‘Dancing With the Stars’ Latin Night recap: Tempers flared, chests bared

Latin Night turned up the heat in the ballroom on Week 6 of “Dancing With the Stars.” Tempers flared and no less than three chests were bared to add extra spice to the competition alongside the spate of bright colors and hot, steamy moves.

Co-host Erin Andrews was on World Series duty so New Yawker and Season 17 contestant Leah Remini ably pinched-hit and filled the sky box with her saucy shenanigans.

The couples were back with their original partners and back to the original format. Len Goodman’s still back across the Pond, so ubiquitous beatmaster and Mr. Worldwide Pitbull made himself right at home with the scantily-clad pro ladies, filled in between Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough and exhibited a laid-back (some would say delayed) style of paddle presentation.

We also said goodbye to one more couple: Jonathan Bennett and Allison Holker. Though at least he was able to end his ballroom stint on a high note. His jazz routine was finally true to who he was (“Tonight, you just happened,” Bruno declared) and rightly earned the “Mean Girls” actor his best score of the competition.

“I came here to do this show to have fun and just like, have a really great experience, and bring life back into my life,” Jonathan said. “I had the best time of my life.”

Everybody do the eyes!

The other couple sweating it out in danger of elimination was Janel Parrish and Val Chmerkovskiy (“though not necessarily in the bottom two”), while Michael Waltrip and Emma Slater also simmered in jeopardy.

Here’s how the rest of the couples fared on Latin Night (in descending hotness order):

Alfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson were fighting injuries and hurt feelings this week. Alfonso had a transcendent routine with Cheryl Burke, but Witney’s low, 20-scoring car wash routine with Michael Waltrip had the young pro in disappointed tears. To add injury to insult, Alfonso was battling a pulled groin – from doing the Carlton, of all things! – and Witney had suffered a horrifically-sounding back injury just hours before the live show in dress rehearsal. None of that was noticeable during their utterly delicious “Booty” salsa, which looked like a wind swept music video and all but brought the house down. Bruno called it “eye-popping … I could have danced all night!” Carrie Ann was inspired to give Alfonso 10 bootyful spankings (“Doesn’t that make your groin feel better?” Tom asked) to match her 10 paddle score. The dance had Pitbull up and moving: “You hit him in the Trinidad, you hit him in the wine.… That’s what I’m talking about.” Julianne was the only one who thought this tremendous bootylicious romp could have used some more salsa – the only salty chip in this otherwise perfect routine. Total: 39 out of 40.

Bethany Mota and Derek Hough were up and down and all around this week, as Bethany had to travel to Australia for a YouTube event that left her and her partner only seven hours to rehearse. Bethany was freaking out on Sunday morning camera rehearsal that she was unable to get through the routine and felt like she was running out of time. Turns out this lack of preparation looked good on her (as did that Mirrorball of a dress), as Bethany’s laser-tagged tango was what Julianne called “everything a tango should be.” Carrie Ann thought she was watching Season 10 “DWTS” champion Nicole Scherzinger: “That was fantastic.” The judges’ praise inspired Derek to try a horrible Australian accent, which Leah scored a 7. Derek gave himself a 5, and then Leah beat him up with her microphone. “You don’t know what it feels like to get a 5 or a 7, do you?!” Total: 36.

Sadie Robertson was a little worried about doing the sexy rumba, which she insisted is “not at all who she is.” So much, that she just didn’t want to do it: “It’s awkward.” So props to Mark Ballas to taking Sadie’s concerns, her mom’s concerns, shoot, even Sadie’s grandmother’s concerns, into account when creating the choreography to their Rihanna-fueled dance. And the product was what Carrie Ann called “exceptionally elegant and gorgeous.” Julianne called it “a beautiful story about falling in love,” and credited Mark for being “so generous with the choreography,” though she did point out, “It was the first time I felt you were unsure of your footing, a little off balance.” Bruno called it tastefully lyrical, but “at times a little jagged.” Pitbull thought it was so believable he gave it a 10. Total: 35.

All was not sunshine and roses when Janel Parrish and Val Chmerkovskiy got back together after last week’s Switch-Up. Janel and Artem’s burlesque grind “made me feel a little bit uncomfortable,” Val said, though he followed up by saying “the distance made me appreciate you a lot more.” Which of course rustled up talk of a showmance, compounded by Val’s frustrations during rehearsals. Though Pitbull was missing the passion during Janel and Val’s Celia Cruz samba, in which Janel sported a fruit cocktail of a dress made of strategically-placed ruffles, and Val showed off his freshly-waxed chest (his first!). Carrie Ann also didn’t completely buy the routine, as she thought Janel was a bit off balance. The passion was maybe more felt on the right side of the judges’ table. Julianne commended the couple on the difficulty of the routine. Bruno called this a prime example of “how you corner the market on hot Latinas,” though he cautioned the “Pretty Little Liars” actress “not to throw your arms away.” Total: 33.

Lea Thompson and Artem Chigvintsev were haunted by the specter of Alfonso Ribeiro this week, as they tried to chase down the “Back to the Future” actress’ direct competition. Artem was trying to complicate the choreography, but Lea was having a hard time trying to keep it together. “I need amazing. Great is not an option,” Artem demanded. And their salsa trip on a Miami cruise – Lea in ocean blue, Artem with shirt off (but of course) with cloud white pants – was met with some rocky judicial waters. Carrie Ann and Julianne were a bit disappointed. “I think you need to play to your strengths and stay on your track,” Carrie Ann said. “You need to trust your partner and you need to trust yourself,” Julianne declared. Bruno, however, said it was “a taste of la dolce vita on Miami Beach” but told Lea to “be careful of your shoulders.” Mr. 305 Pitbull said he liked the Miami shout out and “didn’t know Jean Claude Van Damme could dance that good.” Added bonus: Artem in the middle of a Lea(h) sandwich, to which Leah Remini quickly begged off. (“I’m married to a Puerto Rican. Ease up.”) “A Lea(h) sandwich. Only hard to digest when you get home,” Tom quipped. Total: 32.

Michael Waltrip knew he might have taken his last lap in the “DWTS” ballroom after he was taken to the car wash with last week’s achingly low scores. So it seemed extra poignant when he and Emma Slater spent some time back on the track in Talladega, where all of NASCAR nation, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., showed Michael their support (including a 10 paddle in checkered flag and pink fuzz). Michael got to go back to his roots, and Emma similarly stripped down their resulting Argentine Tango the essence of who he was to beautiful, moving effect. “This was a very different approach, and it worked,” Carrie Ann said. “Tonight, I felt like you were composed, elegant … you dared to actually try to dance.” Pitbull gave Michael props for being so in the moment that he tried to get a kiss out of Emma. (“I felt like that was a Mr. Worldwide move,” Michael responded without missing a beat.) Julianne got misty extolling Michael’s authenticity. “You and Jonathan, tonight were the real you … honest and true to yourself.” Leah thought it was “so touching to watch” that she kissed Michael right on the lips. “All Artem got was a Lea(h) sandwich,” Tom shrugged. Total: 30.

“From the sweat lodge to the spray tan to the ballroom!” Tom exhorted of Tommy Chong and Peta Murgatroyd’s foxtrot. And things got hot – searingly hot – between Tommy and Peta this week. After last week’s lashing from the judges, Tommy told his pro partner that they had to “recharge our batteries” with a steamy session at a sweat lodge and say things like “bringing the great spirit into the consciousness” and “heat dispels all negative thoughts.” Tommy shirtless in the desert achieved a level of higher consciousness, so much that he evoked a vision of Cloris “most fun I’ve ever had in a van” Leachman to reenergize the 76-year-older contender. And the judges all saw a little bit of heaven in their Earth Wind and Fire foxtrot. “Absolutely smooth, debonair,” said Carrie Ann, though she pointed out “little bit of mistakes here and there.” Pitbull joined the chorus of voices claiming Tommy’s resemblance to a certain Dos Equis character. “To have a beautiful girl in a great tux – you are the most interesting man in the world,” he said. “That old magic is working again,” Bruno exclaimed. Total: 28.

Antonio Sabato Jr.’s reunion with Cheryl Burke ended up being bittersweet, as Cheryl received news of her father’s ailing health through rehearsals. And clearly, it’s something that the pro dancer is still emotional about, though it’s nice to see the “DWTS” family rally around her during this difficult time. Too bad the judges couldn’t rally around the crazy sexy cool “Bailando” salsa. Julianne thought Antonio “got a little too loose on the upper body, a little too shouldery,” though she loved the storyline. Bruno said he’s got to “get the hip action right.” Carrie Ann simply thought he needed to relax, “Let the music move you.” Leah just figured it was because he didn’t take his shirt off, which was “the least [he] could have done” to help Cheryl. “Take if off right now,” Leah insisted up in the sky box. “Make it right.” Total: 28.

What do you think? Think Jonathan left at the right time? Happy to see Leah Remini back on the “DWTS” stage? Excited to see Len back next week? How great was Tony Dovolani’s audition tape throwback of a lacy blouse and shoulder thrusts? It’s “how to make a man shirt out of pantyhose!”