Aly Raisman Near-Perfect in DWTS Semifinal Performance

Needham native and Olympian Aly Raisman and partner Mark Ballas turned in a near-perfect performance Monday night in the Dancing With the Stars semifinals, with a combined score of 59 out of 60 possible points.

Raisman trained for the Olympics Gymnastics Team at the Brestyan’s American Gymnastics Club in Burlington. She won two gold medals and a bronze medal for the U.S. Women’s Olympics at the 2012 London Games.

Raisman and Ballas started the night dancing the rhumba, which netted them across-the-board 10s from the three judges. Later in the show, the pair performed an Afro Jazz dance, which was also met with high praise.

"I don't think people know how hard that dance was," said Judge Carrie Ann Inaba. "You guys were in perfect synch, you guys were just fantasic."

Inaba and Bruno Tonioli both gave Raisman and Ballas scores of 10 on the Afro Jazz performance, while Judge Len Goodman gave the pair a 9 out of 10, saying he wished he'd seen "more connection" between the two.

Raisman called the Afro Jazz dance "the hardest dance we've done this season," while Judge Tonioli said Raisman has "exceeded all expectations." 

Raisman and Ballas ended the night with a score of 59 out of 60, tying with Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff, who also received 59 out of 60. Ingo Rademacher and Kym Johnson Bruno finished the semifinals with the lowest score — a 51. 

Raisman and Ballas reached the semifinals with a week eight second-place finish.

Tomorrow night's results show will reveal who moves on to Monday's finals. One pair will not. Who will be going home? Aly and Mark? Jacoby and Karina? Kellie and Derek? Zendaya and Val? Ingo and Kym? 

Tomorrow's results show airs on ABC at 9 p.m.