ABC(LOS ANGELES) — On Monday’s Dancing with the Stars, the competitors pulled out all the stops and two of the final four ended the season 20 semifinals with perfect scores, but Noah Galloway had the most memorable moment of the night with his post-dance proposal to his girlfriend.
Galloway, Riker Lynch, Nastia Liukin and Rumer Willis, along with their respective pro partners, each performed two routines — including one that was the judges’ choice — in their bid to avoid elimination Tuesday and advance to the May 18 finals and their chance for the mirror ball trophy.
In the judges’ choice round, each judge worked with one of the four couples, exercising creative control over the routines. The judges abstained from judging the routines they had coached.
By the end of the night, Lynch and Liukin, and their respective partners, had earned perfect scores — 70 out of a possible 70 points after two routines. Willis is third on the leaderboard and Galloway is fourth.
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Here’s a rundown of the routines:
Rumer Willis: The actress’ sultry Viennese waltz brought the audience to its feet and earned her rave reviews from the judges. While head judge Len Goodman said the routine lacked a bit of the Viennese waltz character, he called it “another great dance” from Willis. Julianne Hough said the execution was “so right on,” and Carrie Ann Inaba said she was fascinated by the duality in Willis — that she could be earthy and sensual while seeming ethereal at the same time. Bruno Tonioli noted that he never “thought the Viennese waltz could be so steamy,” pointing out that while the routine was sensual, it was always very romantic. Willis earned two 10s and two 9s, for a total of 38 out of a possible 40 points.
In the judges’ choice round, Tonioli coached Willis and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy in a Swan Lake-inspired contemporary fusion routine with a dramatic high lift that earned them cheers and applause. Inaba called the routine “genius” and “a little mad,” adding that Willis did it all “with grace and beauty and lyricism. Brilliant.” Hough called the performance “beautiful, gorgeous” and Goodman added: “Bruno, great concept. Val, wonderful choreography. Rumer, brilliant dancer.” Willis earned three 10s, for a perfect score of 30. Since Tonioli was directly involved with the routine, he abstained from the vote.
Noah Galloway: The judges and the ballroom audience liked the double-amputee Army veteran’s Viennese waltz. He earned four 9s, for a total of 36 points — but Galloway got a standing ovation when he dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Jamie Boyd, after he learned his scores. The tender proposal — he danced to the song “Time of My Life” and told her that she gave him the time of his life — elicited cheers and applause. Many were in tears, including show co-hosts Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron and Hough and Inaba. Boyd hugged and kissed Galloway: “I’m speechless, and I’m never speechless. Oh, baby, I love you so much!” she said, and when Andrews asked her “Is that a yes?” Boyd replied: “Oh, heck yes!”
For Galloway’s second routine, Inaba coached him and pro partner Sharna Burgess in a darkly dramatic paso doble that Hough called “an unbelievable concept.” “I have chills from head to toe,” she said, telling Galloway: “To me, that was one of the best dances I’ve ever seen you do.” Tonioli was equally enthusiastic, calling Galloway’s execution “masterful,” and Goodman added his high praise, saying “Tonight it’s the fight for the final, and I tell you what, you came out and gave us a battle.” Galloway earned three 10s, for a total of 30 points. Because Inaba coached the routine she abstained from the vote.
Riker Lynch: The judges were impressed by the R5 band member’s powerful contemporary routine. “That had such a gutsy physicality…it is extremely difficult, even for a professional, to even attempt to dance like that,” Tonioli said, adding: “You have range and talent. I really hope you make the final. It wouldn’t be the same without you.” Inaba was overflowing with enthusiasm. “This is the semifinals and that’s what we’re talking about!” she said, adding that Lynch was raw and vulnerable. Hough addressed Lynch’s pro partner, Allison Holker, saying: “I hope you take this the right way, Allison, but I could not tell who was the pro in that dance…I’m so blown away right now,” and Goodman added his praise, saying: “Irrespective of the dance, I love great performances, and that, I’m telling you, was a great performance.” Lynch earned four 10s, for a perfect score of 40.
Lynch’s second routine was an Argentine tango coached by Hough, a two-time mirror ball champion who also participated during the start of the routine. Tonioli called Lynch a “leading man,” calling the routine fantastic. Inaba said Lynch “danced like a champion,” and Goodman said Lynch had become “a triple threat” because of his flair, musicality and technique. Lynch earned three 10s, for 30 points and a grand total for the night of 70 out of a possible 70 points. Hough abstained from voting on this routine.
Nastia Liukin: The Olympian’s exuberant quickstep — with Sasha Farber again filling in for her injured partner, Derek Hough — earned unanimous approval from the judges. Inaba called the routine a “showstopper,” while Hough added: “I feel like you are now a dancer, you are not just a gymnast…that was amazing.” Tonioli said he saw in Liukin “a glowing, glamorous blond bombshell…I’m telling you, it was a technical tour de force and you were really a star out there.” Goodman said the secret to the quickstep was to move fast but not hurry, noting: “That’s what you did…it had speed but it had control.” Liukin earned four 10s, for a total of 40 points.
Liukin’s second routine was a Viennese Waltz coached by Goodman and partnered by Derek Hough, who played a younger Goodman before age and arthritis made dancing difficult. The routine ended with Hough exiting the dance floor and Goodman coming onto it to complete the routine with Liukin. It brought the audience to its feet, and had Hough and Inaba in tears. “Wow,” Inaba, in tears and deeply moved, said. “First of all, what an incredible semifinals that has been…that was something spectacular.” Hough, also speaking through tears, said: “For me, I think that was the most special dance I think I’ve ever seen…it was so beautiful,” and Tonioli called the routine “sublime refinement and skill,” saying it “glowed with a nostalgic warmth and love and dedication to this art form.” Liukin earned three 10s for 30 points. Goodman did not vote on this routine.
Monday’s scores (First Routine, Second Routine. Grand Total):
Riker Lynch and Allison Holker: 40; 30. Total: 70
Nastia Liukin, Sasha Farber and Derek Hough: 40; 30. Total: 70
Rumer Willis and Valentin Chmerkovskiy: 38; 30. Total: 68
Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess: 36; 30. Total: 66
One couple will be eliminated on Tuesday’s Dancing with the Stars results show, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC.
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