Dancing With the Stars Puts John Schneider, Bobby Bones to the Test With Trio Dances

They say it takes two to tango, but Monday night’s (10/15) episode of Dancing with the Stars had contestants dancing in trios. That’s right, in week four of the competition, the stars had to kick things up a notch by adding a second partner to their routine.

John Schneider was excited about the prospect of dancing with another lady professional, until his partner Emma Slater announced who would actually take to the ballroom with the pair. Enter *NSYNC member Joey Fatone and two-time DWTS contestant (he placed second in season four, and competed in the all-star season). While it wasn’t a female partner, Schneider and Fatone quickly became thick as thieves with Slater commenting that if they practiced as much as they talked, they’d be in a good place.

The three then took to the dance floor for an Argentine Tango, inspired by the Greek gods.  The performance hit a small snafu at the start when Slater’s hair got caught in Schneider’s jacket buckles. The two quickly regained composure and completed a dance that judge Carrie Ann Inaba called “very special.”

“It was a little bit of a Greek tragedy just to start with, however, what I liked, there was no messing about,” added Len Goodman. “You went straight into the dance. There was no messing about, no doing stuff. You went straight in. I love the way you interacted between the three of you. It had passion. It had attack. And I liked it.”

The trio earned a 21 out of 30 for their dance.

Bobby Bones closed the dances with his partner Sharna Burgess and season 25 runner-up Lindsey Stirling. Bones credited Stirling with getting him on the show after calling her and asking her advice on making it through the competition.

“Bobby and I are friends and he had asked me for advice,” Stirling told Sounds Like Nashville after the season premiere. “He was like, in his words, ‘I’m terrible, I’m like really bad,’ and I was like ‘well, if you’re terrible, you just have to go out there and look like you’re having the time of your life.’ And no one looked like they were having more fun on that dance floor than Bobby Bones. And not like he took my advice, but I think that’s just who he is. And that’s going to take him all the way to the end of the competition, is the fact that he’s going to get better every week, that’s the most important thing, and he’s going to have fun doing it.”

Fun was definitely on the forefront of their trio performance as the three channeled MC Hammer for a Cha Cha to “U Can’t Touch This.” While Bones nailed the “Hammer” dance, the judges critiqued his actual Cha Cha technique.

DANCING WITH THE STARS – “Trios Night” – The 10 remaining celebrities discover that two may be company, but three is definitely not a crowd as former show stars, as well as some newbies, join the couples for a special Trios Night, on “Dancing with the Stars,” live on MONDAY, OCT. 15 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Eric McCandless)
LINDSEY STIRLING, BOBBY BONES, SHARNA BURGESS

“It’s like a tribute act,” said Bruno Tonioli. “You took a sledgehammer to the Cha Cha Cha and no one  can carry those pants, I’m telling you. It’s always easy, fun watching you. I mean, what you put out there is so entertaining. The Cha Cha Cha got lost in translation, let’s put it that way, but really good performance.”

Added Inaba,” The world is a better place because you’re in it. You just bring so much joy because you’re so authentic. You did not miss one single step in the whole routine. Yes, okay, technique was nonexistent. We have to work on foot articulation, a big thing, but once you get there, that yes!”

The judges awarded the glammed out trio a 20 out of 30 for their routine.

Both Schneider and Bones earned high enough scores to stay out of the bottom two, which included singer Tinashe and Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch. When it came down to the final score and audience vote, it was Tinashe who was sent home.

Tune in next Monday to see Schneider and Bones take the ballroom dance floor by storm for their Disney-themed performances.