Daniel Durant brings silence on 'Dancing with the Stars' — and advances to semifinals

DULUTH — The music was purposefully muted mid-song during Daniel Durant and partner Britt Stewart's choreography on Monday's episode of "Dancing with the Stars" — a seconds-long silence during "Enjoy the Silence."

The dancers kept going, though, giving viewers a glimpse of what it's like to dance when you can't hear the music, like Durant who was born deaf.

"That was not only educational and profound — it was so funky," said judge Carrie Ann Inaba said in her critique. "It's an honor to watch you dance."

The judges were moved by the performance and offered up Durant's highest scores of the season on the episode that flashed back to the 1990s with its music and styles — from "Barbie Girl" to Blur, to vibrant hues and no shoes.

Durant, the Duluth actor from the Academy Award winning movie "CODA" advanced to next week's semifinals along with Wayne Brady, Charli D'Amelio, Shangela, Gabby Windey, and Trevor Donovan. Reality stars Heidi D'Amelio and Vinny Guadagnino were eliminated.

The episode included a couple versus couple dance relay. Durant lost points to Shangela while dancing to "Ice Ice Baby."

During this past week's rehearsal, Durant told Stewart about meeting his birth mother, who struggled with drug addiction, and later getting a last chance to reconnect as she was dying of cancer. He has regrets, he said to Stewart. He wished he had seen her more.

"So I could save her or do something," he said.

Durant and Stewart wore black sparkly costumes and danced against a backdrop of grey VCR fuzz. Midway through their power jazz choreography, the song dulled, then went silent for a few beats. Durant and Stewart danced on in the absence of sound.

"We all felt the sound of silence," said judge Bruno Tonioli. "What you do out here is so special. It's a gift to us."