Trav's Thoughts

It's encores and results, live from Hollywood!

That's right, friends and neighbors!  By the time you get to the end of this post, you'll know the couples who make up our Final Four for Season 12.

On premier night I wrote down Chelsea, Hines, Ralph, and Kirstie.  The injury caused Ralph to fall way behind on the leader board, so we'll have to see if viewer votes were enough to get him through.  Plus, I think Romeo could sneak in there and bump one of my picks right out.

We shall see.  But before we see, let's check out what we liked about Monday's performances.  We thought all of the couples did very well last night, so we're going to share a dance from each of them.

I could see so much potential in this Viennese Waltz from Ralph and Karina.  Look past the issues they had because of Ralph's knee injury to what this choreography tried to achieve.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



The thing about Hines is that he's been consistent from the first dance, and other than a little prop bobble at the start of his Foxtrot with Kym, he gave us another consistent performance.  And he brought the full force of his personality and charm to it.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



Romeo has been very strong in ballroom styles throughout the season, and this Tango is no exception.  I wish the lighting hadn't been so dark so I could really appreciate how he controlled this dance.  Click here if the video doesn't play.

 

This Argentine Tango from Kirstie and Maks could easily have been my choice for dance of the night.  She was focused and driven, finally matching her desire to perform with the requirement to be a dancer for the first time since the outstanding Cha Cha Cha.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



Dance of the night goes to the first dance of the night...the Waltz from Chelsea and Mark.  I thought it was incredibly beautiful and moving.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



And that's why we can't choose!

Here's a reminder of our final leader board after both dances on Monday:

55 Chelsea and Mark
54 Hines and Kym
53 Kirstie and Maks
52 Romeo and Chelsie
46 Ralph and Karina

But before we get to results, we have an hour to kill.  So the DWTS producers thought we might like to see some of the most memorable performances from past results shows.  Click the links to see the performances.

• From Season 6, the 100th episode featured 12 pros from the past and present dancing to Hard to Handle.
• From Season 10, the Emmy nominated Paso Doble featuring Chelsie and Derek, with Mark on guitar.
• From Season 5, Jennifer Lopez performing Do It Well.  BOOTSSESS!
• From Season 7, Mylie Cyrus performing Fly on the Wall.
• From Season 3, Vittorio Grigolo and our pros.  A must watch!
• From Season 10, Macy's Stars of Dance, choreographed by Travis Wall, featuring the principal ballerina from NYC Ballet and Danny Tidwell.  You can see Travis in there too, if you look quick.  The music is from Tiler Peck and Nuttin' But Stringz.
• From Season 7, Macy's Design A Dance, featuring the incredible Emmy nominated Jive choreographed and danced by Derek and Julianne Hough.
• From Season 11, a music and dance duel between Mark and Val.
• From Season 6, Usher, with his dancers and our pros, in a number crafted specifically for the finale.
• From Season 6, our pros dancing to Let Me Entertain You.
• From Season 12, Chris Brown performing Yeah 3x. 
• From Season 7, the Macy's Stars of Dance performance that took 6 months to put together for Macy's 150th anniversary, Dancing Through the Decades, choreographed by Rich and Tone.

Outstanding!

Now on with the live show!

Judges select the Argentine Tango from Kirstie and Maks as the encore.

First results...Hines and Kym are in the Final Four.  Kirstie and Maks are in the Final Four.

I had so hoped to avoid Dance Center, but no such luck.

Michael Bolton is in the ballroom, performing with Delta Goodrem, accompanied by Dmitry and Anna.

The Tuita Brothers - Hefa, Soa, and Tui-niua -  rock the house with a dancing demonstration, joined by a couple of our pros and a ballroom kid.  The oldest, at 19, is part of Chris Brown's company, and the other two are on their way to making careers in dance.  They lost their father to a stroke not long ago.

Delta Goodrem returns to perform Natural Woman.  Evidently Adele is having a health issue that prevents her from reaching the higher notes in her vocal range, and decided not to perform this particular song.  Delta stepped in at the last minute and did a credible job, considering she only had an hour to learn the song and had never sung it before.  Louis and Cheryl provide the assist.

She may not be able to hit the high notes, but otherwise Adele is terrific performing her latest hit, accompanied by dancers choreographed by Travis Wall.  Travis danced, and I recognized Nick Lazzerini, Season 1 champion of SYTYCD.  I didn't recognize the gals with them.

Final results...Chelsea and Mark are in the Final Four.  Ralph and Karina are in the Final Four.

That means Romeo and Chelsie are out.


Somebody had to go.  And three more couples are going to fall short of that Fabrulous Mirror Ball Trophy.

There can be only one!



Tune in next week when our Final Four will perform three dances each for a shot at one of the spots on the finale!