(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you haven’t watched Monday’s episode of “Dancing With the Stars”)
It is down to the wire on “Dancing With the Stars” after last week’s double elimination left only three contestants left on Redemption Night Monday.
To add to the drama, one of them is battling an injury. “Good Morning America” meteorologist Ginger Zee tweaked her pelvis earlier in the week during rehearsals, prompting fears that she wouldn’t be able to compete entering the two-part finale of the ABC reality contest.
She fought through the pain, however, to perform an emotional dance medley with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, which Len Goodman praised for being “fluid,” and Carrie Ann Inaba said: “There was a resistance, refinery that I haven’t seen … and power, I loved it.”
Next up, Nyle DiMarco’s Quickstep was described by Bruno Tonioli as “like an exhilarating ride on the pony express. Quickstepping to the wild, wild west!”
The fabulous performance fueled feelings that the former “America’s Next Top Model” contestant is the one to beat for the Season 22 Mirror Ball.
UFC fighter Paige VanZant entered the week on a very high note yet again with a sizzling Salsa that literally set the competition on fire.
But sadly, it was lacking in “hip action” for Goodman, which sparked boos from the audience, however Tonioli said the dance was “bursting with sex appeal.”
After Ginger Zee was obviously flinching from back spasms during her second dance of the night, Goodman tapped into some classic British slang for encouragement, telling her: “pain is temporary, glory is everything — come back tomorrow night and give it plenty of welly!”
Next it was Tonioli who was brought to tears by Nyle’s freestyle dance, saying “that was beyond dancing it was a work of art,” and Inaba claimed it was the “best dance she had seen all season.” The performance brought out strong emotions all around — and a perfect score for DiMarco.
VanZant really go “over the rainbow” for her final dance to the Judy Garland classic, to nail yet about score of straight 10s.
The two-hour Season 22 finale of “Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on ABC.
See video of Ginger and Val dance below.