The Final 5 celebrities and their pro partners performed two routines last night on the hit reality show Dancing with the Stars. With just one week to go before the semi-finals on ABC, things are beginning to really heat up on the dance floor.
The couples did a regular routine and then had 20 minutes to get ready for their Instant Dance. At the start of their practice week, they were told what dance they would perform, but did not know the song selection until just before heading into a room for a down-and-dirty practice session.
Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas ended up at the top of the leaderboard. They performed a Waltz that earned them a 29, and their Instant Cha Cha Cha, to Get Busy, earning them a 26 for a total score of 55.
Ballas and Kane had a heart-to-heart during a rehearsal, and he vowed to “be the frame, and let her be the art.” Prior to this sudden change in direction, the pro dancer had been driven by an intensity to win that eclipsed his celebrity partner’s mindset. She finally managed to rein him in … at least for now.
Hines Ward and Kym Johnson landed in second spot with their Fox Trot that earned them 28. Their Instant Jive, to Chantilly Lace, earned them 26 for a total score of 54.
The judges love the NFL player, comparing him to a Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. They consider him to be one of the most consistent dancers during Season 12.
Kirstie Alley and Maks Chmerkovskiy were in the middle of the pack with an Argentine Tango that scored 28, followed by their Instant Salsa, to Cobrastyle, that earned them a 25. Their combined score was 53.
The former Cheers star got bleeped last night when she uttered “S**t” while Bruno was critiquing her performance. She covered her mouth in feigned shock.
Clearly a fan of Kirstie, judge Bruno declared: “Your body is shrinking but your talent is HUGE.” She was looking decidedly red carpet hot over the weekend, when she and Maks appeared at the Pirates of the Caribbean movie premiere at Disneyland.
Romeo and Chelsie Hightower came in fourth with their Tango that earned 27 from the judges, followed by their Instant Salsa to the strained of Tequila. The judges gave the second dance 25 for an evening total of 52.
This couple landed at the bottom of the leaderboard last week because Romeo was busy promoting his new movie Jumping the Broom. He vowed to improve this week but still landed in a precarious position.
Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff landed at the bottom of the leaderboard. The actor, thinking he had injured a hamstring, was rushed to a medical facility for an MRI that confirmed he had suffered a painful ruptured Bakers Cyst. He described it as a stabbing pain that allowed the pair only nine hours of practice, when they normally spend 40 hours perfecting their performance.
Their Waltz earned them 25 and their Instant Cha Cha Cha, to the tune Stuck in the Middle, received a dismal 21 for a total score of 46. Will the voting public take pity on Ralph’s situation and elevate him to the semi-final round?
Check out more photos and the performance videos from last night below:
Chelsea and Mark
Hines and Kim
Kirstie and Maks – 3:00 on the slider for the S-bomb
Romeo and Chelsie
Ralph and Karina
Photos: ABC, Courtesy WENN