After a groundbreaking 72 million votes were cast during the live finale of Dancing With The Stars, the winners of the 34th season were wild life conversionist Robert Irwin and his partner Whitney Carson. This dynamic duo earned the highest number of votes and points, outshining their fierce competitors Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovisky, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.
Irwin and Carson scored an outstanding 89/90 points last Tuesday and which were from a combination of their unbelievable technical improvements, emotional storytelling, and charming personality. The audience fell in love with this partnership which added to their securing of the Len Goodman mirrorball trophy.
For the first time in Dancing With the Stars history, the finale consisted of the stars learning three dances: a judges’ choice dance, an instant challenge dance, and the fan favorite, the freestyle. While this was already an immense challenge for each couple, Irwin had his own issue to deal with: dancing with a rib injury. With the intense stress all couples face in the final week, the challenge of learning three entirely new dances, and the added burden of physical pain, the audience worried about Robert’s performance on Tuesday night, but just like a true champion, Irwin performed three electrifying routines filled with flips, lifts, tricks, and difficult choreography.
Robert and Whitney’s freestyle went beyond showcasing technical skills and improvement in ballroom dancing. Throughout the season, the audience has noticed Robert grow not only as a ballroom dancer, but as a performer who conveys emotion and honors his late father, Steve Irwin, through his dancing ability. His freestyle was not just about winning, it was a passionate tribute to his father. With every movement, viewers could tell he danced with the intention of honoring Steve Irwin’s life.
With a combination of major ballroom improvement, heartfelt storytelling, emotion, and a love for Robert and Whitney’s partnership, Season 34’s Dancing With the Stars Finale set the stage for both personal and celebrity legacy to shine. The show remains as a place where emotional stories can be shown through ballroom dancing.
