3 couples move forward in final round of 'Dancing With the Stars'

LOS ANGELES -- After 11 weeks of competition, the first of "Dancing With the Stars" two-night finale filled Monday night with music and dance.

The four remaining couples each performed twice. One, a "re-do" of a dance they've previously done, but to a new song. And for some extra creative help, each couple was visited by one of the judges. The second routine was the all-important, fan-favorite "freestyle," which allows the choreographers to essentially go nuts with costumes, additional dancers and special effects.

With all the fun, there is a sad undertone to this "DWTS Finale, part 1." The couple with the lowest combined viewer and judge votes from the previous two weeks is set for elimination.

Here's a rundown from Monday's competition, from highest score to lowest:

NICK CARTER- 60 points total

Jive: 30 out of 30

Julianne Hough stops by rehearsal to help coach Nick on the Jive. He did it during week two and it did not go well. But he's come such a long way, not just with his dance skills, but by also getting out of his own head, that Julianne knew this would be the right dance for the finale. The two-time champ was speechless after the routine. Bruno observed that Nick never went wrong, and Carrie Ann thought newly dubbed "goddess" Sharna choreographed one of the most content filled dances ever.

Freestyle: 30 out of 30

For the freestyle, Nick wants to go out not just with a bang but "larger than life." He knows it could be a risk to do a freestyle to one of the Backstreet Boys biggest songs, but Sharna pushes the choreography and staging so it feels completely new and shows just how far Nick has come. Julianne thought he nailed it! Carrie Ann said he killed it! And Bruno said he just wanted to get up there and dance!

BINDI IRWIN- 60 points total

Quickstep: 30 out of 30

Bindi may be a favorite and a frontrunner, but they are not going easy on this youngster. The judges assign her the Quickstep, which visiting coach Carrie Ann calls the most difficult dance there is. Her one plea to Derek is to play by the rules and don't break hold. Rehearsals were tough because Derek's battling a bad cold with a scary cough, but they make it through. Carrie Ann thinks Bindi is in a class of her own and said when she watches her dance, she feels like she's a better person for it. Bruno called her fearless and the dance precise, and thinks Bindi gleams like a brilliant diamond wherever she goes.

Freestyle: 30 out of 30

Leave it to Derek to go the exact opposite of what we're used to with their freestyle: No extra dancers, no fancy lights, and no crazy sets. It's just Bindi and Derek and a soulful dance filled with love and emotion. Derek's goal was to put the feeling of her late dad in the dance and it really felt like he was there. Julianne told Bindi she's left an imprint on everyone's hearts. Bruno praised the duo for showing the power of dance in its most pure and effective form, and Carrie Ann let Bindi know she's pure joy to watch.

CARLOS PENAVEGA- 60 points total

Foxtrot: 30 out of 30

Carlos revisited his week two dance, the Foxtrot. He earned a very respectable 24 out of 30 for that dance, but the judges thought there was lots of room for improvement. He was visited in rehearsal by judge Bruno Tonioli, who told Carlos to work on his shoulders, his frame and his footwork. Boy did he listen. The judges called him most improved, unrecognizable and dynamic.

Freestyle: 30 out of 30

For the freestyle, Carlos and Witney went pure hip hop fun. His goal: celebrate the season! And to file in the "never been done before" category, the couple invited Paula Deen, Hayes Grier, and Carlos's wife, Alexa, to join them for a cameo. Carlos thought was to share this finale with those he loves. The judges all understood his motivation and applauded him for it. Julianne thought it showed how much of a stand-up guy he is. Bruno and Carrie Ann called him generous for sharing the stage.

ALEK SKARLATOS- 57 points total

Rumba: 27 out of 30

Carrie Ann Inaba is the visiting judge for Alek, and she wants to see him tackle the Rumba again. She's hoping his heightened overall confidence will help him in the hip action department. Alek gets embarrassed talking about sexy-time dances with Lindsay, who he considers a little sister. Carrie Ann gets a bit stern and told him this is the time to be serious about the competition. Once in the ballroom, his strength again showed, but not so much with the hips. All three judges called him out on weak hips, but they did applaud him for trying.

Freestyle: 30 out of 30

For the freestyle round, the pressure is on Lindsay. It's her first time making it this far in the competition. They come up with a very clever metaphor for their dance journey: the obstacle course. It's Army inspired and very creative. Bruno called the choreography outstanding. Julianne thought the dance was both physically and emotionally powerful, and Carrie Ann thinks this is one of those routines that will remembered for years to come.

SPOILER ALERT:

Safe to dance on Tuesday: Alek, Bindi and Nick. That means it was Carlos's time to hang up his dance shoes.

On part two of the finale, we'll see all 13 contestants return to the ballroom. The three finalists will each dance a repeat dance from this season. In the last element of competition, the couples will perform a new routine as part of a "24-Hour Fusion Challenge."

The remaining couples will fuse two contrasting dance styles that they've performed this season and they'll have less than 24 hours to prepare that dance for judges' points. At the end of the night, the winner of the coveted Mirror Ball trophy will be announced!