The Acne Medications

Also, Sabrina Ryan (‘The Cheetah Girls’), who’s the poster child for shocking eliminations due to her early dismissal in season 5, shared her thoughts on getting to live out every former ‘DWTS’ celebrity’s dream by being invited back by viewers to take one more twirl on the dance floor.

Aaron, what will you take away from your ‘DWTS’ experience?
Aaron: All the lessons and different things I’ve learned throughout this experience. I might not have gotten it right away, but I got it afterward. I got it now.

Tom Bergeron went to a commercial break just before he announced you were leaving; did you feel like you were on ‘American Idol’?
Aaron: (Wryly) No. I felt like I was on a shooting range. Bullseye!

Karina, how have you seen Aaron progress since the show began?
Karina: Tremendously. Not just as a dancer, but as a man. We’ve learned to communicate. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. We have many wonderful memories.

Aaron, did you think you’d go this far?
Aaron: No. Honestly, I thought after our rumba [on week 3] that we were over.

What did you think of Len Goodman’s comments to you at the end of the show?
Aaron: I was shocked. I had no idea how he felt.
Karina: I’d never seen him do that before.

What are your plans?
Aaron: I’m going to get right back into the studio and apply the new work ethic I’ve learned from Karina. I want to win a Grammy. I’m going to do pop music and stick with that.

And if you need a dance partner in a music video … ?
Aaron: [Karina's] already going to be in it.

Karina, what are your plans?
Karina: It’s been a crazy two years, one season after the next and the tour. I’m going to hibernate.
Aaron: Don’t be surprised if you see pictures of her in Bora Bora.
Karina: I also have some projects that have been on hold for a year and a half. I’m working on a book that’s part lifestyle and part memoir.

Derek, how’d it feel when you and Joanna were announced as the first semi-finalists ahead of top scorers Mya and Dmitry Chaplin?
Derek: It felt fantastic. Joanna’s been consistent throughout the entire competition. Her personality, charisma … she really owns ever dance she does.

What did you think of Kenny Mayne making fun of Joanna’s laugh and showing the clip of the seal?
Derek: [Laughs] They got that from me. We have a relationship were we can make fun of each other.
Joanna: I laughed! I’m actually going to try to change my laugh.
Derek: No. It’s contagious. It brings so much joy to people.

What is your plan for next week?
Derek: It’s back to basics. It’s not going to be boring.
Joanna: I’m stripping down?
Derek: [Laughs] No.

Are you going for the Len Goodman vote?
Derek: [Laughs] No. Just quality. You can’t doubt quality. We have to do three dances next week — the Viennese waltz, the Cha-cha-cha and a knock-out dance.

Donny Osmond has five decades worth of fan base; will a dance voted on by the judges (not the fans) give you an edge?
Derek: I think what’s appealing with Joanna is that she’s a dark horse. People expected Donny and Mya to be in the finals.

Why do you think Aaron didn’t make it to the semi-finals?
Derek: What’s hard about this show is consistency. You can’t just have good days. You have to be reasonable each and every week. I think he did a fantastic job. To make it down to five couples from 16 is amazing.

Derek, is your sister Julianne Hough coming to the semi-finals to cheer you on?
Derek: Probably not. She’s literally in a different state every day. She’s shooting a movie ‘Burlesque.’

Mya and Dmitry, how does it feel to make it to the semi-finals?
Mya: Great. Amazing. It’s a journey.
Dmitry: Quite a journey. From 16 to four.

What did you think of Kenny Mayne’s ‘Dance Center’ segment where he thought Dmitry was the celebrity?
Dmitry: (Smiles) He must have thought Mya was the professional dancer.
Mya: I was scared. I thought, “What are they going to say about me?”

Well, he thought you were a soap opera star/actor.
Dmitry: [Wryly] Or maybe he was saying I wasn’t good [at dancing].

Will you be taking out of your semi-final dances some of the extra stuff — like dusting — that you do that Len doesn’t like?
Mya: (Laughs) I’m not going to dust! We put on a production sometimes that we feel will entertain as well as meet technical standards. We’re not going to change our strategies. If a dance needs a chair or a hat then we’ll have that.
Dmitry: I don’t call them gimmicks or props. I call it being creative and stepping out of the box. But Len’s an international judge; he’s an expert on techniques.

Donny, how does it feel to go to the semi-finals?
Donny: It’s so exciting. You always hope — and now it’s here.

Were you thinking, ‘I have to get to the end because your sister Marie did in season 5?’
Donny: Sure. That’s always there. I have one more step to take. She was in the finals.

You’re the only guy celebrity and you have a big fan base; will that help?
Donny: It can’t hurt, but you never know. Look at what happened to Sabrina Ryan in season 5. That’s the scary thing about this show.

What are you doing next week?
Donny: We’re doing the samba to [the Osmonds hit] ‘One Bad Apple.’ Kym [Johnson] has already choreographed it. It won’t be gimmicky.

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