Dancing With the Stars Finale Recap

It’s all led to this. We started in September with 13 stars vying for the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy. On Tuesday night, the final five competed in an epic Dancing With the Stars finale showcase as a new champion was crowned.

History on the Line

Tuesday’s episode was a celebration of all these couples and some potential history. No male Bachelor contestant has ever won the Mirror Ball, which gave Joey Graziadei and his partner Jenna Johnson some added motivation. That showed up in their first-round redemption dance as they earned a perfect 30-out-of-30 for their Cha-Cha. Later, in their tennis-themed freestyle, Joey and Jenna earned 29, to give them an additional 59 in judges scores for a total of 117.

But it would come down to viewers votes.

All five couples had strong moments. Chandler Kinney and her partner Brandon Armstrong earned back-to-back perfect scores. First was for their redemption dance, a Jive. They closed the competition with a freestyle that showcased and highlighted the history of Black culture and dance.

The Olympians also earned their first perfect scores. Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten earned a perfect score for their freestyle, which was an ode to strong women. Stephen Nedoriscik and Rylee Arnold also earned a perfect score for their freestyle, which showcased Stephen’s talent as a gymnast, even incorporating the Pommel Horse into the routine.

Danny Amendola and Witney Carson, meanwhile, turned their freestyle dance into a recreation of the movie Barbie. It showcased Danny’s strength in a number of special moves and lifts that earned them as solid 29.

The Final Count

When each couple completed two dances and all the votes were tallied, the final results were announced. Danny and Witney took fifth, Stephen and Rylee were fourth, and Chandler and Brandon landed in third place.

That left Joey and Jenna along with Ilona and Alan as the final couples left standing. In the end, Joey and Jenna finished atop the voting and he became the first Bachelor to capture the Mirror Ball Trophy. Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher finished second.

It was a fun season with some amazing competition. The show will return for a new season next Fall, but Joey and Jenna will be joining the pros on tour in select cities this winter.