‘Dancing With the Stars’ results recap: See you at the after party

This Tuesday was all about cuts – first news from ABC that “Dancing With the Stars” would be narrowed to just one day a week next season. And then, of course, whittling down one more couple before the “DWTS” Season 16 Finals next week. But this was “DWTS’” 300th episode, and the show was in a mood to celebrate. So it was with little tears and much fanfare that hunky actor Ingo Rademacher and Kym Johnson were deemed the next couple eliminated.

Everyone could see this coming a mile away, including Ingo himself. “The other four deserve a spot in the finals for sure,” the “General Hospital” star said graciously. “If I don’t go home tonight, someone else will be very upset.”

Well, the actor, who professed he had “two left feet,” didn’t paddleboard off into the sunset with a Mirrorball trophy, but he still made off with his stunning good looks, his house in Hawaii, his best dance ever with the Charleston and his Peanut. We’ll see you at the after party.

The final four couples remaining are Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough (whose perfect-30 Argentine tango was selected as the encore dance), Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff, Alexandra Raisman and Mark Ballas, and Zendaya and Valentin Chmerkovskiy. Zendaya and Val had to suffer being in jeopardy (though “not necessarily in the bottom two”) after their car wreck of a quickstep, which had the Disney Channel star biting her lip in nervous anticipation.

The hour kicked off with a 300th episode performance extravaganza featuring the pros (Chelsie Hightower! Dmitry Chaplin! Anna Trebunskaya! Louis Van Amstel!) and the Troupe and choreographed by Jason Gilkison. Pros all over the place! Confetti falling from the sky! Is this a celebration or what?

We had a segment where the couples turned the tables on the crew and turned the cameras on each other. Ingo was concerned with his image, so Kym had to assure him that he looked pretty good. Val admitted he was disappointed to be paired with Zendaya at first. Kellie confessed that Derek reminded her of her brother, who’s 12, and that she loves how he’s the first person to laugh at his jokes. Aly didn’t expect to have this much fun on the show. Ingo didn’t think he’d make it past Week 4.

The AT&T Spotlight Performance highlighted young dancer Sophia Lucia, who just broke the Guinness World Record for most consecutive pirouettes (55!) — all at the ripe old age of 10. After accomplishing something like that, where do you go from there? Straight to “DWTS,” of course! And she got to perform with her favorite dancer of all time, Chelsie Hightower (along with Lindsay Arnold, Witney Carson and Tyne Stecklein). The other girls wore black but Sophia was “Queen Bee” in yellow fringe that only served to highlight the twirling dervish’s impressive spins. This San Diego native made like a Disneyland teacup and just went round and round and round.

The Wanted swooped in on a British sea of fog to sing “Fill A Heart,” while Tyne Stecklein and Blake McGrath performed lovingly on the dance floor. Proceeds from their single will go toward ending child hunger in America. Later, Avril Lavigne got on stage in leather pants and her signature smoky eyeliner to perform her new single, “Here’s to Never Growing Up,” while Lindsay and Witney and Henry and James rocked it on the dance floor. Avril looks pretty much the same as her “Sk8er Boi” stage. Maybe a little less “Complicated.”

Sharna Burgess and Gleb Savchenko showed off their beautifully tumultuous getting-ready-for-bed routine, writhing and twisting and hurling themselves at each other in a satin windstorm while Internet sensation Christina Grimmie sang stock still beside them. “Who says the Santa Ana winds can’t be sexy?” Tom quipped.

What do you think, ballroom fans? Was the right star ejected from the glitterverse? Sad Bruno won’t be judging in Speedos next week? If you could take anything from the “DWTS” set, what would it be? Who do you think will win the coveted Mirrorball trophy?

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