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Salsa Circuit
With no shut eye in a staggering four nights, it's apt that this year's Dancing with the Stars champion, J.R Martinez, should arrive in the city that never sleeps at the crack of dawn today.
And the 28-year-old Iraq veteran turned soap star certainly proved that he's top of the heap when he ignored any fatigue to unleash his winning moves on Good Morning America.
Dressed in matching black, the pair smouldered like late night salsa partners in Madrid rather than an early morning turn on breakfast television, as he arrived with the gang ahead of a morning of interviews, he smiled and said: 'I haven't slept for four nights, and I feel fantastic!'
But they also graciously allowed space for third-placed Ricki Lake, who had been favourite and front-runner, to show off some impressive moves with her charismatic teacher, Derek Hough.
Runner-up Rob Kardashian was also on the winners tour of television shows in Manhattan, but appeared a little shell-shocked after all the excitement of the announcement, and the party on the six-hour flight from L.A to New York's JFK.
J.R. Martinez was announced as the winner of the 13th season of the show last night.
'First and foremost, I want to thank everybody who voted for us, for 10 weeks,' he said. 'Thank you, America, for believing in us.'
He also paid tribute to dance professional Karina, who won the contest for the first time.
The eliminated celebrity contestants surrounded the soap opera actor, with professional dancer Derek Hough hoisting him onto his shoulders.
Viewers had learned about J.R.'s heroic life story throughout the season of the hit show, hearing how he joined the U.S. military at the age of 19.
His life changed in 2003, when as a United States Army infantryman deployed in Iraq, the truck he was driving hit a land mine and the subsequent explosion resulted in burns over 40 percent of his body.
Meanwhile, runner-up Rob was just grateful for the experience.
'I'm super thankful,' he said. 'I'm definitely not sad. I won in my book.'
He again received support from the sidelines from his famous reality show family, with older sister Kim Kardashian not able to control her nerves following Ricki's elimination.
'Wow serious panic attack right about now!!!!! Someone just got eliminated!!! I don't want to spoil it but OMGGGGGGGGGGG,' she tweeted.
Rob's mother Kris Jenner was emotional as her son made it into the final two, and was seen with tears running down her face.
Following Ricki's elimination, Rob and J.R competed against each other for a final 'instant' samba to a cover of Ricky Martin's 1999 hit Shake Your Bon Bon.
He's done it! J.R. Martinez lifts the Mirrorball after winning the thirteenth season of the hit ABC show Dancing With The Stars, pictured here on Tuesday night's show
You can turn it on at will,' an impressed Bruno told J.R after his performance. 'You just bring it on and they love you. Rob last week you were over the rainbow but now you are in orbit!'
Carrie Ann told them: 'For one of you, that was your victory dance. But both of you are winners. That was a great way to end the season.'
The judges gave them each perfect 10s across the board, leaving J.R. with a total of 112, leaving Rob just out in front with a score of 113.
Earlier in the show, the three finalists had each reprised their favourite dance of the season to add to their judges' points from Monday's show, which combined with viewer votes for their total.
J.R's final jive dance was slightly more impressive than Rob's foxtrot, which may have given him the edge.
'You are such a catalyst for joy,' judge Carrie Ann Inaba told him, and he ended up with an impressive score of 28.
'You have such a sparkling personality and you light up this room,' Len added. .
Rob's dance received a 26, after a slight slip on the dance floor.
'You have improved beyond everybody's expectations,' Bruno said.
It was a disappointing night in the end for Ricki, 43, who had emerged as the favourite and leader after tonight's dance, when her scores from both shows were added together.
She received three perfect tens for her final tango where she and Derek danced to the Psycho theme tune.
Bruno dubbed it 'unforgettable,' and Carrie Ann said it was 'passionate and dramatic and beyond perfection' and Len labelled it 'one of the most memorable dances of this or any season.
He added: 'The first time round I really liked it. I loved it even more this time.'
In the end though, the audience's votes won out and Ricki was the first celebrity to be voted off.
'I've loved basically every minute of this,' she told co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet after her elimination.
'I really feel like I had the best partner, the best teacher, the best motivator. And I've done something that really didn't think I could do. For someone who's a middle age mom, I hope I made my children proud, my fiancé and my family.'
In a break in the middle of the show, fans were delighted to see performances from this season's eliminated contestants performing along with music from Lady Antebellum.
Carson Kressley danced to Madonna's 1990 hit song Vogue, and David Arquette performing a quickstep.
Chaz Bono, Elisabetta Canalis, and Nancy Grace also joined in the fun, getting their chance to shine again in solo numbers.
Kristin Cavallari and Mark Ballas also got another chance to shine after their shock elimination early in the season.
Hope Solo, who was in tears after being eliminated last week, also returned with her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Source:Daily Mail Reporter
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