Vaulting horseman Stephen Nedoroscik makes strides on ‘DWTS’

The celebrities of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ face their greatest fears.

This week, the seven remaining pairs performed routines inspired by their worst nightmares (well, besides being eliminated from the competition with just a few weeks to go). In addition, couples went head-to-head in dance competitions for this week’s second round of competition, with the winning couples earning three bonus points.

Worcester-based Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik made a comeback this week with his contemporary dance with partner Rylee Arnold, inspired by his fear of the dark. Last week he struggled with timing during his ‘Hercules’-inspired Charleston, finishing near the bottom of the leaderboard. But then with his contemporary this week, the guy with the vaulting horse was one of the first to receive a perfect 10 from the judges for his performance, earning a total of 28 out of 30 points. He later lost his dance competition to Jenn Tran and her partner, Sasha Farber.

Before his individual performance, Nedoroscik talked about how his visual impairments affect him. Without his glasses he has difficulty seeing and has no depth perception. A genetic condition affects the way he processes light, making it extremely painful when a lot of light hits his face.

“With better vision everything would be easier,” Nedoroscik admitted. “It didn’t stop me at the Olympics, and it won’t stop me now.”

After an intense, sharp and athletic routine, the judges were blown away by Nedoroscik. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called it the best performance of an already impressive evening.

“Your athletic skills and your abilities are beyond doubt, but what happened tonight (is) that you found your dramatic personality,” said judge Bruno Tonioli. “You were completely lost in the character, you became someone else and you gave us something that was special and beautiful.”

Earlier in the show, Vermont Olympian Ilona Maher kicked off the individual round with a tango to Talking Heads’ “Psychokiller.” The routine earned her 24 out of 30 points, putting her at the bottom of the leaderboard. She later lost her dance competition to NBA center Dwight Howard and his partner Daniella Karagach.

Last week, Maher and partner Alan Bersten were second on the leaderboard after earning their first 9 in the individual competition round for their jazz dance to “Surface Pressure” from the movie “Encanto,” and were part of the winning team dance.

Her strong performance last week lit a fire under Maher, who said achieving her first 9 left her hungry for more, and she wants to keep improving to prove she deserves a spot in the competition.

“I thought learning one dance was difficult, but now learning two dances every week definitely takes a toll on you, both mentally and physically,” the rugby player admitted. “But I have always enjoyed working hard and I feel that I am getting better.”

And the judges can feel it too. They commented on how much Maher has grown and noticed improvement in her frame. Still, they wanted to see stronger footwork.

Later, former Super Bowl-winning Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola performed an Argentine tango inspired by his fear of snakes. Amendola was tied with Maher on the leaderboard last week after scoring 27 out of 30 points in the individual round and being part of the losing group in the team dance round. This week, the couple earned 28 out of 30 points for their Argentine tango — making them one of the first to receive a perfect 10 from a panel of judges — and lost the dance-off to Joey Graziadei of “The Bachelor” and partner Jenna Johnson .

Before the rehearsal, Amendola’s partner, Witney Carson, brought a large snake into the studio to help Amendola cope with his lifelong fear. He stroked it, held it and even placed it around his neck – with some visible discomfort.

“The snake is a slimy, disgusting creature,” Amendola said. ‘It gives me the heebie-jeebies. I’ve tackled the snake, now it’s time to tackle the Argentine tango.”

Although there were a few minor technical issues, the judges were impressed with Amendola’s performance. Derek Hough called it ‘mesmerizing’ and was fascinated by the pair’s lifts and tricks. Inaba and Tonioli both noted that Amendola has grown significantly during the competition.

Ultimately, all three New Englanders survived elimination; Tran and Farber were sent home. There will be no show next week due to Election Day, but on Nov. 12 the couples will return for the celebration of the 500th episode of “DWTS.”

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Emily Wyrwa can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @emilywyrwa.