie Ann calls her “a vision in white” and commends her for her ability to bring the very different pieces of her personality together.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-9, Julianne-9, Bruno-10 = 38/40
To Vote For Rumer:
Call 855-234-5610, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess – Viennese Waltz to “Time Of My Life” by David Cook
Noah’s family describes him as a tough little boy who’ll do anything he puts his mind to. Though he lost his arm and leg in the service, his mom was just happy to have him alive – Noah, meanwhile, felt that he was a warrior taken away from the thing he wanted to do. He’s got the likes of William Shatner and Hootie himself (Darius Rucker, minus the Blowfish) behind him, as well as a long line of supporters inspired by all he’s been able to do. Once again, Sharna’s choreography gets better every week, and the pair has grown to move seamlessly around the floor. Julianne loves the fresh, romantic approach and notes that it was a very smooth routine. Bruno calls it beautiful, and Carrie Ann says he was expressive and jovial. Len names it Noah’s best dance, agreeing that it was emotional. Noah’s girlfriend Jamie joins Erin and the pair for post-dance thoughts, and, naturally, she couldn’t be prouder of her man. That is…until Noah takes over live tv for a special moment – he proposes to her! Well. Good luck topping THAT moment, everyone else. Lots of tears in the ballroom tonight!
Carrie Ann-9, Len-9, Julianne-9, Bruno-9 = 36/40
To Vote For Noah:
Call 855-234-5605, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Riker Lynch and Allison Holker – Contemporary to “Work Song” by Hozier
Riker has always loved being on stage – well, now, THERE’S a shocking revelation! His family split when he was 16 to allow Riker to follow his dreams to Hollywood. His first big role? He was a Warbler on Glee! This Contemporary piece is fierce – both he and Allison are elegantly strong and passionate. They’re in complete control of their bodies, and it’s beautiful. Bruno calls it “gutsy physicality” – he hopes Riker makes the final. Carrie Ann says they were “KILLING IT” before roaring a couple of times…and possibly touching Len. Twice. Len calls it a great performance. (I guess we’ll have to check the tape to see if Carrie Ann DID touch him. Twice.) Julianne couldn’t tell which dancer was the pro – she’s totally blown away. Riker reveals that he was scared of Contemporary, but Allison is proud of him for conquering it. And conquer it he did – it’s a PERFECT score!
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Julianne-10, Bruno-10 = 40/40
To Vote For Riker:
Call 855-234-5608, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Nastia Liukin and Sasha Farber (in for Derek Hough) – Quick Step to “Feelin’ Good” by Christina Grimmie
Nastia’s Olympic journey was the biggest part of her life until it literally came crashing down in a competition, where she knew her career in gymnastics was over. Her best friend says dancing has been the first time she’s shown the “Nastia glare” since her gymnastics days. Derek’s still too injured to dance with Nastia, but Sasha is stepping in once again. This time, however, Derek doesn’t work his way into the routine. He doesn’t need to – Quick Step is the perfect style for a gymnast with feet flying and tricks in the ballroom. Carrie Ann describes it as a showstopper. Len says it had speed, but it had control. Julianne has a lot to say, but basically, Nastia is a now dancer. Bruno calls her a blonde bombshell and says she was – and is – a star.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Julianne-10, Bruno-10 = 40/40
To Vote For Nastia:
Call 855-234-5604, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
INTERMISSION: As a special sneak peek, the cast of the Dancing With the Stars Perfect 10 Tour with special guest Melissa Rycroft perform to Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up And Dance With Me.”
ROUND TWO: Judge’s Choice – the judges each get total creative control over one couple. That includes music, costumes, lighting – everything! The judges will not be allowed to score the couple they worked with.
Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy with Bruno – Contemporary to Swan Lake
Bruno chose Rumer and Val because he wanted passionate personalities. Of course he did. There’s a lot of ballet in the Contemporary dance he wants his couple to present, and by a lot of ballet, I also mean…a lot of Val in white tights. It’s a Swan Lake inspired routine, and wow – I mean, you can’t NOT feel something when you hear this music and there are beautiful dancers flouncing in front of you. The final lift of the number should be an iconic moment from this season. Bruno is basking in his triumph from the balcony. Len says they’re the couple highest on his own private leaderboard. Julianne channels Bruno with manic praise about ugly ducklings turning into swans, and Carrie Ann calls it “genius, but a little mad” – which is pretty much how most people describe Bruno. Bruno loved their ability to play the role and he’d probably still be rambling his praise if it wasn’t a 2-hour show.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Julianne-10 = 30/30 (68/70 total)
To Vote For Rumer:
Call 855-234-5610, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess with Carrie Ann – Paso Doble
The goal of this Paso Doble is to tell Noah’s story, and Carrie Ann breaks down expressing how important the dance is to her. It’s a dramatic number featuring four “bulls”, male pros there to support Noah, not overpower him. I don’t think there was a lot of content in the routine, but what it lacked in content, it more than made up for in passion. Julianne is speechless but calls it his best, while Bruno calls it masterful. Len says it had all the excitement of a bullfight – “conceived by Carrie Ann, believed by Sharna, and achieved by Noah.” (So I guess we what learn from this is that I don’t know anything about Paso Doble?) Carrie Ann says they gave their soul and it was awesome.
Len-10, Julianne-10, Bruno-10 = 30/30 (66/70)
To Vote For Noah:
Call 855-234-5605, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Riker Lynch and Allison Holker with Julianne – Argentine Tango
Riker is excited to work with his cousin/judge Julianne, and Julianne, like every good Hough, is eager to work her way into the routine too. She’s not just conceiving the routine – she’s joining them on the dance floor! The artistry is insane, the dance is terrific, and maybe we should just rename this show “Dancing with the Houghs.” When Riker and Allison attack the dance, it’s sharp and intense. Bruno says Riker was controlling the dance “like a lion tamer”, while Carrie Ann says he didn’t only handle a champion, he also danced like one. Len calls him a triple threat – flare, musicality and technique. Yeah, I mean, this was definitely a perfect night for these two.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Bruno-10 = 30/10 (70/70)
To Vote For Riker:
Call 855-234-5608, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Nastia Liukin and Derek Hough with Len – Viennese Waltz to “Fall for You” by Leela James (LIVE!)
Len is dancing with Nastia, and so is Derek (slow dances=good, quick dances=bad), so I guess Nastia will be the first contestant with THREE different partners in a season? Len wants the dance to remind him of his younger days, with Derek channeling him until he make his return to the dance floor. There is no doubt that Derek is the Golden Boy of the Ballroom, and Nastia is a beautiful dancer, and, of course, it’s terrific to see Len – it’s a gorgeous and mesmerizing routine. Carrie Ann is in tears and calls it “a true moment” that she’ll remember. Julianne calls it the most special dance she’s ever seen, and Bruno says “it glowed with a nostalgic warmth.” This moment was all about Len, there’s no doubt. It’s hard to imagine any fan of the show could watch that and not feel a tickle in the heart watching him.
Carrie Ann-10, Julianne-10, Bruno-10 = 30/30 (70/70)
To Vote For Nastia:
Call 855-234-5604, or Use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.
5 Vote Limit Per Method /Per ABC.COM / Facebook Account.
Tomorrow night is the final elimination before the finale, and all four couples really fought for a spot in the last vote of the season. Tonight’s show was probably the strongest this year, and everyone has been very consistent every week. I’m torn between Rumer/Val and Riker/Allison for my current favorites – I think Rumer has come so far to be SO good, but Riker is just so much fun to watch! Who do YOU want to see next week?
Join us back here tomorrow as we learn who are finalists will be!
Leaderboard:
Riker Lynch and Allison Holker – 70
Nastia Liukin and Derek Hough – 70
Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy – 68
Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess – 66
