Warning: This article contains spoilers for โDancing With the Stars: The Next Proโ Episode 4
Fans are just a few weeks away from finding out which new pro will be competing on Season 35 of โDancing With the Stars,โ airing this fall, after the latest round of emotional eliminations on the spinoff series.
The relief the โDancing With the Stars: The Next Proโ contestants felt last week after learning there wouldnโt be an elimination was short-lived when they were told in Episode 4, which aired Aug. 3, that two of them would be going home.
โDWTSโ pro Jenna Johnson arrived to inform the remaining eight dancers that for their next challenge they had to master a key element every performance needs: chemistry. She, along with judges Shirley and Mark Ballas, asked the contestants to pair up and create a steamy routine that showcased a genuine connection with their partner.
Johnson noted that even if the contestants donโt feel passion with their partner, they should make the audience believe in the romance and the story. The duo who werenโt as convincing, would be sent home.
Who survived and made it to the top six? Read a recap of โDWTS: The Next Proโ Episode 4, below.
What Happened During Episode 4 of โDWTS: The Next Proโ
Jennaโs grand entrance onto the ballroom floor featured a โspicyโ routine with a man who wasnโt her husband and fellow pro Val Chmerkovskiy, as host Robert Irwin pointed out before the challenge was explained.
โWhen two people dance together, chemistry is critical,โ Jenna told the contestants. She challenged them to โbuild a performance so intimate it will send pulses racing.โ
Shirley informed the dancers that they would either perform the rumba or the Argentine tango. The contestants were given two days to craft their routines.
To determine the pairs, Jenna had all the contestants dance with each other in โโThe Next Proโ version of speed dating.โ Then, it was time to select partners. The ladies were asked to choose first. As Nina Mayster and Stephani Sosa both picked Allen Genkin, he had the final say.
The four pairs wereโฆ
- Allen Genkin and Nina Mayster
- Adele Zaikman and AJ Pritchard
- Stephani Sosa and Tristan Sanders
- Selena Hamilton and Erik Linder
Tristan, who wasnโt initially chosen by any of the ladies, looked visibly affected by not being Stephaniโs first choice. He said in his confessional interview that he thought they were โcloseโ and he was surprised by her decision. She explained that she had already danced with Tristan during the competition and wanted to switch it up.
Tristan and Stephani and AJ and Adele randomly chose rumba for their dance. Allen and Nina and Stephani and Tristan selected Argentine tango.
In addition to rehearsals, the duos were told they would get to spend time together outside of the studio. Jenna also revealed one couple would go home in a double elimination.
On their days out together, each contestant opened up about how they fell in love with dance and how much the competition means to them.
On performance day, AJ and Adele were the first couple to dance. Shirley called Adele a โsuperstarโ after the performance but said AJ was too โformed.โ Jenna applauded the couple for listening to the feedback she gave them in rehearsals. Mark was more critical, saying the beginning was โbumpyโ for him.
Up next were Selena and Erik with their Argentine tango. After they hit their final pose, Jenna let out an excited scream and Shirley said she needed a fan. โI am speechless!โ Jenna told the two. โErik, who are you?โ she asked.
He replied, โIโm him.โ
Jenna applauded both of them and said she would like to dance with Erik in the future. Mark added that Selena redeemed herself from her bottom two performance last episode. He also said Erik was turning the competition into a โfist fightโ with his powerful dancing. Shirley was equally complimentary, giving the two a standing ovation.
Tristan and Stephani followed with their rumba. For his feedback, Mark began with the positives, noting that the two interpreted the lyrics of Sombrโs โBack to Friendsโ well. But he said the routine needed more โstillness.โ His mom agreed, criticizing them for having โenough choreography for two rumbas.โ While Jenna praised Stephani for being a โgorgeousโ dancer, she told her there was a โfireโ missing, causing the contestant to become emotional. Jenna assured Stephani that she is capable and just needs to own her confidence.
Rounding out the dances this week were Allen and Nina with their Argentine tango. Jenna said she was โcaptivatedโ by Ninaโs moves and her chemistry with Allen. Shirley said she was โconfusedโ because she spotted tango, rumba and samba steps but the routine lacked traditional Argentine tango content. Although Mark agreed that the routine needed more Argentine tango, he said the performance was Ninaโs best dance so far.
Who Were the Bottom 2 Couples?
The two couples that failed to exude enough chemistry were Tristan and Stephani and Allen and Nina.
Mark said Tristan and Stephani were โin and out of the chemistry of the danceโ and that some moments felt โfrantic.โ While announcing that Allen and Nina were also in the bottom, Shirley emphasized that the next pro โneeds to understand the brief.โ
Who Was Eliminated in Episode 4 of โDWTS: The Next Proโ?
Before revealing the eliminated couple, Jenna said she was impressed by all the couples and was heartbroken that two dancers had to leave. Shirley called out Allen and Nina for bending the rules too far with their routine. She said based on their performance she was unsure if they would be able to teach a proper Argentine tango. Mark echoed Jennaโs feedback that all the performances were well done. But he said they had reached the halfway point of the competition and that the critiques would be harder.
Shirley revealed that Tristan and Stephani had danced for the last time on the show.
Tristan and Stephani said they were proud of each other and had an emotional goodbye. In her final confessional, Stephani shared that she thought her journey was โcut too shortโ but that she needed to let go of the โDWTSโ chapter of her life. She added that she would never get in her own way again.
Tristan told Robert that he was honored to be in the company of legends and champions, and that he was grateful for the experience.
What Will Happen Next Week?
Just six dancers are left. The next episode of โDWTS: The Next Proโ will air Monday, Aug. 10.
In the upcoming episode, guest judge and โDWTSโ champion Daniella Karagach will stop by to challenge the remaining contestants to create โtheir own unique, wow moves.โ The teaser hinted that the pressure might get to a few dancers as they face another elimination.