As an avid Dancing with the Stars fan since early childhood (you’re a true fan if you remember moments such as Rob Kardashian being a top contender, Meryl and Maks’ iconic tango, and Bobby Bones unexpectedly winning the Mirrorball), I have been tuning in every Tuesday night for the last few weeks. After gaining a sense of the amount of technique, showmanship, and degree of fan base strength the remaining couples possess throughout the duration of the season, I have made predictions regarding who will ultimately win. Here are my thoughts:
Note: Last season, five couples advanced to the finale of their season. If this is the case for Season 34, these are the couples that I believe will compete against each other in the season’s final episode!
Winners: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
On top of their apparent level of skill from the very first week of the competition, viewers know that this couple is the definition of charismatic. Not to jinx anything (!), but it seems as though the odds are in this pairing’s favor: Witney is long overdue for a Mirrorball, Robert’s older sister won her season of the show, they consistently demonstrate expertise, have an extremely strong fan base, the list goes on!
Runners-Up: Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
There’s no doubt that Whitney and Mark are extremely talented; they never fail to bring a show-stopping performance to the dance floor, often earning scores that place them at the top of the leaderboard. However, many believe Whitney has a “mean-girl” attitude (take a look at the viral clip of the smile on her face as Jen Affleck was eliminated), which may put a damper on the amount of fan votes the couple needs.
Third Place: Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
An especially consistent pairing this season, Alix and Val certainly have a chance of bringing home the Mirrorball Trophy. Alix also has a fan base that is difficult for most of the competition to match up to, so it will be interesting to see how much of a role these components will play in bringing her to the finale.
Fourth Place: Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Arguably the most improved couple of the season, Jordan and Ezra always bring a smile to my face when I watch their performances. If you remember Ezra’s debut season, you know that it is so refreshing to see him demonstrate his choreography skills and high performance quality. I am undoubtedly rooting for them to make it to the finale!
Fifth Place: Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
With Elaine and Alan not participating in Week 7’s live taping due to an injury on Elaine’s part (their scores were relatively low for this point in the competition, as they were solely judged on their dress rehearsal video), Dylan’s week-to-week improvement and his overall appeal to the show’s younger demographic may very well earn him a spot in the finale.
With the finale scheduled for November 25th, I know what my Tuesday night will look like about three weeks from now! Let’s see if these predictions become reality…