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On the fourth week of Dancing With the Stars, The Agency CEO Mauricio Umansky embodied the stoic physicality of a matador — with a touch of magic — as he performed a pasodoble that wowed the crowd and saw him through another week unscathed.
The night’s theme was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Disney, the conglomerate that owns the ABC television network, and as such, Umansky dressed as Mickey Mouse in his magician’s outfit, while he and dance partner Emma Slater performed to “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”
During filmed rehearsals for the duo’s performance, Umansky reflected that after last week’s Motown Night performance, he felt encouraged that he had reached a new threshold in scoring from the judges.
“I got my first 7,” Umansky said. “And it has me feeling optimistic.
“To be here experiencing the 100th year Anniversary of Disney, it’s just amazing,” he added. “Disneyland is like magic. I have four daughters, I love going with them.”
While Umansky was excited for a night full of Disney-inspired magic, Slater remained focused on addressing the judges’ criticisms from the week prior that Umansky work on his frame.
“This week we have the pasodoble,” Slater told cameras. “Derek [Hough] mentioned he would like to see more improvement in frame, so I want to see a high chin, long neck, and I don’t want to see those shoulders anywhere in the picture.”
Meanwhile, Umansky assured viewers, “I’m going to give you some magic.”
Donned in a blue and white star Mickey magician’s hat, Umansky puffed his chest out in the traditional pasodoble style, at times smoothly turning Slater across his knee and sweeping her elegantly across the dance floor.
The judges and audience seemed thrilled afterwards.
“Mauricio, you are like the magical Mickey maestro out there, conducting all the brooms out there,” Hough said. “I did not know that I needed magical pasodoble fingers, but I do and I loved it … It was like an adorable matador. It was matadorable.”
Judge Bruno Tonioli had a positive reaction, but stressed that Umansky still had a bit of work to do on his frame.
“You polished the dance floor to perfection,” Tonioli said. “You still have to extend those shapes a little bit more, you know that.”
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba was impressed with Umansky’s progress and his continued improvement.
“It’s a lot of pressure to open Disney 100 night,” she said. “I think you did amazing. I am so proud of you because last week you had a huge breakthrough, right? But it’s holding. And like the beginning of the magic fingers, it got better and better and better as you danced.
Before receiving their scores, co-host Julianne Hough asked Umansky, “Did you ever think as a real estate mogul you would be dancing around in Mickey ears on national television?”
“I never imagine it in a million years; it’s the most fun I’ve ever had,” Umansky said. “It’s amazing. It’s magical.”
Umansky and Slater received a 19 out of a possible 30 points, and by the end of the night, were in the No. 9 out of 10 place. (Two couples tied for third, three for sixth and two for 10th place.)
As the show’s hosts listed off those couples who were safe from elimination after audience votes had been tallied, Umansky and Slater were one of the first couples to be announced.
NFL star Adrian Peterson and his professional dance partner Britt Stewart, who had received fair scores from the judges to tie them for sixth place, were eliminated.
A dance theme for week 5 has not yet been announced.
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