Overview
- The semifinal in Cologne on Friday, May 22, produced jury totals of 85 for Anna‑Carina Woitschack and Evgeny Vinokurov, 84 for Milano and Marta Arndt, and a tie of 76 for Ross Antony with Mariia Maksina and Joel Mattli with Malika Dzumaev.
- Ross Antony and Mariia Maksina finished fourth and were eliminated because they received fewer viewer votes than Joel and Malika despite tying on jury points.
- A heated exchange at the judges' table saw Joachim Llambi sharply criticise Antony's Quickstep as his "weakest" in five shows while Motsi Mabuse defended the contestant by saying the programme is an entertainment show, not a technical championship.
- The show's improvised 'Impro Dance' forced couples to combine two styles with only seconds to prepare, produced multiple perfect 30s and materially shaped the semifinal rankings.
- After the announcement Antony expressed gratitude for the experience and Mariia was visibly emotional, while Milano & Marta, Anna‑Carina & Evgeny and Joel & Malika advance to the final to compete for the 'Dancing Star 2026' next week.