![\"DWTS](\"https:\/\/58v76y8z87lo.hellomagazine.com\/horizon\/landscape\/0dd63d3c6e36-180161em104063.jpg\")
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Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for what is both a celebration of music icon Prince and the penultimate episode of what has become a juggernaut of a\u00a0Dancing with the Stars<\/em>\u00a0season. The celebrity ballroom dance competition whittled its contestants down to the top five finalists (Elaine Hendrix, Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Dylan Efron and Jordan Chiles), all of whom will be competing in next week\u2019s 3-hour finale. In a surprise upset, it was Whitney Leavitt who fell short of making the cut on Tuesday night, bidding an emotional goodbye to the ballroom without a chance to compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.<\/p>\n \u201cI already feel like a winner,\u201d Whitney said. \u201cThis show has meant the absolute world for me. \u2026 I will forever be grateful for the friendships I made. Thank you so so much.\u201d Her pro partner, Mark Ballas, expressed gratitude to the entire crew that makes DWTS possible week after week.<\/p>\n The rest of Prince Night brought fierce competition and plenty of fashion homages to the late icon, as the stars and their pro partners danced like it\u2019s 1999. And for the first time this season, stars performed two entire couple dances rather than one couples dance and a group challenge. Here\u2019s how all your favorite stars fared in the semi-finals of\u00a0DWTS<\/em>\u00a0season 34.<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Foxtrot to \u201cI Wanna Be Your Lover\u201d<\/p>\n Going in chronological order of Prince\u2019s biggest hits, Elaine kicked off the evening with 1979\u2019s \u201cI Wanna Be Your Lover,\u201d Prince\u2019s first major hit single in the U.S. For Elaine, the theme was personal. \u201cI grew up on Prince,\u201d Elaine said. \u201cHe was such a showman. He knew how to command on stage. All eyes were on him. That\u2019s what we have to do. Clips of rehearsals showed Alan instructing her to tweak a move to be \u201ca little more like Prince.\u201d Her foxtrot was solid, but the consensus among the judges was that talent wasn\u2019t quite enough without that extra oomph. \u201cYou deserve this spot so much,\u201d Carrie Ann said, but hoped to see more effort in the next dance. \u201cThat was beautiful: a truly incredible foxtrot,\u201d Derek said. \u201cThat is not easy,\u201d he added, though he acknowledged that Carrie Ann\u2019s comments rang true in some regard \u2014 he\u2019s also looking for \u201cmore fight\u201d in Elaine\u2019s second dance of the evening.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 9, Bruno: 9; Total: 27\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Argentine Tango to \u201cLittle Red Corvette\u201d<\/p>\n Alix got a perfect score last week, but there\u2019s not much room for celebration. \u201cI just want to unlock a different version of whatever I thought I was capable of,\u201d Alix said. The social media influencer has been surprising judges and fans alike all season, and continued her streak with this Argentine tango, where she made fast footwork and complicated choreography look effortless. The judges agreed \u2014 Carrie Ann and Bruno event went so far as to call her the \u201cmost improved\u201d dancer of the season, despite a couple of small technical hiccups. \u201cI really think you have the potential to go all the way in this competition,\u201d Derek said.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 10, Bruno: 9; Total: 28\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Cha Cha to \u201c1999\u201d<\/p>\n Whitney and Mark have consistently seemed like the couple this season having the most fun on the dance floor. And they did, indeed, party like it\u2019s 1999 (the year that Whitney was 6, mind you), with a groovy, cheeky and complicated cha cha (a dance style that the judges noted was a risky move in the semi-finals). That risk paid off: \u201cThis was the best party in America and you threw it,\u201d Bruno said, celebrating the content and execution of a difficult dance. Carrie Ann, meanwhile, lamented that she could see Whitney focusing too much on the technique when it should look more effortless. But she was alone at the judges table in feeling that way. \u201cCarrie Ann, you are out of your mind,\u201d Derek countered. \u201cThat was literal perfection.\u201d (Co-host Alfonso Ribiero later joked that Carrie Ann would \u201cneed security\u201d when she left the show that evening.)<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 29\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Tango to \u201cI Would Die 4 U\u201d<\/p>\n Daniella didn\u2019t think she and the\u00a0Traitors<\/em>\u00a0competitor\/social media creator would make it all the way to the semi-finals. \u201cI\u2019m a slow learner but we\u2019ve really worked hard to get here,\u201d Dylan said. He\u2019s faced some flack in weeks past from fans who complained that he\u2019s gotten top scores despite doing less complicated choreography than some of his competitors, and Carrie Ann did share some gripes with his footwork. But \u201cthe real issue to me is that you gotta feel the music. This is Prince,\u201d she added. In other Efron news, Dylan\u2019s famous brother Zac finally made an appearance in the ballroom this season (their little sister, Olivia, who danced with Dylan earlier in the season, sat on his lap during the performance) garnering a couple of comments from the judges. \u201cI was watching oveer there, your brother was like \u2018okay!’\u201d Derek joked. \u201cI think leading men run in the family,\u201d Bruno added.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 9, Bruno: 9; Total: 27\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Jive to \u201cRaspberry Beret\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan previously did a Prince-themed routine while competing in gymnastics at UCLA, so she\u2019s ready to get back into the groove. \u201cI did get a couple 10s off of it, but I\u2019ve never got a perfect score out of gymnastics,\u201d Jordan said, hoping that\u00a0DWTS<\/em>\u00a0will finally grant her that dream. Not quite, unfortunately. While Jordan and Ezra\u2019s playful friendship has never been so evidence on the ballroom floor in their fun, upbeat routine, judges pointed out some issues with timing and a lack of more \u201cattack,\u201d \u201cbite\u201d and \u201csharpness.\u201d For me, this was the best performance so far tonight,\u201d Carrie Ann said. (Mind you, the scores Jordan would go on to receive for this dance landed her tied with Dylan and Elaine for last place thus far in the show.) \u201cI would love to give it a perfect score but,\u201d Carrie Ann began, before unintelligibly grumbling her gripes with the routine. Jordan maintained that she appreciates the feedback, because it means the judges believe she can do better.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 9, Bruno: 9; Total: 27\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Jive to \u201cBaby I\u2019m a Star\u201d<\/p>\n Robert was brought to his knees last week after an emotional performance dedicated to his dad that landed him the first perfect score of the season. This week\u2019s jive is the polar opposite, bringing an upbeat, that began with Robert jumping off the judges table before a series of flips, lifts, speedy footwork and energetic facial expressions. Judges couldn\u2019t find enough synonyms for \u201camazing.\u201d \u201cFor Prince, only a superstar jive would do. You did that\u2026 All that energy could power the country. and you never put a foot wrong,\u201d Bruno said. Carrie Ann added: \u201cThat is how you tell everyone you demand to be in the finale.\u201d<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 10, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 30\/30<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Paso Doble to \u201cWhen Doves Cry\u201d<\/p>\n Round two of dances began with Elaine, in sharp contrast to her first dance, a lighter, more delicate performance. The paso doble, the dance of the matador, is all about power and strength, and Elaine aimed to use it to send a strong message that she\u2019s not done fighting for the Mirrorball Trophy. Judges saw that fight, gushing over the strong, decisive performance. \u00a0Carrie Ann actually left the judges table to run over to Elaine to give her a big hug. \u201cThat was amazing. You left it all on the floor,\u201d Carrie Ann said, before bowing down on the floor herself. Audio cut out on the show, seemingly due to an expletive dropped by the judge. \u201cYou came with that fight,\u201d Derek said. \u201cElaine, that is what we\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 10, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 30\/30 (Two-dance total: 57\/60)<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Viennese Waltz to \u201cPurple Rain\u201d<\/p>\n Purple Rain is one of the most iconic songs in all of music history, and Alix acknowledged that there\u2019s a ton of pressure to do it justice. Literal purple rain showered the couple as they began an emotional, dramatic and tender performance, filled with spins that let Alix dizzy in rehearsals, but had her gliding effortlessly across the ballroom floor. Bruno applauded the way Alix was able to deliver on the \u201cperfect combination of motion and emotion.\u201d \u201cI have no doubt that we are going to see you in those finals,\u201d Derek added. Carrie Ann went a step further in her compliment, leaving Alix in tears: \u201cA performance like this is going to go down in [show] history.\u201d<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 10, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 30\/30 (Two-dance total: 58\/30)<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Cha Cha to \u201cKiss\u201d<\/p>\n Dylan was tied for last place after round one, and he\u2019s wasn\u2019t guaranteed a spot in the finale the way other higher-scored competitors seemed to be. \u201cIf you work hard and stay focused, that is everything a champion does,\u201d Daniella said. \u201cWe still have another week left in us, so don\u2019t give up yet.\u201d While his first dance may have left a little to be desired, the swinging hip action in dance number two left room for the redemption he was looking for. \u201cYou sexy beast,\u201d Bruno said, complimenting Dylan\u2019s major hip and footwork improvements. Derek, too, loved Dylan\u2019s attention to detail. \u201cYou should be so, so proud,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 9, Bruno: 10; Total: 28\/30 \u00a0(Two-dance total: 55\/30)<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Viennese Waltz to \u201cSlow Love\u201d<\/p>\n We\u2019ve fully reached the waterworks and reflecting on the \u201cjourney\u201d portion of the season. \u201cBeing a part of this experience blossomed something in me that i feel like had been missing,\u201d Whitney said, her voice breaking. She now knows that she feels most like herself when she\u2019s dancing. Her second dance was as graceful and elegant as the previous one was exciting and full of energy. (But it\u2019s Whitney and Mark, so they obviously found some chances to be silly and have fun, too.) \u201cThat was, for you, from all the performances you\u2019ve done, my absolute favorite,\u201d Carrie Ann said, joining in on the tears. \u201cYou showed us, truly, your soul.\u201d She hinted at struggling to give Whitney a perfect score due to some technicalities, prompting Derek to throw some serious side-eye. \u201cImpeccable,\u201d Bruno exclaimed.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 9, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 29\/30 (Two-dance total: 58\/30)<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Argentine Tango to \u201cU Got the Look\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan previously shared that she grew up watching\u00a0DWTS<\/em>, and now feels like \u201cthat little girl is definitely looking up at me right now, like \u2018you did it,’\u201d Jordan said. Hoping to make her younger self proud, Jordan told Ezra she was \u201cwilling to do anything,\u201d choreography-wise, to land them in the finale. \u201cBeing eliminated before the finale would really suck,\u201d she said. Along with some Olympic-level flips, she and Ezra spent extra time perfecting the most iconic kicks associated with the Argentine Tango, which the judges took notice of. \u201cBeautiful, powerful, so strong,\u201d Bruno said. \u201cShe was literally leading Ezra. You were the leading lady, my darling. Derek called it a \u201ctop performance,\u201d while Carrie Ann highlighted Jordan\u2019s perpetual penchant to take the most risks in the competition.<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 10, Derek: 10, Bruno: 10; Total: 30\/30 (Two-dance total: 57\/30)<\/p>\n Dance:\u00a0<\/strong>Viennese Waltz to \u201cWOW\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s tough to follow up your first dance when you already landed a perfect score. But let\u2019s be honest: This is\u00a0Robert Irwin<\/em>\u00a0we\u2019re talking about. The final performance of the night brought out a passionate, sexy dynamic that he might not be the most comfortable with given his buddy-buddy dynamic with Witney, but it didn\u2019t show in his full-body, all-out, dynamic Viennese Waltz. Bruno likened Robert\u2019s performance to that of Tom Cruise in\u00a0Top Gun<\/em>. \u201cThat was so thrilling, I want to see the sequel,\u201d Bruno said. \u201cI didn\u2019t want him to stop. What is he going to do next? He\u2019s going to do it in the final, trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n Scores:\u00a0<\/strong>Carrie Ann: 10, Derek: 9, Bruno: 10; Total: 29\/30 (Two-dance total: 59\/60)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for what is both a celebration of music icon Prince and the penultimate episode of what has become a juggernaut… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nElaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten<\/h2>\n
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy<\/h2>\n
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas<\/h2>\n
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach<\/h2>\n
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa<\/h2>\n
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson<\/h2>\n
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten<\/h2>\n
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy<\/h2>\n
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach<\/h2>\n
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas<\/h2>\n
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa<\/h2>\n
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson<\/h2>\n