“Dancing with the Stars” concluded its thrilling 34th season with the Mirrorball Trophy awarded to Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, following a series of final dance performances, Baltimore Chronicle.
The finale featured five competing couples, including Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy; Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach; Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa; and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten. The winners were determined through a combination of live viewer votes and scores from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli.
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson impressed the judges with their quickstep to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet and later delivered a freestyle to “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii, earning consistent high scores. Irwin expressed gratitude, quoting his sister: “Thank you for changing my life,” while Carson shared that performing alongside him felt like a win in itself.
The finale opened with a high-energy dance number to “Never Can Say Goodbye” by The Communards and included returning cast members such as Lauren Jauregui, Andy Richter, Corey Feldman, Danielle Fishel, Hilaria Baldwin, Scott Hoying, Whitney Leavitt, and Baron Davis.
During the Judges’ Choice round, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy performed a samba to “Hip Hip Chin Chin,” earning perfect 10s, while Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach danced a paso doble to “Stampede,” scoring 28. Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten received 30 points for their rumba to “Take My Breath Away,” and Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa earned 29 points for their paso doble to “Breakin’ Dishes.”
The Instant Dance Challenge tested improvisation, with Earle performing a cha-cha to “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” by RAYE, Efron dancing a foxtrot to “Ordinary” by Alex Warren, Hendrix and Bersten completing a quickstep to “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes, Irwin and Carson performing a cha-cha to “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE, and Chiles and Sosa dancing a tango to “I Like It” by Alesso and Nate Smith. Most couples scored perfect 30s.
Freestyle routines concluded the night, with each pair delivering dynamic performances to songs including “Maneater,” “Sports Car,” “Something in the Heavens,” “I Hope I Get It,” and “Motivation,” maintaining perfect scores.
During preparations, Irwin faced severe rib pain, describing tension in his intercostal muscles, while Carson emphasized prioritizing his health. The finale was attended by a star-studded audience, including Bindi Irwin and Terri Irwin, season 33 contestant Stephen Nedoroscik, “Bachelor” star Kelsey Anderson, and Hendrix’s longtime friend Lisa Ann Walter.
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