"DWTS: Athletes" Week 3 Recap: And Your Final Three Couples Are…

May 14, 2018

Well, this has certainly been an efficient season of “Dancing with the Stars.” It seems like only yesterday (because it basically was) that we were freaking out over the new cast, daydreaming about routines for Adam Rippon, and recapping the premiere. Yet here we are—Week 3, the penultimate episode, the second-to-last chance to live in a world filled with glitter, fringe, and sequins for one glorious hour. There was some great dancing, and there were some gnarly eliminations. Without further ado, let’s RECAP!

Mirai Nagasu and Alan Bersten

There’s no question that Mirai is a solid, strong dancer, even if four weeks isn’t a ton of time to prove it. She and Alan Bersten danced a super-enjoyable quickstep, filled with lots of sass and fast footwork. Mirai definitely has the moves down, but maybe the next thing to work on is a little more stage presence.

Score: 35/40

Tonya Harding and Sasha Farber

Tonya turned in a truly emotional, moving Rumba, dedicated to her father, and while she kept it together throughout the routine, I was most certainly on the brink of tears the whole time. Her dancing has become far more relaxed and comfortable as the season’s progressed, and it really showed in this Rumba—she was glowing! So was Sasha! (But he’s a pro so that’s a given!) The judges agreed (though, a little less than I would’ve expected), giving them a 33/40.

Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson

While watching Adam and Jenna this week, there was a moment I completely forgot it was “DWTS,” and not “So You Think You Can Dance”—that’s how convincing Adam was with this contemporary piece. The boy’s got lines! And presence! And musicality! These two are such a powerful duo, and they’ve connected in such an authentic way on stage, without fail, every single week. The whole thing was the total package, and the judges agreed.

Score: 39/40

Sometimes, I think that all the sparkles are just meant to distract from the fact that the “DWTS” universe is a cutthroat, unforgiving place, especially last night, when THREE COUPLES were eliminated. 😳 We said goodbye to Jennie Finch and Keo Motsepe, Chris Mazdzer and Witney Carson, and (shockingly), Mirai and Alan. The three remaining couples (Adam and Jenna, Tonya and Sasha, and Josh Norman and Sharna Burgess) will dance their hearts out next week for the Mirror Ball trophy. Knowing the competitive edge that these athletes possess (especially the figure skaters), it’s sure to be quite the finale. We’ll see you there!