After an exhilarating 11-week competition for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, the stars brought charisma, Christmas cheer, and a cascade of confetti to the season finale. The evening kicked off with a redemption round, where the five finalist couples aimed to showcase their improvement in dance styles that previously earned them low scores.
Alyson Hannigan started the redemption round with a spirited salsa, impressing the judges and reflecting on her journey from early struggles to the finale. Following suit, Jason Mraz delivered a classic foxtrot, earning three perfect 10s for his performance. Pasha and Ariana Madix tackled the challenging samba, with Ariana executing it to perfection and receiving a 10 from judge Derek Hough. Charity Lawson soared to new heights with a tango that left the judges impressed, and Xochitl Gomez closed the redemption round with a flawless foxtrot, earning a perfect score.
Reigning champs Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas returned for a vivacious Latin routine, celebrating Mark’s new role as a dad. The holiday spirit took center stage with a holly jolly routine featuring pros, Alfonso Ribeiro, Julianne Hough, and special guests from past seasons.
Then came the fan-favorite freestyle round, where each star infused their routines with unique flair. Charity wowed with cheerleading-inspired flips and lifts, while Jason’s happy dance earned praise from the judges. Ariana delivered an empowering performance to “Run the World (Girls),” receiving a perfect score. Alyson paid homage to her American Pie character, and Xochitl honored her heritage with an earth-shaking freestyle to “Que Calor.”
After two rounds of dances, added to last week’s scores, here’s how the couples landed on the leaderboard:
- Xochitl & Val: 120 out of 120
- Charity & Artem: 118 out of 120
- Ariana & Pasha: 117 out of 120
- Jason & Daniella: 117 out of 120
- Alyson & Sasha: 104 out of 120
In a suspenseful moment, last season’s champ Charli returned to announce the winners. Amidst a downpour of confetti, the Dancing With the Stars Season 32 champions were revealed to be Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy! Congratulations to the winning pair on their well-deserved victory.