Who went home on ‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro’? Week 5 sends yet another favorite home
‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro’ Week 5 featured the remaining six contestants taking the stage. The episode welcomed guest judge Daniella Karagach, a former ‘DWTS’ pro. The contestants were tasked with creating a contemporary routine featuring a “wow” moment with their partner, similar to what Daniella did with Dylan Efron on ‘DWTS’ Season 34. She also showcased the iconic dance moves she was referring to and then announced the challenge: “That opening number you just saw included three moves from Dancing with the Stars that went viral and were copied by millions of people around the world. Those moves included Val’s iconic knee walk, Witney’s leg lift, and my airwalk.” She added, “For your challenge, you need to create a dance that includes one of these moves and at least one of your own unique wow moves, all while dancing a contemporary style.”
The male contestants had the opportunity to choose their respective dance partners. Allen chose Adele, and AJ and Erik both chose Selena, as she had prior experience with contemporary. Selena chose to take the stage with Erik, after their previous week’s Argentine tango received praise from the judges. As a result, AJ was paired with Nina. Nina and AJ were the first pair to showcase their routine, and the guest judge noted that the duo understood the assignment. Mark said it was a great performance, and Shirley agreed. She noted that the dance had a few wow moments.
The next pair was Adele and Allen, and while Mark appreciated their chemistry, Shirley added that Adele was one of the best female dancers she had ever seen. “You are beyond a diamond for me. I think you are one of the best female dancers I’ve seen in 66 countries of Dancing with the Stars or Strictly Come Dancing, and you know I am not a very praiseworthy person really. But you darling are the real deal,” stated Shirley. Daniella also praised the performance.
The third performance was by Selena and Erik, who also performed a contemporary routine. Mark mentioned that he loved that both of them did the knee walk, but Shirley said she expected more from Selena. Further in the episode, the judges, along with the guest judge, noted that while all the contestants performed well, they had to make a hard decision. Shirley revealed that because Selena and Erik failed to deliver a “wow” moment in their dance, the two were in danger. Later, Erik saw his journey come to an end as he was eliminated from the show. After the elimination, the remaining contestants are: Adele, AJ, Allen, Selena, and Nina.