This 34th season of Dancing With the Stars sparkled, and easily became a fan favorite across the country. Wrapping up on November 25th, we got to see incredible performances from Robert Irwin, Alix Earle, Jordan Chiles, Elaine Hendrix and Dylan Efron in the finale. There was a whirlwind of close competition and voting off the charts, eventually leading us to the crowning of the Len Goodman Mirrorball champion, Robert Irwin and his partner Witney Carson. With only a small margin of point differential and viewer votes, it was a close call between Irwin and Alix Earle, who placed second.
Taking it back to Week 1, this season was built for the spotlight. The ballroom was electric with new faces from Danielle Fischel, famously known as Topanga, Whitney Leavitt from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Scott Hoying from Pentatonix, Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony, as well as many other beloved celebs.
Each week delivered something shiny and new. A dedication night, where for the first time ever, couples dedicated a dance to someone important in their lives. These loved ones were brought out to the ballroom floor to join the performance. With guest appearances of little siblings, parents, spouses, and fellow costars, this week definitively brought tears to many eyes. Another popular theme was Wicked night, in honor of the new movie Wicked: For Good, where Elaine literally defied gravity, bringing Carrie Ann to tears, and underdog Andy Richter earned his highest score of the season. And week nine, a 20th Anniversary reunion, where instead of dancing with their professional partner, the celebrities were paired up with a former Mirrorball winner. We got to see Rashad Jennings, Rumer Willis, Xochitl Gomez, and more. Dancing with a different partner gave the celebrities a new way to showcase their talents.
Ten weeks of captivating, themed dances eventually brought us to the end, giving us five incredible finalists. In the finale, each couple had three dances; judge’s choice, instant dance, and the infamous freestyle. This created new challenges for the couples as they did not know what style or music they would be dancing to until minutes prior. By the end of the night Alix Earle topped the leaderboard with a perfect 90/90 while Robert Irwin followed with 89/90 and Jordan, Dylan, and Elaine earning an 89, 88, and 87 respectively. It all came down to the final fan voting, with the judges scores being so close and the crowd held its breath, knowing a single vote could tip the scales. Ultimately, the Mirrorball found its way home to Robert and Witney, closing out another unforgettable season.