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Let's Dance Semifinal Pits Four Finalists With Joel as Clear Jury Favorite

RTL's tougher Impro Dance rule makes the semifinal more unpredictable by forcing pairs to learn song and style seconds before performing.

Overview

  • The semifinal on Friday, May 22 will feature four couples — Joel Mattli & Malika Dzumaev, Ross Antony & Mariia Maksina, Milano & Marta Arndt, and Anna‑Carina Woitschack & Evgeny Vinokurov — each performing two full dances plus the improvised 'Impro Dance'.
  • Former pro Christian Polanc singled out Joel Mattli as the only 'safe' finalist after Joel topped the quarterfinal scoreboard with a combined 60 points and drew widespread praise for his technique.
  • Polanc and head judge Joachim Llambi publicly criticised Anna‑Carina's quarterfinal work, with Polanc saying she should have been eliminated and a Promiflash reader poll showing the largest share of respondents did not want her in the final.
  • RTL's announced change to the Impro Dance requires pairs to learn the song and style immediately before their run and to combine two styles, a format tweak that increases the role of nerves and on‑the‑spot adaptability in Friday's live voting.
  • Behind the scenes pressure is visible: a widely shared Instagram clip showed a training accident between Milano and partner Marta Arndt, and judges warned the semifinal is one of the season's biggest nerve tests for contestants and their partners.