02:21 PM EDT 05/22/2013
Len Goodman
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Dancing with the Stars: Which Couple Deserved to Win?
Originally posted 05/21/2013 07:15PM
The final four Dancing with the Stars contestants – Jacoby Jones, Kellie Pickler, Alexandra Raisman and Zendaya – and their pro partners have overcome injuries and potential eliminations to make it all the way to the season 16 finale. But only one couple can take home the tantalizingly close mirror-ball trophy.
Pickler's strong performances throughout the season were magnified Monday night, when she and Derek Hough earned a perfect 30 score for a freestyle dance judge Carrie Ann Inaba called "one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen." Pickler later admitted "I let all of my walls down" for the fearless show-stopper.
NFL player Jones and pro partner Karina Smirnoff did not have the most stellar performances, getting flak from the judges for an imperfect jive, and later for a super-sized freestyle dance. But Inaba nevertheless dubbed the wide receiver the "number one entertainer of season 16," in the semifinals the previous week.
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Dancing with the Stars: Final Four Compete for Mirror-Ball Trophy
Originally posted 05/20/2013 10:30PM
The final four couples performed three routines each on Monday's Dancing with the Stars. By the end of the night, one pair were in the lead with a perfect score for all three dances.
However, the episode kicked off with an imperfect – though energetic – jive.
Karina Smirnoff and partner Jacoby Jones – who judge Carrie Ann Inaba previously called "the number one entertainer of season 16" – were told by judge Len Goodman that they showed improvement, but that "you got excited at times and lost it."
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Dancing with the Stars: Alexandra Raisman & Mark Ballas Join 10 Club
Originally posted 04/29/2013 10:30PM
The ballroom heated up on Monday night's Latin-themed Dancing with the Stars.
Seven weeks into the competition, almost all of the remaining couples came up with impressive routines. But it was Alexandra Raisman and Mark Ballas who landed their first 10s of the season, with a salsa that Len Goodman – who gave the pair a nine – called, "tasty and refreshing."
The pair got 10s from the other two judges, which put them at a total of 29 points out of 30. They also received an additional three points for winning a dance-off against Andy Dick and Sharna Burgess.
Raisman and Ballas tied with regular high-scoring duo, Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler, who wowed judges with their samba to Ricky Martin's "Shake Your Bon Bon."
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Dancing with the Stars: Kellie Pickler Is Back on Top
Originally posted 04/22/2013 10:40PM
Stevie Wonder was the guest of honor Monday night on Dancing with the Stars. Between performances by the iconic singer, the eight remaining couples competed with two dances each to his hits.
Once again, Kellie Pickler and Zendaya were atop the leaderboard – and both earned 10s for their respective routines.
Zendaya and Val Chmerkovskiy's cha cha to "Do I Do" was "full of snap, crackle and pop," according to Len Goodman. Carrie Ann Inaba called the routine "perfection in motion." They earned 29 points.
Kellie and Derek Hough's quickstep to "Part-Time Lover" was "the best dance I've seen on season 16," Len said. Carrie Ann added, "Everything about it was perfect except there was some space in your hold." They also earned 29 points.
But Kellie and Derek finished slightly ahead of Zendaya and Val after the second routine, a team dance in which four couples performed at the same time.
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Dancing with the Stars: Andy Dick Stays Put, D.L. Hughley Goes Home
Originally posted 04/16/2013 10:15PM
On Monday's Dancing with the Stars, frontrunner Zendaya earned the first 10s of the season and Karina Smirnoff performed with ex-fiancé Maksim Chmerkovskiy for the first time since their split.
But for Andy Dick and D.L. Hughley the night was a repeat of hearing harsh critiques from the judges.
Dick made a statement with a Zoro-themed entrance during his paso doble with partner Sharna Burgess, but the rest of his dance was panned. Hughley, too, failed to impress the panel with his and Cheryl Burke's tango. Both couples finished the night at the bottom of the leader board with 18 points.
At the end of Tuesday's elimination, Andy and Sharna were declared safe but D.L. and Cheryl were in jeopardy, along with soap star Ingo Rademacher and Kym Johnson and boxer Victor Ortiz and Lindsay Arnold.
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Dancing with the Stars: Who Earned the First 10s of the Season?
Originally posted 04/15/2013 10:00PM
"Our thoughts are with everyone in Boston tonight," host Tom Bergeron said at the start of Monday's Dancing with the Stars. "My heart is with you."
After opening the show with those somber words of support for those affected by the tragedy in Boston, Dancing's hosts, judges, celebrities and professional dancers went ahead with the performance show, which featured Len Goodman's side-by-side challenge.
They remaining couples had to perform routines simultaneously with another pair of professionals – a tough task for all the dancers. But one pair managed to pull off the first 10s of season 16.
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Cheryl Burke Blogs: Dancing with the Stars Judges Are Too Tough on D.L. Hughley
Originally posted 04/08/2013 11:15AM
Cheryl Burke is a two-time Dancing with the Stars champion, winning the coveted mirror-ball trophy with Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith. The 15-season pro will blog for PEOPLE.com while competing on season 16 with her partner, D.L. Hughley.
The last two weeks on Dancing with the Stars have been shocking. Wynonna, who was sent home, has the country fan base. We were just one point ahead of Wynonna, but after the judges' remarks, D.L. and I thought we were leaving the competition. I guess people were really pulling for us.
We try not think about the judges' scores too much. Obviously, there's room for improvement for D.L., but lately, the criticism hasn't been constructive. They've been brutal to him. At the end of the day, we're dancing for our fans and family and for each other. That's all we can really do.
On Monday, Bruno [Tonioli] said D.L. needed a hip replacement, and Len [Goodman] said if D.L.'s a sex machine then he was America's Next Top Model. That was really rough, but then on the next night, Len had a chance to say something more encouraging and he didn't. It was a rough two nights in a row. Len, especially, is a ballroom judge. Give us something we can take back.
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Kellie Pickler Heats Up the Competition on Dancing with the Stars
Originally posted 03/25/2013 10:30PM
It's only the second week of competition but Monday's episode of Dancing with the Stars was tense and emotional. That's because season 16's 12 celebrities are just a day away from the first elimination.
But Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough, the last couple to perform Monday, pulled out all the stops for their contemporary jazz routine, which earned 26 points.
"You are a dancer!" judge Carrie Ann Inaba said. "That was friggin' amazing!"
"Last week was a spark," Len Goodman added. "This week was a fire."
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Len Goodman Marries Longtime Girlfriend
Originally posted 01/01/2013 02:15PM
From the judges' table to the altar!
Len Goodman of Dancing with the Stars tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Sue Barrett on Sunday in London.
The couple exchanged vows during a surprise ceremony in front of 30 family members and friends.
Goodman, 68, and Barrett, 47, have been together for more than 10 years.
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Dancing with the Stars: Who Deserves to Win?
Originally posted 11/27/2012 10:15AM
That mirror-ball trophy is within reach!
Dancing's all-female top three performed two routines a piece on Monday night – and it's a tight race going into Tuesday's big finale.
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani were flawless and are in the lead with a perfect score of 60 points. They performed a sexy samba for their favorite dance and a high-flying contemporary routine for their super-size freestyle.
"Your technique is great but what is good to see is your confidence," judge Bruno Tonioli said after their first dance. "You've grown so much as a performer." After their contemporary number, fellow judge Len Goodman said he wished he had an 11-point paddle.
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