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'Dancing With the Stars' brings Latin rhythms to the ballroom — and a surprise twist to the semifinals

The ballroom was red hot on Tuesday night’s semifinals of Dancing With the Stars as the five remaining couples delivered two standout performances: a ballroom routine and a technical Latin dance.

Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson started the night on a high note, earning a perfect score for their foxtrot to “I Won’t Dance” by Erin Boheme featuring District 78.

The routine brought Graziadei to tears and prompted judge Derek Hough to call it “the best foxtrot I’ve ever seen.” They followed it up with a powerful paso doble to John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “Come Together,” continuing their momentum..

Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong wowed the judges with their salsa to Jason Derulo and Michael Bublé’s “Spicy Margarita,” but a minor mistake in their foxtrot to Hozier’s “Too Sweet” dimmed their evening.

Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten brought the drama with their paso doble to Sam Smith and Kim Petras’s “Unholy.” They shifted gears with a graceful Viennese waltz to JVKE’s “Golden Hour,” earning praise from the judges for their versatility.

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten showcase their Latin dance skills as they fight for a spot in the finale. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

Maher was visibly moved when Inaba encouraged her, saying, “Never doubt your right to be here in the semifinals.”

Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson impressed with their Viennese waltz to John Mayer’s “Gravity,” drawing praise from co-host Julianne Hough for Amendola’s storytelling.

“It’s new to me, but [dance] is an amazing quest for artistry,” Amendola said before he and Carson’s salsa to Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin’s “I Like It.”

Cohost Julianne Hough speaks to Danny Amendola and Witney Carson after their salsa performance. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold delivered a tango to the Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition,” but technical missteps left the judges underwhelmed. Their cha-cha to “Bailar” by Deorro featuring Elvis Crespo brought more energy, but it wasn’t enough to fully redeem their performance, leaving them with the night's lowest scores.

In a surprising twist, the judges chose not to eliminate anyone. Instead, their scores will get rolled over into next week’s three-hour season finale, where one couple wins the mirrorball trophy.

The rich, complicated history of Latin dance

Choreographer Lyrik Cruz, best known for his work on iCarly, Ugly Betty and Jane the Virgin, spoke to Yahoo Entertainment about the deep connection between Latin dance and cultural storytelling — a connection he believes Hollywood often overlooks.

“Latinos often don’t get recognized for their contribution to hip-hop music [or] even the house music explosion,” Cruz said. The lack of recognition, he explained, is why authentic Latin dance strives to “educate audiences about culture and history.”

Cruz described Latin dance as a “celebration of bodies” and “creating a fantasy.” As for technique, he said dancers should prioritize the “quality of their movements, as opposed to making everything so sexualized.”

Los Angeles-based dancer and choreographer Tracy Silver told Yahoo that while Latin dance has “been appropriated for a long time” in its portrayals on TV and film, its vast contributions to pop culture are undeniable.

Pointing to examples like West Side Story and Saturday Night Fever, which blended Latin dance with contemporary and disco styles, Silver said Latin dance is “more about rhythm than it is about form.”

Chandler Kinney and her partner Brandon Armstrong blew the judges away with their salsa to

Building on the idea of cultural storytelling, Cruz highlighted the emphasis Latin dances pay to women, a tradition he traces back to Indigenous communities like “the Aztec and Taino cultures.”

“In Latin culture, we've always honored the women: our mothers, our grandmothers,” Cruz explained. “Women have always been the queen of the dance,” he added. “That concept, for those who are choreographers, is still the same.”

The season finale of Dancing With the Stars airs Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

How did the stars perform?

Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli

Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong: Safe

Ballroom dance: Foxtrot
Ballroom Song: “Too Sweet” by Hozier
Ballroom Score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 10
Latin dance: Salsa
Latin dance song: “Spicy Margarita” by Jason Derulo and Michael Bublé
Latin score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10
Total: 58

Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson: Safe

Ballroom dance: Foxtrot
Ballroom Song: “I Won’t Dance” by Erin Boheme featuring District 78
Ballroom Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10
Latin dance: Paso Doble
Latin dance song: “Come Together” by Lennon & McCartney.
Latin score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 9
Total: 58

Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten: Safe

Ballroom dance: Viennese Waltz
Ballroom Song: “Golden Hour” by JVKE
Ballroom Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10
Latin dance: Paso Doble
Latin dance song: “Unholy (Orchestral Version)” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras.
Latin score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 9
Total: 57