Whoever said ballroom dancing isn’t for black people hasn’t watched Percy Romeo Miller Jr. or Hines Ward on “Dancing With the Stars.” These men are tearing up the scoreboard every single week and making viewers smile, clap and squeal with delight.
On the Monday, April 25, “Guilty Pleasures” performance show, Romeo and his partner Chelsie Hightower tied with one other pair, Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas, for the highest score of the night with 28 of 30 points. He also received the first perfect “10” from a judge this season. WWWF star Chris Jericho was thrown from the ring this week.
Romeo, who progressed from a nervous dancer with nearly two left feet and plenty of inhibitions, has turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan on the “DWTS” dance floor. It has been quite an amazing transformation. His and Hightower’s waltz to one of his favorite songs, “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic, was exquisite and near perfect. The judges told him that he has developed his own unique, but wonderful, style since he started the show.
“If you keep up this transformation, you will be king of this ballroom,” said tough judge Len Goodman. Another judge, Carrie Ann Inaba, said, “Every once in a while in a season, magic happens, and that was magical,” referring to his latest performance.
“Because I am an athlete, I always have been very competitive. I finally realized that this is a competition, and I want to win,” Romeo explained after host Tom Bergeron asked him what was the pivotal point that changed the quality of his performances. “I want to win for the urban kids that don’t think they could ever do this.”
Romeo shocked the viewing audience at the end of the dance when he grabbed Hightower’s head in his hands and planted a long, impromptu kiss on her lips. (OK, Romeo, back that thang up. We know you’re excited and all, but geesh!)
Ward, who also admits his athleticism and competitive nature help him in the competition, and his partner were just one point away from Romeo’s score with 27 of 30 points. Ward said during a post-interview that he is longing to earn a “10” from one of the judges. He and his partner danced to one of his favorite songs, Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road.”
It doesn’t appear that it will be the “end of the road” any time soon for either one of these black men holding it down on “Dancing With the Stars.” –arnell pharr
Watch Romeo in his latest dance below. For a different perspective on “Dancing With the Stars,” please see the Theories & Suspicions section of rolling out.com.
