Well, they're heading home. Here's a video retrospective of Marissa and Tony's partnership this season. It's sweet, they were very supportive of each other and really built a strong relationship. Tony's very proud of Marissa's accomplishments and she says she's never felt more sexy.
Marissa urges everyone to "Go out and do something fun! Go out and do something that makes you feel sexy and shake what your mama gave ya!"
9:59 PM
The next couple advancing to the finals is...
Jason and Edyta!
And now, the couple with the lowest combined total is being eliminated. That couple is...
Marissa and Tony. They're heading home this week, which means that Cristian and Cheryl are dancing in the finals.
9:52 PM
Here we go, the first couple dancing for the shiny disco ball next week in the finals is...
Kristi and Mark! The Guchi reaches the Finals and skates ever closer to her destiny!
9:50 PM
Here's a hilariously butch video where the four finalists dish on the competition and pose in a moodily lit empty meatpacking plant. "That trophy is mine!" Macho!
9:42 PM
In the 13 & Under category, Brandon and Brittany dance the paso doble to "The Phantom of the Opera" theme. They're amazing. They have the most spectacular finishing move, I don't even know what that was! That was paso doble kung fu! Unbelievable.
Bruno thought it was incredible, Carrie Ann thought their dance had unbelievable grace and technique, and Len is clearly on board with these two. "The other two were cute, but you're the real deal!" Len says, and he means it.
I have to agree, they were as good as any of the adult couples.
9:37 pm
In the 10 & Under category, here's Jaryd and Cara's samba. Very perky and entertaining, these guys are super tight.
What did the judges think? We have to wait for Carrie Ann's praise because Cara is writing Tom an autograph. Len thought they were fantastic and Bruno screamed, "COMPLETELY ADORABLE!!!"
9:30 PM
OK, what do you guys think of Samantha's dress tonight? It's a sleeveless deep satin red dress with a rose motiff corset. I think she looks fabulous, but I'm not crazy about her blingy gold necklace. Overall, though I give her outfit a thumbs up!
It may seem like I nitpick Samantha's wardrobe needlessly, I should go on record as saying that I do think that Samantha is very pretty, even if I'm not crazy about what she's wearing.
9:28 PM
Here's the Macy's Stars of Dance performance - this week a tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller album. An army of dancers supports Omarian through a medley of songs off the album, climaxing in the song "Thriller" itself. I'm a big fan of this album, so I hereby approve.
Oooh, tricky - all the dancers vanished offstage at the end of "Thriller."
9:17 PM
Competing in the 9 & Under category are Aaron and Rashell with a micro cha-cha-cha. We've seen them before, they're awesome. Wow, they're good - very fast yet controlled.
Len thought it was sharp and crisp and says "your little bums were flying everywhere." Bruno is ecstatic, rapturous even. Carrie Ann thought they looked like little munchkins and praised their energy and attack!
9:14 PM
Marissa and Tony are in fourth place, Jason and Edyta are in third place, Cristian and Cheryl are in 2nd, and The Guchi and Mark Ballas lead the pack.
Len's choice for encore dance is Kristi and Mark's dramatic, swaying and spinning tango. They did it just as well as they did last night.
9:05 PM
Here's the recap from last night's semi-finals slugfest. Cristian is just happy his samba didn't end in the E.R. like last time. We get a replay of Brtuno and Len yelling at each other. Marissa hopes to be around next week, "and if not we're going to be in the audience." I think she's seeing the future...
9:01 PM
OK, who is going home this week and who is making it to the finals? Only three couples will survive to dance in the finals. Place your bets...
9:30 PM
OK, Kristi and Mark are back on top. Tune in tomorrow for the Results Show - I'll be there with bells on to see which couple gets eliminated and what three couples go on to the Finals, with the infamous group dance and the freestyle round. Who's gonna make it?
Join me tomorrow and we'll find out.
9:29 PM
Closing out the Latin round, here is the scoring for Kristi and Mark:
Carrie Ann gives a 9, Len gives a 9, and Bruno gives a ten with fist-pump action.
9:28 PM
The last time they did this dance they got a perfect 30. Can they repeat? Probably.
Dynamic start, with Mark sliding between her legs. They're going for a technically demanding, high energy jive. Tons of side-by-side in sync dancing. Lots of leg pumping. Kristi has a huge piece of hair stuck in her mouth, but she's not brushing it off. Mark's busting out the facial expressions. The hair is still there... Fantastic dance, that looked really really hard.
Bruno says "for me this is the cherry on the top of the icing on the cake of a sweet delicious jive!" I think he liked it. Carrie Ann admires Mark's ambitious and difficult choreography, but thought they were a hair out of sync. Len praises the dance but nitpicks a little.
9:18 PM
Here's the score - 29 out of 30! Carrie Ann gives a 10, Len gives a 9, and Bruno gives a 10. Fantastic.
Does that put them in the lead? I think so.
9:17 PM
This is the samba, the dance that Cristian was injured on. Will the samba defeat him once again?
Their costumes are better this time out - matching black and blue. They're off to a perky, upbeat samba. Lots of spins, nice footwork. Ooh, cool dip. Some cheeky butt shaking and a great finish up on the stage. Awesome.
Len thought it was "hotter than a chili pepper" which is good. Bruno loved it, and Carrie Ann thought it was fantastic.
9:11 PM
I'm weirdly nervous for Marissa.
Carrie Ann gives an 8, but Len disagrees and gives a 9, and Bruno gives a 9. They're still totally stoked and happy.
9:08 PM
Dancing to "Just the Two Of Us," Marissa and Tony are doing a smoky, romantic late night dance. I like it , they're going for a mood and are doing a great job. Very theatrical.
Woops, Marissa gets tangled on Tony's sequins for a minute there after the dance. Ah, the hazards of fancy trim.
Carrie Ann wasn't blown away - not exciting enough for her. Len says that her technique was awesome. Bruno describes it as "Sexy in the City!!!" Oooh, Carrie Ann dissents from the guys, accusing them of judging Marissa by a different standard than the others. Len responds by saying the rumba doesn't have the "'wow factor" of more up-tempo dances and that technique is key to a succesful rumba. The scores should abe interesting for this one.
9:02 PM
Straight nines from the judges - not enough to reach first place, but respectable.
9:00 PM
Jason looks cool, like a matador. Edyta has a gypsy/belly dancer outfit that is um, abbreviated.
Strong start, Edyta rises from a languid pose on the stage and they hit the floor. They're in perfect sync, lots of tight poses, very dynamic and agressive. They end with Jason sliding Edyta across ten yards of floor and finishing in the classic paso doble pose. Nice.
Bruno compares Jason to Iron Man, Carrie Ann loved it, and Len praises Jason's "attack." Len says, "You're like the price of gas, you're going up!"
8:54 PM
This week Len shows us what he's made of as he takes the contestants to school by teaching them new moves that they must incorporate into their Latin dances this week.
Len pops up at the stars' rehearsals and shows them moves like the Arkansas Pull Through and "Hip Hip Hooray." We'll see how well they work Len's moves into their routines.
See? Len really does have mad skillz.
8:48 pm
You know what I noticed in their tango? Mark wasn't doing the O face during the dance - he was so into character that he just had this smoldering look on his face.
Did the judges' scores match their effusive praise? Carrie Ann gave them a 10, Len only awards a 9, and Bruno pumps his fist in the air and screams "TEN!"
At the end of the Ballroom Round, Kristi is in the lead, Jason is 2nd, Cristian is 3rd, and Marissa is in last place.
8:45 PM
I think Samantha looks very pretty tonight. I like her hair-do, it frames her face nicely. The cut of her strapless charcoal dress is attractive, but I can't figure out what the fabric is. It looks like panels of velvet or something. Yourt thoughts?
8:42 PM
They're off to a super-precise in synch tango with explosive moves. They look great together, they have these sensual lulls where they cling to each other punctuated by powerful motions. They end sliding across the floor in a beautiful ending. The audience loved it.
Len thought it was a little hectic, and Bruno is outraged! Aghast, even! He's on his feet, SCREAMING about how much she loved it. Carrie Ann almost has her dress pop off as she spring to her feet and proclaims Kristi the Queen of the Dance Floor.
8:35 PM
Man, what is up with Cheryl's dress, anyway? It's this silver backless thing that wraps around her and is topped with frilly stuff that looks like the bows and ribbons on a wedding present.
OK, Cristian and Cheryl get straight nines, for a total of 27 out of 30. That seems about right.
8:31 PM
OK, their Viennese waltz is off to a good start, nice and smooth. They're dancing to Dave Matthews' "Sattelite," which seems like an odd choice but they're making it work. He's still dancing with his hurt arm tucked behind his back. Still, it looks more like a stylistic choice rather than a disadvantage. Oooh, nice floor drag - Cheryl goes up on her toes and he drags her back across the floor. That was cool. They did great.
Carrie Ann thought the movement was great and their "rotation" was good. Len agrees, and Bruno thinks it was fantastic as well.
8:22 PM
Here are the scores...
Carrie Ann gives a 9, that's good. Len gives a 9. Bruno is stingy with the points and gives out a meager 8. Marissa and Tony are happy with their score, though. Those kids are upbeat, aren't they?
8:20 PM
Here's Marissa and Tony's foxtrot. She's wearing a grape colored dress that I'm not crazy about, but that's me being petty. They're off to a good star, smooth yet lively like a nice wine. It's a very swingin' number they're dancing to. Woah, she does a pirouette, very cool. They end with some between the legs action - that sounded wrong but you know what I mean.
Bruno takes her for task for a missed jetee, Carrie Ann gives moderately positive, and Len praises Marissa for taking on such difficult choreography.
8:12 PM
They're going to get tens, I know it.
Carrie Ann gives a 9, Len gives a 10, and Bruno gives a 9, for a 28 out of 30.
That's a good score, but I expected higher. I thought they were brilliant. Oh well, there's still the Latin round.
8:10 PM
Inspired by an Obi-Wan Kenobi appearance by Dan Marino, who told him not to come home without the Mirror Ball, here's Jason's foxtrot.
They're very elegant, gliding around the floor with excellent form. Edyta's busting some super high kicks. This dance has a lot of character, it's very cute. Great extensions, fantastic poses. What a great job.
How'd they do with the judges. Len loved it, the whole thing. He's going to give them a 10. Bruno loved Edyta's beautiful arabesque and gushed over it as well. Carrie Ann praises their technique and charisma.
8:04 PM
Let's see what everyone's wearing...
All the guys are in slick tailored suits, lots of pinstripes going on. Kristi Yamaguchi looks hot in her low cut sparkly pink dress. Edyta looks very classy in a powder blue flowy dress. The crowd is not settling down - stop clapping people.
Len says lifts are illegal tonight? Did I hear that right? He expects not just good dancing, but excellent dancing. Me too, Len!
8:00 PM
Tonight we sashay a few steps closer to the Dancing with the Stars championship, for the semi-finals are upon us. Only four couples remain:
Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani - The long shot and fan favorite, Marissa has come this far on determination and charm. But will she last?
Cristian de la Fuente and Cheryl Burke - Last week we were impressed by how they worked around Cristian's injury, but will they be able to keep it up in the gruelling semi-finals? I don't know, I'm just being rhetorical over here.
Jason Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska - The Guchi's nemesis, NFL Man o' the Year Jason Taylor has become a real threat. Odds are he'll make it to the final round.
Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas - Previously thought to be unstoppable, the judges are scoring them lower and the power couple have been knocked from the top spot several times. Will they reassert their supremacy in the semi-finals? Will Mark Ballas make awesome facial expressions when he dances? The answer to both is "yes."
Here we go, let's do the semi-finals!
10:03 PM
Mario has gracious words for the judges and thanks Len for the criticism, which has helped him improve. He gives a shout-out to the troops overseas, which shows real class.
Mario and Karina dance their last dance to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."
That's too bad, I really enjoyed watching them dance each week.
We'll see you next week for the semi-finals, where our remaining four couples will take this Dance War to the next stage. Hey, in the meantime, stop by and visit me at our blog, "Live From L.A." right here on ABC.com.
9:58 PM
Mario and Karina look like they're bracing themselves for bad news. Cristian and Cheryl look nervous. Jason and Edyta look calm.
The next couple dancing in the semi-finals are... Cristian de la Fuente and Cheryl Burke! Yay! Good for them.
What's the verdict?
Mario and Karina are being eliminated! They're heading home tonight, after a stop at Jimmy Kimmel's pad.
9:51 PM
Marissa and Tony have made it to the semi-finals! I'm actually surprised - they must have raked in the votes. She's so excited she just went hyper sonic again!
Kristi and Mark are also proceeding on to next week's semi-finals. I think we all expected that, but it's good news regardless.
9:40 PM
Mel B. (aka Scary Spice) and Maxim Chmerkovskiy dancing to "Life is a Highway." I know this song; I guess I have heard Rascal Flatts before.
Anyway, Mel and Maxim are tearing things up out on the floor - she looks great in her abbreviated sparkly spangled mini-dress with fringes. They're pulling off some daring moves - that split drag-across the floor move was something else.
Next: the eliminations begin!
9:32 PM
Here's Mario and a bunch of leotard-wearing dancers from A Chorus Line. They're great - Mario looks like he's holding his own. They segue into the classic number from A Chorus Line, "One," and form up for the archetypal chorus line. Great job, Mario Lopez is like, a professional dancer and everything!
9:27 PM
Tom is so smooth with the interviews, the guy is quick on his feet. He's going down the line and interviewing Dancing alumni. He's chatting with Joey Fatone, Kenny Mayne (who plugs his book), Vivica A Fox, Jerry Springer, Stacy Kiebler, and Lisa Rinna. Lots of kidding around, lots of Bergeron off-the-cuff humor.
9:20 PM
Here are Rascal Flatts with a romantic country number. I'm not familiar with the band, so I was a little surprised that they weren't all Muppets. What? Rascal Flatts - they sound like they should be cute little hillbilly Muppets. I'm going to get angry comments for that, I just know it.
Apollo and Julianne are showing why they were the champions with a beautiful yet flashy dance. Plenty of lifts, lots of spins, and a real romantic vibe. Plus, that spinning death spiral was awesome.
9:13 PM
Usually the strapless dresses don't do anything for me, but I think Samantha looks great tonight in her black dress. I love her hair. Those earrings look like they weigh seven pounds, though. What do you guys think?
9:09 PM
Here's the blow-by-blow from last night.
We get to hear Len call Mario's feet "bloody big ugly ones." Ouch!
Jason's samba underwhelmed the judges, but he still had a good attitude. You gotta love that guy's spirit.
We also get to see Cristian and Cheryl triumph and rise from the ashes of adversity with their best scores ever - all with one injured arm.
9:00 PM
Here we go, now we're live for the 100th episode extravaganza.
Kicking things off in style with a big floor-filling pro dance. All the women look very shiny and sparkly, "LIKE BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN BIRDS!" as Bruno would say. That was pretty excellent.
8:57 PM
OK, let's see what dance the judges liked the best out of the past five seasons:
Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff's tango from season 3. They're dancing to "Whatever Lola Wants," which is a great choice. They're perfectly in sync, great footwork and hip action. They clearly have a lot of chemistry, duh. They redeemed themselves from a previous low-scoring tango earlier in the season.
Bruno says, "That was gutsy, intense - all gift wrapped with beautiful technique!"
8:48 PM
Mel B and Maxim's paso doble comes in at number two. I hereby approve of and endorse Mel B's outfit. Excellent paso doble -very dramatic and sweeping, loads of attitude. Loved it.
Bruno screams, "THAT WAS AN ADRENALINE CHARGE! DOMINATRIX!!! My jaw was on THE DESK!!!"
8:44 PM
Stacy Kiebler's sexy samba with Tony Dovolani is next. Jeez, she really does have long, shapely legs. It's kind of distracting, having a hard time paying attention to the dance moves over here...
Bruno yells, "Behold the awesome power of the weapon of mass seduction!"
8:35 PM
Here's the fourth greatest dance in the judges' eyes - Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke's country freestyle.
Lots of leaps, lifts, and heel-slapping - what a fun bit of choreography. That looked like a workout for Drew. Standing O.
Bruno says, "Drew, you're ready for the lead in Brokeback Mountain: The Musical!"
8:27 PM
Here's a bouncy, banana colered quick step from Helio and Julianne Hough. I loved that ending where he plants a kiss on her and drops her (safely) to the floor.
Bruno's take on it: "That was an EXPLOSIVE lift-off for Helio!"
8:24 PM
Next up, Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson's jive. Holy cats, he's like a hyperactive little monkey in a sweater vest! That was incredible, very precise and controlled, but flirting on the edge of being out of control.
Bruno's quote: "That was a smashing showcase of talent!"
8:17 PM
Here's Apolo Ono and Julianne Hough's quick step, the next judges' selection. You can see why they won, their footwork is incredible, totally in sync. That was flat-out awesome.
Bruno's words of wisdom: "The Apolo Express is OFF on a magic ride, and you've taken America with you!"
