RECAP: Who Deserves to Keep DANCING?

Tonight's semifinal spectacular struck the perfect balance between gimmicks and knock-your-socks-off, wow performances. But at the heart of this heated competition for the mirrorball trophy is a naturally occurring spring of dramatic tension no amount of half-tone montages or hyperbolic metaphors could ever replicate: the hordes of soap-loving middle-aged women who could very well put Ingo through to the final despite his cringeworthy lack of coordination, leaving one of his wildly talented competitors out in the cold.

Yeah, okay, he's funny and he knows how to get the crowd going. But he was the only star who didn't take home a Perfect Score on one of his routines tonight. That's right, four stars got perfect scores tonight. This is not about the novelty of watching people of questionable celebrity fumble their way through performances anymore. The caliber of dance this season has reached a whole new level. And the thought of goofy, hokey Ingo taking the spot of one of the deserving stars who has torn up this dance floor week after week is just painful.

The argument can certainly be made that the point of this show is to challenge the stars to step out of their comfort zone, strap on some dancing shoes and give it their best shot, so someone like Ingo should be given a chance over someone like Zendaya, who has built her career upon her killer moves. But as the youngest performer DANCING has seen to date, she has not only mastered routine after routine but pushed her boundaries to be taken seriously as a competitor - an endeavor that backfired tonight, as she took a hit from the judges for her unconventional quickstep (luckily she came back with her red hot hip-hop routine). She does have a natural talent for dance, but she has worked just as hard as anyone to attain perfection. Should her efforts not be rewarded just because she has prior experience?

The fact of the matter is, Ingo just isn't good enough. His determination is admirable. He's worked hard to get this far. But watching tonight it was abundantly clear that he is so far below the level of his competitors, who have overcome adversities of their own on the dance floor. Kellie Pickler struggled to let her emotions show through the thick skin she had to develop growing up with no mother and an alcoholic father who was in and out of jail her whole life. Now, on the floor, she exudes passion. Aly Raisman came out of her shell and learned to perform characters, new ones of which she has taken on dance after dance (tonight's gem was the wild warrior princess from her Afro Jazz routine). She may be a gymnast, but it is clear that so many of these fluid ballroom movements don't come naturally to her, though she has found a way to make her body move through them. Jacoby had quick feet on his side, but had to learn how to hold his frame and master the subtle technique required for dance. On top of that, he is a good foot or so taller than Karina, and has had to find a way to manage their awkward height difference. And he hit his stride tonight with a near perfect combined score, gracefully navigating both a sensual tango and a hyped-up lindy hop.

It is really and truly anybody's game, as evidenced by last week's shocker when Ingo was spared the chopping block over both Jacoby and Kellie. This week he has the judges' delusional scoring on his side, too, since they handed him a 27 for a dance that looked a lot more like a 21. Obviously there's a reason I'm not the one judging, but that Charleston was downright pitiful in my opinion. It was sloppy, the choreography was hardly choreography at all, and he lost his place multiple times. The more I think about it, the more I just have this awful feeling that the hidden strings of televised competition are being pulled to put him through (what other excuse do they have for that score, honestly). So, while skill dictates the end of Ingo's stint, there is just no telling who we'll see duking it out in the final dance-off.

Better tune in tomorrow night for the 300th episode (which is fittingly being celebrated with a performance by played-out punk queen Avril Lavigne), because it promises to be a nail-biter.

Check out the full breakdown below:

Kellie Pickler & Derek Hough - 30/30 + 28/30 = 58/60

Argentine Tango

The Judges Say...

"It was like watching two people becoming one. It was perfection." - Bruno

Flamenco

The Judges Say...

"You're small, but your talent is huge." - Len

Ingo Rademacher & Kym Johnson - 24/30 + 27/30 = 51/60

Samba / "One More Night" by Maroon 5

The Judges Say...

"It's still just a bit inconsistent." - Carrie Ann

Charleston

The Judges Say...

"It was like champagne - it was bubbly and full of fizz." - Len

Aly Raisman & Mark Ballas - 30/30 + 29/30 = 59/60

Rumba / "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars

The Judges Say...

"You were all woman out there! The drama, the beauty, the lines, the sensuality, it was all there!" - Carrie Ann

Afro Jazz

The Judges Say...

"You have exceeded all expectation. You showed an incredible range in every type of dance." - Bruno

Jacoby Jones & Karina Smirnoff - 30/30 + 29/30 = 59/60

Argentine Tango

The Judges Say...

"Mood, intensity, great feel. Kaching! Right on the money, Jacoby." - Len

Lindy Hop / "Ding-dong Daddy of the D-car Line" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies

The Judges Say...

"That was a frantic frenzy of electricity. For me, you nailed it, man." - Bruno

Zendaya Coleman & Valentin Chmerkovskiy - 25/30 + 30/30 = 55/60

Quickstep

The Judges Say...

"It felt a little bit more like you were dragging each other through the dance." - Carrie Ann

Hip-Hop / "Fine China" by Chris Brown

The Judges Say...

"That was ridiculous. So cool it gives me chills. Zendaya forever." - Bruno

Injury Report: Karina was taken to the hospital after hitting her jaw during a failed lift at Sunday's blocking, but was able to perform.

To post a comment, you must register and login.