Dancing with DiMarco: back on top after third week on DWTS

April 05, 2016

Author: Phil Dignan

Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) host Tom Bergeron said following this week’s final dance performance: “How do you say goosebumps in sign language?”

Week Three of Season 22 of DWTS saved the best for last as Nyle DiMarco, ’12, with professional dance partner Peta Murgatroyd, finished the evening, dancing a “Fearless Tango” to the song “Verge” by Owl City (featuring Aloe Blacc). Bouncing back from last week’s disappointing result, DiMarco and Murgatroyd scored a 25 out of 30, the top score of the evening. This is the second time the pair has finished atop the leaderboard, sharing the lead with two others in Week One, but standing alone this week.  
DiMarco and Murgatroyd’s performance kept the audience on its feet and once again received the loudest applause of the night, and they interjected displeasure when Len Goodman, one of the three judges, tried to mention some flaws. Goodman did provide this comment: “You are proof that anyone can do anything if they want to.”  

Carrie Ann Inaba, who drew criticism for her comments last week that their performance lacked ‘a connection to the musicality,” was nothing but positive with their third dance of the competition. “I love Superman, but you are better than Superman,” said Inaba to DiMarco.  

The most enthusiastic response came from Bruno Tanioli, who said the dance was a “breath-taking ride of a tango.” Tanioli gave the evening’s only score of nine to DiMarco and Murgatroyd.  

The theme for Week Three focused on the contestants’ most memorable year. In the video preceding his performance, DiMarco talked about his year-long travel abroad without the use of an interpreter in 2012, a trip he remembered as a chance to understand more about himself. The video also gave a nationwide audience a glimpse of DiMarco’s family and his deaf heritage. They also met his mother.  

“Ever since he was a little boy, he’s been fearless,” said Donna DiMarco. “He likes to try something new and to see if he is capable of doing it.”  

Addressing the performance from Week Two, Nyle DiMarco said, “We survived. We just move on to a new week. We just work our hardest and give them what they want…I don’t expect the judges to take it easy on me.”  

DWTS airs on Monday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC television.