‘Dancing’ Final Four Set

Only four couples are left after what may be the toughest elimination all season–being one misstep away from going all the way on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’

The mirror ball trophy is now but an elusive dream for Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff, who were voted off the show Tuesday night one week shy of the semi-finals.

The 21-year-old singer, who had his share of detractors, bounced around the leaderboard from the top to the Bottom Two during his emotional run on the show, which at times brought him to tears.

“One thing I’ll always remember is the lessons that I’ve learned,” Aaron said. “I’ve grown so much with your compliments and your criticisms, so thank you. Thank you for helping me grow on this show.”

In one of the more touching yet, I must say, odder moments ever on the show, Len Goodman wanted to say something to Aaron after he was eliminated: “You’re an inspiration to all young people that anything is possible,” the head judge said, in unusual parting words. “If you were my son, I would be so proud of you.”

Carter may have kept it together on the dance floor for his last dance with partner Karina Smirnoff, but the so-called ‘cry baby’ couldn’t hold back the tears backstage, says E! Online, who claims the booted boy bander was “inconsolable.”

“It just feels empty now,” Karina tells E!. “Like we were taken away.”

Other notable moments from the results show included the only ‘filler’ segment that should ever be made into a regular feature, the entertaining ‘DanceCenter’ bit with Kenny Mayne, Jerry Rice, Len Goodman and special correspondent Stacy Keibler.

There was also a dance floor reunion between Season 5 elimination shocker Sabrina Bryan and (ex-boyfriend/partner) Mark Ballas for a fierce fan-created ‘Eye of the Tiger’ Paso Doble. And yep, she’s still got it.

But the real highlight Boyled down to this: a performance by the awfully sweet Scottish singer Susan Boyle, who brought her special ‘Talent’ to the ballroom to sing the song that started the sensation, ‘I Dreamed a Dream.’ Come on, who didn’t find her little hand waving in between the segments totally adorable? (Okay, maybe not Sharon Osbourne.) And you were good too, Michael Buble.

Mya and Dmitry Chaplin, Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough, Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson, and Kelly Osbourne and Louis van Amstel will perform three routines in next week’s semi-finals.

More on These Topics: Dancing With The Stars