Dancing with the Stars: Lauren Alaina Waltzes to Tim McGraw’s ‘Humble and Kind’
This was an emotionally draining show...
Time is passing quickly on season 28 of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. We’re down to the final five couples, the semi-final round, and during next week’s competition, we know who will take home the mirror ball trophy.
During the November 18 competition, each couple again learned two dances. Their first pieces were chosen by the judges based on a low-scoring dance they had performed previously in the competition — a redemption dance — and a judge joined them in the rehearsal room to offer assistance and pointers. The second dance was a “dedication” dance that the celebrities either dedicated to someone whom they loved or used to mark a milestone in their lives. Sadly, some of those milestones meant very emotional performances for the couples.
Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko
- Redemption dance: Paso doble – “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson
Len Goodman: “It had a lovely mix of expression and aggression. And I love to see that. I asked you to give me more shaping and I saw that throughout the dance. Gleb, there was that chasse cape bit that we worked on. I would have liked another bit somewhere else that I could say, ‘Oooo, look what he put in.’ Well done, Gleb. It was a terrific routine and so much improved. Well done.”
Total Score: 27
- Viennese waltz – “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw
- Dedicated to her parents
Len Goodman: “It was smooth, it was elegant, it was graceful. I liked those elements of slow waltz that you put in, as well as the Viennese waltz. And I’ve got to tell you, Lauren, you look terrific.”
Total Score: 27
Kel Mitchell and Witney Carson
- Redemption dance: Tango – “Get Ready” by The Temptations
Bruno Tonioli: “I’m so proud of you. You’re the perfect student. You delivered on everything I asked. Nice, on the level bent knees, you even delivered on the heel lead there. Well done, Witney. And you kept what’s on the label — a pure, real, proper tango. And you even managed to give your own personality into it. You lead with firm assurance, confidence. There was just one mistake when you went on the wrong foot. Well done.”
Total Score: 27
- Contemporary – “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
- Dedicated to his friend, Sam, who was a victim of gun violence in Chicago
Bruno Tonioli: “What an achievement. First, to start with the total beauty of the setup. It was just pure art. Then, those lifts, the fluidity, the ease of movement, the way you took them. And, above all, the sincerity and honesty you gave us with this performance. Your progression in this competition has been really an inspiration. Whatever happens, you’re a winner in my eyes.”
Total Score: 30
Ally Brook and Sasha Farber
- Redemption dance: Viennese waltz – “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
Len Goodman: “I thought it was a wonderful dance. It had a lovely gentleness about it. Much more rotation than we saw the first time around. The technique was far better. There were a couple of little places that it lost a little fluidity, but what a metamorphosis. You went from a caterpillar to a butterfly.”
Total Score: 29
- Charleston – “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” by Benny Goodman
Carrie Ann Inaba: “If your goal was to set out to prove that you deserve to be in the finals, consider it done, done, done. That was so great, just a showstopper. That’s what we want to see. So in sync, so much fun and that was a really hard athletic routine.”
Total Score: 30
Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten
- Redemption dance: Rumba – “Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam Smith & Normani
Carrie Ann Inaba: “You improved a heck of a lot. I felt like you were very comfortable in your hips. I felt like you were more open to us and you didn’t close off and I know that’s something you’ve been going through. I’m really proud of you, Hannah. Well done.”
Total Score: 27
- Contemporary – “Lose You to Love Me” by Selena Gomez
Bruno Tonioli: “Excuse me, madam, for a first-timer of contemporary dance, you did pretty well. What I really liked, you’ve got a wonderful dynamic in the lifts and drops that are so difficult to achieve. You’ve never done it before? Well done!”
Total Score: 27
James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater
- Redemption dance: Cha-ch-acha – “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai
Len Goodman: “The first time you did it, I said, ‘Cut out the gimmicks,’ you cut out the worm, thank heaven for that. I realize because it’s disco music, you want to get a slight disco vibe, but I would have liked to seen more cha-cha-cha. OK, you did a Cuban break, you did a New York, but there was too much messing about going on about the dance.”
Total Score: 24
- Foxtrot – “Take Me to Church” by Hozier
- Dedicated to his wife, Kimberly. The couple just miscarried their sixth child.
Len Goodman: “You know, James, when tragedy strikes, it puts everything into perspective and this is just a dance show, and for you to come out and dance with so much feeling and emotion, I admire you so much. Well done.”
Total Score: 27
At the end of the evening, Ally and Sasha were at the top of the leaderboard, while James and Emma were at the bottom. After the viewing audience’s scores were combined with the judge’s, both of those couples were in the bottom two.
With Carrie Ann and Bruno casting the deciding vote, James and Emma were the couple whose tenure on the ballroom floor had come to an end.
Next week, the remaining four couples will dance their hearts out for a chance to win that mirrorball trophy when season 28 of Dancing With the Stars comes to an end.
