Dancing with the Stars eliminated two celebrity and professional pairings in a special double-elimination twist during Tuesday night's seventh live fourteenth-season results show on ABC.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
"I'm definitely very happy that I can add ballroom dancing into my super duper dance moves," Fegan joked following his ouster mid-episode.
"I'm so proud of you. He was such a joy to work with and came everyday willing to work with such a great attitude. It was really so much fun, so I'm happy to end it on a high note and I'm happy that I had you as my partner. He's been amazing," Hightower added.
Monday night's performance show featured the Top 6 finalists performing an individual ballroom routine eligible to receive up to 30 possible points from Dancing with the Stars judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli and an additional first-ever "trio dance" performance.
After dancing their initial routine, each couple had to pick one previously-eliminated professional dancer or member of the Dancing with the Stars troupe to join their performance and show off the celebrity to the best of their ability. The "trio dance" was also eligible to receive up to 30 points, which was added to each contestants' individual scores.
"I can't even describe what a learning and growing experience this has been. It's been a real blessing and a joy, and it's been a joy to have my family here and that family here and to have [Maks]. Maks has been amazing -- an incredible teacher, an incredible friend," Gilbert said after she was eliminated at the end of the broadcast.
"I'm amazed that I even made it this far and the things that I was able to do and the things that we were able to overcome to be here today does make it a really incredible birthday."
"I wish I could've given you a better birthday present, but I'm just very proud. What can I say? To me, she is the comeback kid and I'm very honored to have met you and spent this time together," Chmerkovskiy said.
Fegan and Hightower finished in second place on Monday night's judging leaderboard with a total of 56 out of 60 possible points. The couple danced a foxtrot which received 29 points and followed it with a paso doble routine alongside Sasha Farber from the dance troupe for their trio routine which earned 27 points from the judges.
Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy finished in sixth -- and last -- place on the judges' leaderboard with 51 total points. They performed a foxtrot routine which received 24 points from the judges and a samba routine for the trio round that earned 27 additional points. The couple danced their trio performance with Val Chmerkovskiy.
Telenovela star William Levy and partner Cheryl Burke topped the leaderboard and finished in first place with 57 total points for the first time this season during Monday night's broadcast. The couple danced an individual foxtrot which received 30 points -- the first perfect score of three 10s for the pair this season -- from the judges and then performed a paso doble featuring Tony Dovolani for their trio routine that earned 27 additional points.
Third place on the judges' leaderboard represented a tie between NFL player Donald Driver and partner Peta Murgatroyd and opera singer Katherine Jenkins and partner Mark Ballas, who each earned 55 total points. Driver and Murgatroyd danced a tango that received 27 points from the judges and then returned to the dance floor and performed a jive with Karina Smirnoff that earned 28 points.
Jenkins and Ballas performed an individual Viennese waltz that earned 26 points, and then they took to the stage again with Tristan MacManus for the trio round and danced a cha cha which received 29 additional points from the judges.
Entertainment reporter and Extra host Maria Menounos and partner Derek Hough placed fifth on Monday night's leaderboard with a grand total of 53 points. In addition to the 28 points they earned for their individual Viennese waltz performance, they also danced a samba routine which received only 25 points and featured dance troupe member Henry Byalikov.
Next week's Dancing with the Stars performance show will feature the four remaining couples competing in the season's semifinals round.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
