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SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from the Season 33 finale of Dancing with the Stars, including who wins the mirrorball trophy.
Dancing with the Stars has officially crowned a Season 33 winner.
No one went home last week, so five couples were competing in Tuesday night’s lengthy three-hour finale filled with reflections on the last nine episodes and some fun performances from the pros. Before we get to the winner, let’s go through each couple’s final two performances and see how they fared.
First up were the redemption dances, where the judges give each contestant an opportunity to revisit a style of dance they didn’t exactly nail, so they can showcase their improvements.
Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik with partner Rylee Arnold. The Olympic gymnast is ready to nail his Quick Step from the moment he steps in rehearsals. Prancing around the dance floor to the tune of The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There For You,” clad in all pink outfits, he and Arnold were “running on top gear,” judge Bruno Tonioli, who chose the Quick Step for them as a redemption dance, said after seeing the performance. Score: 29 out of 30.
The Bachelor‘s Joey Graziadei with partner Jenna Johnson. The reality TV star’s redemption dance, assigned by Derek Hough, is a Cha Cha. Graziadei first tackled that dance in Week 1, and Hough wants to see the couple bring it to “the next level,” so Johnson is making things a lot harder this time around. High risk, high reward. And, it paid off. “That wasn’t a redemption dance. That was a punctuation mark, letting everyone know you are a contender [for the mirrorball trophy],” Hough told Graziadei after the dance. Score: 30 out of 30.
Super Bowl Champion Danny Amendola with partner Witney Carson. The football pro has had quite the journey on Dancing with the Stars, and he’s ready to show how far he’s come with this redemption dance. Hough assigns Amendola and Carson the Tango, a dance he previously tacked in Week 1. This time around, the choreography is much more difficult, and Amendola can’t focus too hard because needs to show some more emotion to get the scores he’s hoping for. “You were as muscular as always, but the lines, the shape, the placement of the steps, you really tried very, very hard,” Tonioli told him. “You really put the work in, and it shows.” Score: 27 out of 30.
Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher with partner Alan Bersten. Tonioli wants to see Maher and Bersten tackle the Jive again. The Olympian knows it’s the perfect redemption dance for her to take on, but this time around, it’s the choreography is more complicated and the stakes are higher. Not that that mattered, because she killed it anyway. The improvements were so noticeable, and Carrie Ann Inaba gleefully declared: “Redemption is yours!” Score: 27 out of 30.
Chandler Kinney (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin) with partner Brandon Armstrong. Kinney is hoping for perfect scores again this week, but, like Maher, she’ll have to get through the Jive first. With a few more weeks of competition under her belt, she’s ready to revisit the dance, assigned by Inaba. The judges were very impressed, with Tonioli telling Kinney she went “beyond redemption” to a “triumph.” It’s no wonder she got a perfect score. Score: 30 out of 30.
And now, let’s take a look at those freestyles. One more dance before a winner is crowned!
Nedoroscik & Arnold. These two kick off the freestyle round, where all bets are off. Since there are no rules, Nedoroscik is determined to bring some of his gymnastics skills to the ballroom floor. Their bombastic final dance is set to “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and, of course, it features a pommel horse. Tonioli says the performance was “athletic and artistic at the same time,” and it brought Inaba to tears. It seems only fitting it earned them their first perfect score. Score: 30 out of 30.
Graziadei & Johnson. After earning a perfect score for their redemption Cha Cha, the former Bachelor needs to nail his freestyle for a chance at the mirrorball trophy. In this dance, Graziadei wants to showcase all that he’s learned over these 10 episodes, while also giving a nod to his tennis roots. Tennis rackets in hand, Graziadei and Johnson deliver an energetic freestyle that earns them plenty of praise from the judges, except for Inaba, who said it was a bit underwhelming. A stunned Hough and Tonioli disagreed. “How dare you, Carrie Ann? Joey, that was phenomenal,” Hough said. Score: 29 out of 30.
Amendola & Carson. Amendola’s freestyle is an opportunity for him to let loose and show off his strength. Carson says she wants to portray that “anything is possible” with this dance, so they go with a Barbie theme. Hough calls Amendola a “moment maker,” calling the dance “one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen on this show.” Score: 29 out of 30.
Maher & Bersten. After spending the season giving her all on the ballroom floor, Maher says she feels like she already won, even if she doesn’t bring home the trophy. Her freestyle to Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon” really does light up the dance floor. “You’re shining brighter than ever!” Tonioli tells her. Bersten can’t help but pick Maher up and spin her around when they earn their very first perfect score. Score: 30 out of 30.
Kinney & Armstrong. The actress closes out the night with a freestyle that highlights Kinney’s commitment to trying new things. There are lifts and tricks galore, as Kinney and Armstrong are gunning for that mirrorball trophy. The final competitive dance of the season gets a stamp of approval from the judges. Not only does the dance slay, it also honors the history these two are making by being the first Black couple to make it to the Dancing with the Stars finale. Score: 30 out of 30.
The contestants certainly didn’t make this decision easy for the fans or the judges, but the couple taking home the mirrorball is…Joey and Jenna!
