It’s these kinds of outcomes that make you wonder, “How “real” are reality shows?” Percy Romeo Miller Jr. and his partner, professional dancer Chelsie Hightower, were the latest casualties of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday night, May 10.
Romeo, who started the season a bit shaky and unsure, had developed into one of the best and most anticipated dancers on the show. Clearly, his growth and maturing as a serious dancer became increasingly evident. He excelled at both technique and audience and partner connection.
“I didn’t even dance at my high school prom, and I have turned down so many movie roles because I didn’t know how to dance,” he said as he shared his final thoughts. “Now, I am a dancer. I wanted to show kids that you can do whatever you put your mind to do and, if you fall a few times in the process, just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep trying.” Throughout the season, Romeo repeated his theme of supporting children as well as the U.S. troops at war in the Middle East.
Maybe two African Americans in the semi-finals would have been a bit much for ABC, who seemed to be reaching out more to African American viewers this season. Part of Tuesday night’s show was an interesting Macy’s-sponsored segment called “Dancing through the Decades,” which carried viewers through tap in the Big Band era performed by African American twins to a James Brown lookalike who moved and grooved like “The Godfather of Soul” during the ’60s to a break-dancing group spinning on their heads and hands to a huge techno futurist group.
Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward, who has been a steady leader on the scoreboard the entire season, will advance to the semi-finals along with Kirstie Alley and Ralph Macchio, who are the oldest dancers this season who started strong, but have been plagued with injuries and inconsistent scores and performances in recent weeks, as well as Disney star Chelsea Kane.
A crowd favorite, Ward has a good chance of winning another championship that doesn’t involve a football, but the coveted “DWTS” mirrored ball trophy. –arnell pharr
