Is it dusty in here or is it just us? No, it’s just Dancing with the Stars’ annual “My Most Memorable Year” week, a guaranteed fan favorite.
Too bad someone had to be eliminated after that. Oh, wait!
The celebrity dancers all performed moving, heartfelt routines inspired by significant moments in their lives, and everyone was safe!
What’s the opposite of adding insult to injury?!
Let’s break down Monday night’s dances …
Maureen McCormick and Artem Chigvintsev – Foxtrot
Maureen married her husband in 1985, and she said she wasn’t going to cry about it. Wishful thinking, but we don’t blame her.
As a dancing love letter to her husband, it was incredibly effective, as she translated her acting skills into dance for the first time.
Score: 24/30.
Calvin Johnson Jr. and Lindsay Arnold – Jazz
Set to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” the pair paid tribute to 2012, when Lindsay graduated high school. Yes, she’s that young.
Also that year, Megatron broke Jerry Rice’s single season NFL record for receptions … and Rice actually paid a visit to the show!
As for the routine, it was more than passable (get it?). “It looks like you just stepped out of the Motown charm school,” said Bruno.
Score: 24/30
Jana Kramer and Gleb Savchenko – Contemporary
For Jana, it was an easy choice. She danced to “In My Daughter’s Eyes” by Martina McBride to celebrate her most memorable year.
This year! When the actress and singer gave birth to her daughter! This one was very pretty and really heartfelt, and the results showed it.
Score: 26/30
Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke – Contemporary
Loch Mess’ most memorable year was 2008, when he made his Olympics debut, and he was a lot better at swimming than dancing.
This is still the case in 2016, yet it was also his most open and honest dance, which may have contributed to some extremely generous scores.
Score: 24/30
Laurie Hernandez and Valentin Chmerkovskiy – Paso Doble
Set to “Rise” by Katy Perry, their routine also paid tribute to good old 2016 like Jana. For Laurie, it’s also understandable why.
While Kramer gave birth to her baby daughter, Hernandez earned a gold medal at the Rio Olympics this summer in gymnastics.
Personal and powerful, Laurie may well win this season of Dancing with the Stars, even if this was not her beset routine ever.
Score: 25/30
Marilu Henner and Derek Hough – Viennese Waltz
She picked the year 1978, which had good and bad moments, as her mom passed away, but she also got her big break in acting.
Derek gave it some amazing choreography, and the uplifting result quickly became not only her breakthrough dance but one of the night’s best.
Score: 27/30
Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Samba
Appropriately set to “Woman Up” by Meghan Trainor, Amber’s dance was inspired by 2013, the year her son Sebastian was born.
How the heck this related to her baby with Wiz Khalifa, we haven’t the slightest clue, but man was she having some fun out there!
Score: 24/30.
James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess – Tango
Throwing it back to 2015, James recalled he survived the most devastating crash, one so bad that it’s actually surprising he’s here now.
He nailed this tango, too, backwards and forwards
Score: 29/30.
Terra Jolé and Sasha Farber – Contemporary
The reality star danced to honor 2013, when her father passed away after a liver operation and when she started her show on TLC.
This routine actually told the story, with Sasha playing Terra’s father, and everything that he meant to her. Both creative and moving.
Score: 27/30.
