After slipping slightly in the scorecards last week, Dalton, Ga.’s J.R. Martinez enters the finals of “Dancing With the Stars” still near the top of the leaderboard.
Martinez, an injured Iraq war veteran and former star of soap opera “All My Children,” is paired with professional dance partner Karina Smirnoff. The duo have been on a steady climb up the rankings of the ABC reality program since the season started Sept. 19.
Martinez and Smirnoff will be one of three teams performing in the season finals, which air Monday and Tuesday night. They will compete against current points front-runner, talk show host Ricki Lake, and reality TV personality Rob Kardashian.
The themes for the final shows have not been announced, but recent seasons have ended with judges’ and dancers’ choice events.
Throughout the season, Martinez’ friends in Dalton have expressed surprise at his determination and fluidity on the dance floor, given his lack of prior dance experience.