This season finale of Dancing With The Stars was unlike any other. For the first time, five couples competed for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in the three-hour episode. This season has definitely been one of my favorites. Everyone, and I mean everyone, improved so much each week and I’ve loved every second of it. All five of the final couples bring something different to the ballroom, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
The couples were tasked with performing two dances: a redemption dance selected by the judges and a freestyle dance. Eliminated stars and former winners came together to see who would be crowned this season’s champions. Along with the amazing final dances, the finale had some special performances including a dance by Season 31 winners Charli D’amelio and Mark Ballas and a live performance of “I Feel Like Dancing” by finalist Jason Mraz.
Round 1: Redemption Dances
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber
Starting the night, Alyson and Sasha performed a salsa to “Get On Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan. Before we get into this dance, I want to give a shout-out to Alyson for making it this far in the competition. She always looks like she’s having the time of her life on the dance floor, and that energy is what makes her so special. With that being said, this was not my favorite dance we’ve seen from her this season. There was nothing I disliked about it but there also wasn’t anything that I especially loved.
My Score: 7/10
Judges’ Score: 25/30
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
Early in the competition if you told me Jason would be in the finale, I would not bat an eye. He gives 110% every time he dances and he’s so fun to watch. It’s important to know that I’m not a fan of the slower dances, but this is one of the few that I really liked. This foxtrot to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” was beautiful and elegant. Some of his recent dances have felt like he was holding back, but he put his heart and soul into this dance and it paid off.
My Score: 10/10
Judge’s Score: 30/30
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
Next up, Ariana gave us a samba dance to “Spice Up Your Life” by the Spice Girls. She has been one of my favorite stars to watch this season because she is phenomenal. She looks like one of the pros, especially in the last few weeks. She’s perfected the balance between giving a great performance and maintaining the technique of the dance. Unfortunately, this dance fell short to me and I just did not like it. It felt rushed and there were a few too many mistakes for a finale dance. Bruno and Derek absolutely loved this dance, completely ignoring all of the mistakes. Carrie Ann was the only brave soul who pointed out them, suffering a wave of boos from the crowd. There are very few times when I agree with Carrie Ann Inaba, but this is one of those times.
My Score: 7/10
Judges’ Score: 29/30
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvinsky
If you didn’t already know, I am not a dancer by any means so the only things I judge these dances on are personal taste and how entertained I was. Charity is a great technical dancer; she works really hard to ensure that every individual move is done perfectly. While good technique is important, I think her laser focus on each tiny detail hurts her more than it helps her. Her dances almost feel like a chore. This tango to “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla is a perfect example of another technically beautiful dance that was lacking in emotion. I wish that she would let go and have more fun because it really would make her dances 10 times better.
My Score: 8/10
Judges’ Score: 29/30
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Closing out this first round, Xochitl and Val gave the performance of a lifetime. Xochitl has consistently been one of my favorite dancers all season. Week after week, she continues to impress me and brings amazing energy to the ballroom. I said before that I’m not a fan of a slower dance but her foxtrot to Katy Perry’s “Unconditional” was just perfect. Besides the one tiny flaw I spotted, it was flawless! I absolutely loved this dance and would give it a perfect score too.
My Score: 10/10
Judges’ Score: 30/30
Round 2: Freestyle Dances
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber
Before I say anything, I want to ask for the Swifites and die-hard How I Met Your Mother fans to not come for me. With that being said, I was not a huge fan of this dance. I think Alyson looks best when she’s in a beautiful costume, dancing in-frame to a beautiful song. When this routine started, I was pleased to see exactly that. But then, it took a turn and when the music changed to “Papi” by Jennifer Lopez, she lost me. I know Taylor Swift night was two weeks ago but I would have preferred if she chose another princessy Taylor song to follow “Enchanted.” Maybe “Long Live” to say thanks to the fans for following her on this journey. I do have to say I applaud her for dabbing on live TV, especially in the finale of DWTS. Bonus points for that!
My Score: 8/10
Judges’ Score: 28/30
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
I absolutely loved this dance! To go from a slow, classic foxtrot to a fast, exciting routine like this is hard, but Jason does it beautifully. His footwork is impeccable, his facial expressions were dynamic, and he did not miss a beat. He glides across the dance floor so effortlessly and is having the time of his life. I can feel his joy through the screen and was smiling ear to ear throughout the whole performance. I just can’t get enough of Jason Mraz! This is how you do a freestyle dance!
My Score: 11/10 (No, this is not a typo. I mean 11/10)
Judges’ Score: 30/30
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
Ever since music video night, I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting to see a freestyle dance from Ariana. That night, she proved that she is a force to be reckoned with as she kept the audience locked on her, even while she was surrounded by professional dancers. The girl can really dance! The concept of this routine deserves a 10 on its own with the amazing music, choreography, and costumes. But I felt like this was more of Pasha’s shining moment than Ariana’s. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him, especially when they broke apart and had their own choreography. The best part was when the music slowed down and Ariana finally had her breakout moment. I’m not exactly sure what it is but it felt like there was something missing, just like in her samba earlier in the night.
My Score: 9/10
Judges’ Score: 30/30
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvinsky
The freestyle dances are my favorite part of the DWTS finales because we get to really see the stars’ personalities and performance abilities shine. Charity decided to revisit her competitive cheer days with this cheer-inspired freestyle dance. This was a high-energy routine filled with lifts, flips, and cheer stunts. It was a jam-packed routine and very entertaining, but had little to no ballroom dancing. Freestyle has no rules but I think it’s expected for the couples to actually dance. She served all-star cheer realness, but I wasn’t a big fan. I would have loved to see her do a more emotional, contemporary style for this freestyle like we saw in her Most Memorable Year dance in week Five.
My Score: 8/10
Judges’ Score: 30/30
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Just when I thought I couldn’t love Xochitl anymore, she came out and did this. This show showcases a number of Latin styles of dance and I loved that she took this opportunity to pay homage to her culture. Also, who knew Val could play the violin? She went in and out of frame so seamlessly and I feel that she especially shined in the second half of the dance. This was just a fun routine to watch and she did it with ease. Her dancing is like a breath of fresh air and I couldn’t get enough of this dance!
My Score: 11/10 (Again, this is not a typo. They deserved it!)
Judges’ Score: 30/30
The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy Goes To…
Xochitl and Val were crowned the champions of this season! This couple was a match made in Heaven and are so deserving of the win. At only 17 years old, Xochitl has a bright future ahead and can add DWTS winner to her already impressive resumé.
The places of the other couples were:
2nd Place: Jason and Daniella
3rd Place: Ariana and Pasha
4th Place: Charity and Artem
5th Place: Alyson and Sasha