Cher Cries As Chaz Earns Highest Score Yet

Chaz Bono performed a rousing paso doble with dance partner Lacey Schwimmer to the theme from Rocky, earning his highest score yet of 21 as his mother Cher stood applauding wildly with tears in her eyes.

It was movie theme night on ABC's competition series Dancing With The Stars and Bono, who is battling a knee injury, calls the 1976 Oscar-winning best picture one of the first films he saw about an underdog and says he wanted to be just like the title character. Bono and Schwimmer starred in a boxing montage that featured a cameo by fitness guru Richard Simmons.

"In the true spirit of Rocky, no matter how many knocks you take, you keep coming back, you keep fighting, you keep getting stronger," judge Bruno Tonioli said, while Len Goodman said Bono turned in his best performance of the competition. Carrie Ann Inaba also had tears in her eyes, saying she found Bono's desire to succeed

Bono said it was "amazing" and "special" to have his mother and other family members in the audience and he feels really good about his score.

To learn how to vote for Bono and Schwimmer, click here.