Who went home on ‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro’? Week 2 elimination ends another dancer's journey
‘Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro’ Episode 2 featured 10 contestants taking the stage. The episode was titled 'Stories Without Words: Storytelling With Brandon Armstrong,' and the iconic dancer served as the guest judge. He shared his experiences with the dancers and showcased his routine. His performance was inspired by incidents from his life, including being adopted into a white family. “I wanted to share that story and the peaks and valleys that it has, but most importantly, I really wanted to share how I view adoption, as something that’s extremely positive to me,” he shared. As for the dancers, they were split into teams of two and were tasked with telling a story from their lives through dance.
The teams in Episode 2 were: Erik Linder - Natalie, Benji Castro - Nina Mayster, Tristen - Stephani Sosa, AJ Pritchard - Selena, and Allen Genkin - Adele. Erik and Natalie’s Viennese Waltz became one of the standout routines of the night. However, Benji and Nina’s Rumba routine seemed “disjointed” to Brandon. Shirley also commented on Benji’s backflips and noted that they didn’t belong in Rumba. Another pair, Tristen and Stephani, also performed the same dance style and received appreciation from the judges.
AJ and Selena chose Jive, but while their routine didn’t impress Shirley, their partnering skills were praised by the judges. Mark noted that it was "technically great” but missed something special. Another pair, Adele and Allen, chose Rumba. The two got emotional as their routine ended, and so did Brandon and Shirley. The guest judge shared that he would think about their dance for as long as he lived. Mark noted that he would be honored to share the dance floor with either of them in the main show. As for Shirley, she noted that it was “one of the most beautiful things (she’d) ever witnessed.”
After all the pairs delivered their performances, it was time for another elimination. Nina and Benji were revealed as the two dancers in danger. After a discussion among the judges, Shirley announced that Benji would be going home. While leaving the dance competition, Benji said, “Looking back on my journey, I'm most proud that I was able to represent the entire Latino community, and that I stayed genuine and true to myself. I always put my best forward, so I truly believe no matter who I was partnered with, I think it was my time."
