โDancing With the Starsโ fans are just one episode away from learning which new pro is joining Season 35 this fall.
At the end of the latest episode of the summer spinoff series, โDancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,โ the three finalists were revealed. Judges Mark and Shirley Ballas, as well as guest judge and former pro Kym Johnson, announced the top three after the seasonโs most shocking elimination.
Episode 7 began with the remaining dancers โ Adele Zaikman, AJ Pritchard, Allen Genkin and Selena Hamilton โ learning that for the semifinals they would have to choreograph and perform two routines that wowed the judges, just like the pros are asked to do on โDWTS.โ
โYouโve all proved youโre great dancers, but now we need to dig deep. To decide whether you have the choreography, the teaching skills and the personality,โ Shirley explained.
For their first dance, the contestants were paired with four current pros on the show, creating the following duos:
- Adele and Gleb Savchenko dancing the samba
- AJ and Rylee Arnold dancing the cha cha
- Allen and Witney Carson dancing the jive
- Serena and Jan Ravnik dancing the salsa
Then, the contestants teamed up with each other for their second dances of the night.
With the best dancers left in the competition, the margin for error was slim. See who impressed the judges enough to earn a spot in the finale.
What Happened During the โDWTS: The Next Proโ Semifinals?
The first couple to dance was Allen and Witney. Before the performance, Witney mentioned in her feedback during rehearsals that Allen needed to work on his confidence. While he seemed to be the ideal leading man as they danced together, Shirley had some criticisms. She said the two were excellent when they were side by side, but she said Allenโs choreography didnโt highlight enough โwow momentsโ for Witney. Kym agreed with the critique, although she said the routine included many classic jive moves. Mark disagreed, however, and said it was his favorite jive of the season and he was bouncing in his seat the entire time.
Selena and Jan, who both have backgrounds as commercial dancers, were up next with their steamy salsa. Mark said Selena โnailed the briefโ and he could see her routine being performed on โLatin Nightโ on โDWTS.โ Kym called Selena a โstarโ and applauded her โcleverโ choreography. Shirley continued to praise her, pointing out Selenaโs impressive balance and her chemistry with Jan.
Ahead of taking the dance floor, Adele revealed she was panicking a little and worried she wouldnโt be able to keep up with Gleb. But as soon as the music started, those fears seemed to dissipate. Kym said Adele was a great teacher and that her routine could appear on โDWTS.โ Mark compared her fierce dancing to the movements of a โhooded cobraโ ready to strike at any moment. Shirley called Adele and Gleb a โpower couple,โ but reminded Adele that she needs to include more โwow momentsโ that play to the cameras.
AJ, who has repeatedly shared in past episodes how long he has wanted to be a pro, had an intense rehearsal with Rylee. She expressed concerns about how his teaching style would work with a celebrity on โDWTS.โ However, the two earned positive comments from the judges. Shirley said AJ went outside of his comfort zone and showcased Rylee well. Kym said AJ and Ryleeโs personalities shined in the dance. But Mark, again, had a slightly different opinion. He said he wanted more โsoul and funk and gritโ in the routine.
For the second half of the episode, Adele was partnered with AJ for a foxtrot, and Selena and Allen were given the quickstep.
Close friends Allen and Selena danced together first. After the performance, Shirley said โthe hardest thing to teach is a personality, and you both shine like bright lights when it comes to that.โ Kym said she was most impressed by their creativity and musicality. Mark said the routine had โintentionโ and he enjoyed how much charisma they exuded.
The final dance of the night was performed by AJ and Adele. Even host Robert Irwin had to compliment the cool routine. Mark said the performance was โgorgeous.โ Kym mentioned the chemistry between AJ and Adele and said the dance was โperfection.โ Shirley, who constantly gave AJ tough criticism at the start of the competition, called him a โstar.โ As for Adele, Shirley said she is โthe new generation for โDancing With the Stars.โโ
Who Was Eliminated on Episode 7, the Semifinals, of โDWTS: The Next Proโ?
Shirley gave each contestant a compliment before sharing how difficult it was to eliminate one person.
Since there were only four dancers, Shirley opted to just announce the name of the person going home instead of revealing a bottom two.
Shirley said there was one dancer who โever-so-slightly underperformed.โ She announced that Allen had danced for the last time on the show.
Allen said in his last confessional that he was โsad and devastatedโ to be going home. He added he had a great time and that he hoped he made his late mother proud. Robert told Allen that he connected with Allenโs story and passion. In his final words, Allen said he hoped his time on the show inspired viewers to pursue their dreams.
What Will Happen in the Finale?
Next week, โDWTS: The Next Proโ comes to an end with an epic finale airing on Monday, Aug. 31.
The teaser showed Mark and Shirley dancing together and a live audience joining the ballroom. Plus, each finalist will be paired with three โDWTSโ alums: Adam Rippon, Nฤv Schulman and Charli DโAmelio.
Who will win and appear on โDWTSโ Season 35? Tune in to find out.