With only one week away from the much-anticipated Dancing With the Stars finale, Monday, November 14th’s semifinals had contestants fighting neck-and-neck for spots on the final four.
The judges were more particular than ever on the remaining six couples. The evening featured two full routines from each couple and another night of double eliminations, which brought plenty of drama– and tears– to the ballroom. The night’s scores had a 15-point gap between the lowest and highest couples, with scores ranging from 65 to 80.
Wayne Brady and Witney Carson were the first on the dance floor for the first round of the night. The couple danced a Paso Doble to Maneskin’s “Beggin’.” The duo earned straight “9s” and constructive criticism for Wayne, which included improper posture. After the dance, Witney delivered one of the night’s many surprises– she is expecting her second child with her husband Carson McAllister!
Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart danced a Viennese Waltz to “Surprise Yourself” by Jack Garratt, which earned them a 35 out of 40. Head judge Len Goodman called the performance “a bit skippy,” while judge Carrie Ann Inaba was moved to tears and praised the duo’s “unity.”
Shangela and Gleb Savchenko danced a Paso Doble to “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga. Judge Bruno Tonioli said the performance was “fabulous,” despite pointing out that Shangela missed a pass. Both Carrie Ann and Len complimented Shangela’s routine and solo section, and overall the dance earned the couple four “9s.”
This week was Charli D’Amelio’s first time on the dance floor since her mom, Heidi D’Amelio, was eliminated last week. Charli and her partner Mark Ballas danced a Viennese Waltz to “Glimpse of Us” by Joji, which earned Len’s praise. “It was so good it literally took my breath away. No words of mine can sum up how good I thought that was,” he said. The dance was equally praised by judge Derek Hough, saying Charli “is the first celebrity to actually look like a ballroom dancer.” Meanwhile, Carrie Ann was moved to tears. Once again, the duo snagged a perfect score of 40 from the judges.
After being saved from elimination last week for the third time, Trevor Donovan and partner Emma Slater knew they had to give it their all. The couple were assigned a Cha-Cha, leading Emma to reminisce about how the Cha-Cha has led to her elimination multiple times in previous seasons. Their dance, performed to “Satisfied” by Galantis featuring MAX, earned them 32 points.
For the final dance of round one, Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy delivered a Waltz to “I’m Kissing You” by Des’ree. Gabby addressed her break-up from fiancé Erich Schwer, and dedicated her dance to the love her dad and stepmom share. In addition to Bruno saying Gabby looked like she stepped out of a dream, he said “it was just as perfect as Charli’s Viennese Waltz.” Their routine, once again, earned a perfect score.
Following the first round, Len brought the dance floor to its feet (literally) when he shocked viewers by announcing that this will be his final season on DWTS. “I’ve been with the show since it started in 2005, and it has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show,” Len said, adding that he’d like to spend more time with his grandchildren and family back in Britain. This reveal led to a standing ovation from the audience and tear-filled eyes from his co-judges.
Wayne and Witney kicked off “Round Two” dancing a Viennese Waltz to James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World” featuring vocals by Wayne himself. He dedicated the song to his grandmother who recently passed away after battling dementia and Alzheimer’s. He also explained his only goal was to make his grandma proud of his run on the show. Wayne scored 37 points, including his first “10” of the night from Carrie Ann.
Daniel’s routine paid tribute to his interpreter, Gabe, who has been with him and Britt throughout the season. The couple danced a Samba to “Light It Up” by Major Lazer featuring Nyla & Fuse ODG – Daniel and Gabe’s favorite song when they go out dancing. Derek was in awe of the technique and Carrie Ann loved the swagger. The routine earned the pair 34 points.
Shangela danced an elegant Viennese Waltz to “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston, which earned her and Gleb a score of 37. With an eye on her technique, Bruno pointed out an issue with underarm turns, but not all judges agreed. Carrie Ann called the performance “exceptionally radiant” after jumping out of her seat and “bowing” in front of her to praise the performance. She also earned Carrie Ann’s first “10” of the night.
Trevor danced a Viennese Waltz to “Count on Me” by Judah Kelly, which he dedicated to Emma for her constant support this season. The routine, which the couple seemed to know was their last, earned them a 33 out of 40.
Both Charli and Gabby danced a Paso Doble with their partners, and both dances dramatically brought the imagery of matador and bull to life. Charli and Mark’s performance resulted in her second perfect score of the night – and a hug from Carrie Ann. Gabby and Val delivered an equally powerful performance, which also landed a perfect score.
As the competition ended, it was time for another double elimination. Trevor and Emma’s scores – and fan votes – couldn’t save them from the bottom for a fourth time, and were the first couple eliminated without the possibility of a save from the judges. Shangela and Gleb and Daniel and Britt were next in jeopardy. A unanimous decision among the judges saved Shangela and Gleb, sending Daniel and Britt home just shy of making the finals.
As the competition enters the final stretch, next week’s finale episode – which premieres Monday, November 21st – will crown the DWTS season 31 winners! With the last four couples remaining – Charli and Mark, Gabby and Val, Wayne and Witney, and Shangela and Gleb – this fight for the mirrorball will be intense! Tune in on Monday to find out the champions!