LOS ALAMITOS, CA – There’s a new reigning champion of the hit tv show, “Dancing With the Stars!” The show’s season 32 finale aired on Tuesday, Dec. 5, and revealed some exciting news for both the contestants, and the viewers. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD. 

“Dancing With the Stars” (DWTS) is a dance competition series in which 14 celebrities are paired in couples with 14 professional dancers. The couples dance once a week for 10 weeks to compete for the mirrorball trophy. Once a week, the couples dance in front of a live audience and three professional judges, and each competition day has a different theme. Some of the themes this season were Latin night, Disney100 night, Monster night, and Taylor Swift night. The couples train and dance for each competition, but at the end of each night, one couple is eliminated.

This season, the well-known mirrorball trophy was renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball to honor the passing of the DWTS head judge: Len Goodman. He was one of the first original judges, and was on the show for 17 years. Goodman passed at age 78 from bone cancer. 

Season 32 started off with 14 couples, but with eliminations every performance, only five couples remained during the semi-finals. Both viewers and contestants were excited, yet terrified, to see which four couples would make it to the finale. Unexpectedly, it was announced that all five of the couples would be competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball in the finale.

On Tuesday, there were five couples battling for the trophy: Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvinsev, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber, Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, and Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov. Each of the couples was to perform a “redemption dance,” a redo of their lowest scoring dance. For an opportunity to improve their scores, the stars were given private coaching advice from one of the professional judges. They were then to perform their new-and-improved dance live to hopefully score higher than their last try. 

After the redemption dances, each couple danced a freestyle round. The stars were able to express themselves with this number, and it was their last chance to win viewers’ votes. Lawson incorporated some of her former cheerleading skills in her freestyle dance, and Mraz gave an energetic performance with lots of fancy footwork.

Hannigan exemplified her gracious movements and love for Taylor Swift, while Gomez represented her Latin heritage and energetic personality. Madix showed everyone that girls run the world as she danced to a popular Beyoncé song. 

As the end of the night approached, it was time for the final reveal of the DWTS season 32 champion. Contestants were getting emotional as they lined up for the final time. Announced in order, fifth place: Hannigan, fourth place: Lawson, third place: Madix, second place: Mraz, and first place: Gomez. Happy and sad tears were shed as Gomez and Chmerkovskiy held the Len Goodman Mirrorballs in pride and drowned in confetti and hugs. 

Season 32 will not be the end of Dancing With the Stars, so look forward to tuning in to season 33 in the fall of 2024!