It has only been one week since the finale of “Dancing with the Stars,” but I already miss being irrationally invested in ballroom dancing on Tuesday nights. As a current dancer and long-time fan of the show, the “Dancing with the Stars” finale is like my Super Bowl. For nine weeks, every seat in my living room was full of eager viewers. Unfortunately, the finale fell on Thanksgiving break so I couldn’t watch with my roommates, but our group chat was buzzing with texts throughout the entire three-hour special.
The finale challenged the five remaining competitors to a redemption dance and a freestyle. This gave them a chance to redo a dance style they have previously done, and also choreograph a dance that is completely their own — with no rules or guidelines.
Stephen Nedoroscik, Ilona Maher, Danny Amendola, Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney have all worked incredibly hard the entire season, and the finale was no different.
In the redemption dance round, Joey and Chandler blew me away. Joey tackled the cha-cha, his first-ever dance on the show. His improvement is so impressive, and watching him redo the cha-cha was clear proof of this. Joey’s personality shines through when he dances, making him a joy to watch on the stage. Between his partner Jenna’s lively choreography, his quick footwork and their neon green costumes, this dance earned them a perfect score of 30/30.
Chandler performed an electric redemption jive. I think it is undeniable that she was the most talented dancer this season, and this jive showcased her talents perfectly. Her partner, Brandon (one of my personal favorites), choreographed a fun, challenging and energetic jive. Brandon’s choreography all season has been immaculate, and he did not disappoint for his first time in the finals. This upbeat jive scored a perfect score and is one of my favorite jives ever on this show.
After each competitor did their redemption dance, it was time for everyone’s favorite: the freestyle round. Each freestyle was so engaging and entertaining for different reasons. Starting the freestyle round off strong was Stephen Nedoroscik, a.k.a. Pommel Horse Guy, with my favorite freestyle of the evening. His partner, Rylee Arnold, choreographed a beautiful piece to Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” which showcased Stephen’s strength, dance abilities and gymnastics skills.
Football star Danny Amendola and his partner Witney Carson performed an iconic Barbie-themed freestyle to “I’m Just Ken” and “Pink” from the Barbie movie. While I do wish there was more actual dance content in this number, I can’t deny that the overall production was very entertaining. Not to mention that Danny and Witney truly looked just like Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in this dance.
Bachelor Joey Graziadei swept the stage with a tennis-themed freestyle, paying homage to his passion pre-fame. Fully equipped with glow-up tennis rackets as props, this piece was a joy to watch from start to finish. However, judge Carrie Ann Inaba commented that this routine was “underwhelming,” which garnered booing from the audience and my jaw hitting the floor. As die-hard Joey fans, my roommate group chat was not happy about that remark, to say the least.
Ilona Maher performed a freestyle to Chappel Roan’s “Femininomenon” in what was such an empowering and fun piece to watch. All season, Ilona has been redefining beauty, strength and femininity, making her an easy fan favorite. This freestyle encompassed everything that Ilona stands for, and I have been rewatching it over and over again since Tuesday.
Chandler and Brandon’s freestyle brought something to the ballroom stage that had never been seen before. Not only are they the first all-Black couple to reach the finals, but they also put on the first all-Black dance that the show has ever seen. This will go down in history as one of the most impactful and memorable freestyles ever. They paid homage to the Nicholas Brothers and danced to honor each Black performer who came before them. It was a fun, lively and truly impeccable piece.
The night ended with crowning the new Mirror Ball Champion — what we have waited all season for. Taking fifth place was Danny, surpassed by Stephen who secured fourth. Chandler came in third, shocking and upsetting some fans. Ilona ended up in second place, deeming Joey the newest winner of “Dancing with the Stars.” Personally, I was thrilled at this outcome. I had been rooting for Joey to win for weeks now. He showed so much growth, passion and personality, which is what this show is all about. I do think Chandler should have ended up in second based on skill level alone, but Ilona won over audiences’ hearts and secured enough viewer votes to place her as runner-up.
Overall, my eyes were glued to the screen for the full three-hour special. My only gripe is that I had wished that they opened the show with a captivating professional dancer number rather than by recapping the season. Other than this, I was highly impressed and entertained by each of the contestants and pros in the finale, and I will miss seeing them on my screen every Tuesday night.
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