The Wanted's Jay McGuiness topped the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard and brought tears to judge Darcey Bussell's eyes.
The denim-attired pop star and partner Aliona Vilani, currently the bookies' favourites to win, impressed with an emotional rumba to Falling Slowly by Once.
They were awarded 39 points, with judge Craig Revel Horwood giving a nine.
"You both brought tears to my eyes," former ballerina Bussell said. "That story you created, that intimacy, it was so real, it was really well done."
Head judge Len Goodman began his critique with a joke about the singer's jeans: "Jay, it's lovely of you to dress up!"
He added: "Tonight you've convinced me, you're a terrific dancer."
Fellow panellist Bruno Tonioli called it "irresistibly romantic" and Revel Horwood declared: "The hip action I could not complain about."
The popular BBC One ballroom series had a musical theme for its quarter-final.
Former Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote and partner Giovanni Pernice performed a foxtrot to Beauty And The Beast from the film of the same name.
"It was a fairy tale and it wasn't Grimm," said head judge Goodman.
Tonioli agreed, saying "You were a picture of loveliness" as she was awarded 36 points.
EastEnders actress Kellie Bright ended the night on the same amount of points as her fellow soap star.
Alongside partner Kevin Clifton, they danced a rip-roaring Viennese waltz to Oom Pah Pah from Oliver.
"It was like a knees-up down the Old Vic. It was great!" said Goodman.
Tonioli enthused: "You owned it! It was a Viennese waltz by the people, for the people!"
TV presenter Anita Rani and professional Gleb Savchenko's Argentine tango to Chicago's Cell Block Tango earned 31 points.
Revel Horwood was booed by the audience as he delivered a less than positive critique.
"This dance has unfortunately exposed all your weak points," he told Rani.
However, Goodman disagreed. "I thought you did it spectacularly well," he stated.
BBC broadcaster Katie Derham and partner Anton Du Beke were criticised for their slow start as they danced a foxtrot to Maybe This Time from Cabaret.
"It was a bit long-winded getting started," Goodman observed as she picked up 35 points from the panel.
Call The Midwife actress Helen George and Strictly's Aljaz Skorjanec ended up in fifth place on 34 points.
The duo performed a paso doble to At The End Of The Day from Les Miserables.
"There was so much going on, I felt punched by it," said Tonioli.
Judge Bussell stated: "The energy was there and the intent."
Another celebrity will be shown leaving the competition in tonight's show at 7.20pm.