The season 32 winner of Dancing with the Stars has officially been announced!
The most recent season concluded on Tuesday night’s show, with Marvel actress Xochitl Gomez and her professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy declared the winners of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. The trophy was formally renamed in September when veteran head judge Len Goodman passed away.
Singer Jason Mraz, actress Alyson Hannigan, Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix, and Bachelorette star Charity Lawson were all defeated by Xochitl and Val.
Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro welcomed the five finalists and celebrated them as they were ready to battle for the winner’s title, which was a first for the show. This created a high energy atmosphere in the ballroom right away.
The judges, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba, gave their unique perspectives on what each contestant brought to the ballroom and why they might win it all before the dances began.
The season 32 pros and their celebrity partners made a comeback appearance in the cast’s opening dance sequence, which also saw the five finalists descend from the ceiling while hanging on their own disco balls to enter the ballroom.
In addition, season 32 contestant Barry Williams performed in another shirtless picture, while season 31 champions Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas gave a retrospective in this show.
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The season 5 star and race car driver Hélio Castroneves, the former pro Witney Carson, the season 28 champion and former Bachelorette Hannah Brown, and the season 24 champion and NFL player Rashad Jennings made an unexpected appearance during the pros’ Christmas-themed dance that took place halfway through the finale.
A live performance of “I Feel Like Dancing” by finalist Jason Mraz was given in front of the judges, Derek Hough, and pros.
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FIRST ROUND: REDEMPTION DANCE
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber
Alyson Hannigan, who previously starred in How I Met Your Mother, acknowledged that she believed Alfonso “made a mistake” when she was revealed as a finalist. The actress then talked about her time on the show, chuckling as she described how she started out “terrible” but gradually got better. The Viennese waltz served as her “turning point,” however Sasha claimed that week eight was when she had her “breakthrough.”
After saying, “I cannot believe the things that I’ve done here,” Alyson invited Carrie Ann to join her in practises so she could help them perfect their redemption salsa to Gloria Estefan’s “Get on Your Feet.”
Alyson broke down in tears during rehearsal due to the pressure to “do her very best,” but Carrie Ann encouraged her to find her “feminine power” and even helped her get past some emotional blocks.
Derek agreed, saying he thought their dance showed off Alyson’s “confidence [and] joy” and that she “owned that crowd tonight.” Bruno was on his feet, expressing how much he loved seeing Alyson’s “confidence blossom.” Carrie Ann praised the progress Alyson has made, saying she has “grace and confidence now” and she’s “so proud” of her.
After the show, Alyson’s fellow DWTS contestant Harry Jowsey, who was the underdog among the finalists, couldn’t contain his joyous tears as he told her he was “so proud” of her for making it to the final.
25 out of 30
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Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
As they reflected on their time on DWTS, singer Jason Mraz and professional Daniella Karagach celebrated making it to the finale. Jason’s journey wasn’t easy; he had a rough patch in the middle of the competition that affected his scores, but as Daniella pointed out, he really found his groove in week 9.
Bruno was especially worried about Jason’s shoulders and frame, but Jason accepted the constructive criticism well. When Bruno arrived for rehearsals, he announced that Jason would be dancing a redemption Foxtrot to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.”
“Now I’ve had 10+ weeks dancing in the ballroom,” Jason stated to the cameras. “My confidence is stronger and my body has hardened, I need everything to go right.”
Following the dance, Carrie Ann encouraged Jason to host a “Las Vegas residency” and praised him for “having fun.” Derek was also impressed by his control and frame, saying, “Jason, I loved it.” Bruno was on his feet, calling the dance “fantastic” and saying, “Len would love this, it was pure, classic, ballroom Foxtrot.”
Jason and Daniella were both brought to tears in the skybox when they considered their development.
30/30 is the score.
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Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
Lisa Vanderpump, a fellow VPR star who was seated in the audience, introduced Ariana Madix, star of Vanderpump Rules, saying she was “so proud of her.”
Ariana was ecstatic to make it into the finale during rehearsals, describing her trip as “incredible” and “crazy.” Reflecting on her development, Pasha couldn’t help but highlight how Ariana “pushed through” in spite of her injuries.
Ariana and Pasha were practising a redemption Samba to the Spice Girls song “Spice Up Your Life” when Derek entered the room. “To have Derek come into rehearsals, that’s like Beyoncé giving you vocal lessons,” Ariana teased the cameras.
“In order to redeem myself, I have to be a perfect dancer,” Ariana declared, and Derek gave Pasha and Ariana advice on how to position their arms and keep their feet closed.
The audience was up dancing after Ariana’s dance, and it looked like she had another special visitor in attendance: Katie Maloney, a fellow VPR star.
Carrie Ann was proud of Ariana’s “refinement” in the moves, but noted that she “got a little ahead of the music.” Derek praised Ariana, calling her the “Samba queen,” and commended her for doing the “difficult” routine “effortlessly.” Bruno pointed out how Ariana “works every movement” and was left speechless by the routine.
Ariana responded to the judges’ comments by saying she was just happy to be able to say that she had danced with Derek Hough.
29 out of 30
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Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev
Aside from getting engaged to her fellow Bachelorette competitor Dotun Olubeko, Charity remarked that reaching the DWTS finale was “the best feeling”.
She remarked, “It’s so exciting to say I made it and I’m here,” as she thought back on her roller coaster ride on the competition, during which she frequently received helpful feedback from the judges.
Charity listened to Carrie Ann’s criticism and included it into their routine, telling the cameras that ‘I am taking every single bit of her advise because it’s the finale, it’s now or never’.
Derek was on his feet and called the routine “the best dance of the night so far,” calling it “captivating,” “fierce,” and “so strong.” Bruno agreed, noting that their dance was “impeccably elegant” and “sleek.” Carrie Ann praised the “connection” between Charity and Artem and called the routine “amazing.” However, she did point out a mistake in their dance.
Charity mentioned Carrie Ann’s influence during rehearsals in the skybox, adding, “It really made the difference.”
29 out of 30
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Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Xochitl Gomez, a Marvel star, and Val Chmerkovskiy celebrated reaching the finale. Xochitl expressed her gratitude to the cameras, saying she was “really proud” of her accomplishments and experience in dance. “Being here and making it this far, it’s pretty unbelievable,” she added.
Bruno told Xochitl and Val that they would be dancing a redemption Foxtrot to Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally” when he came at rehearsals. Xochitl promised to follow Bruno’s advise and “make him proud”— while also getting a perfect score.
When asked how important the final dances are, she stated, “Anything lower than a 10 is gonna be a little bit scary.”
After the performance, Carrie Ann described the dance as “breathtakingly beautiful” and emphasised how effortlessly Xochitl makes dancing look easy. Derek termed it “smooth as silk” and said Xochitl should be “so proud” of herself. Bruno praised Xochitl’s “musicality” and added “it is a delight watching you.”
Xochitl was worried that her first dance of the evening would not win her a flawless score, but it seemed that her worries were unwarranted.
30/30 is the score.
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SECOND ROUND: FREESTYLE
Alyson and Sasha were at the bottom of the leaderboard with 76/90, while Xochitl and Val were at the top with a 90/90 (their redemption round score plus their scores from last week). This was before the freestyle round.
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev
“It’s been so rewarding seeing myself change over the course of time,” Charity told Artem, breaking down in tears during practises as she prepared to perform her final dance on Dancing with the Stars.
Because she cheered when she was younger, Charity chose to include cheering into her freestyle performance. “I am among the best of the best so I have to do something extra to stand out,” Charity said.
But during rehearsals, Charity broke her jaw, which required an ambulance ride to the hospital. Fearing she wouldn’t be able to open her mouth, Charity eventually went backstage after it was determined there were no fractures or major injuries. “Nothing is gonna stop me from bringing home the mirrorball,” Charity vowed.
Derek commented that he felt she had “been waiting all season to do that” and that “I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like that in the history of Dancing with the Stars!” The judges were raving about her high-energy performance, which included flips, throws, and cartwheels to the songs “Lose My Breath” by Destiny’s Child and “Suéltate” by Sam i & Jarina De Marco featuring Anitta & BIA.”
Carrie Ann called the routine “perfection,” but Bruno felt it should have been on the Super Bowl.
30/30 is the score.
In total, 118
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Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach
Reflecting on their experience together on the dance competition series, Jason and Daniella were also brought to tears during rehearsal. Jason selected C2C’s “Happy” starring Derek Martin for the freestyle round.
He also expressed his amazement at how much he has changed, saying, “When I look back at some of the dances, I can’t believe it’s me.” He felt the song was a perfect choice since it was about making the decision to “face your fears and find your happiness, and that’s been my journey on this show.”
Jason declared that he would not give up and that he would “dance without fear of being judged,” even though he was executing the “most intense routine that I’ve ever had to pull off.”
“I fought my way into this finale,” he stated. “I’m gonna give it my all and prove I have what it takes to win that mirrorball.”
Derek closed the judges’ comments with, “You didn’t just try, my friend, you succeeded.” Carrie Ann complimented Jason for sharing his “vulnerable” experience and called it “wonderful.” Bruno declared their dance to be “out of this world.” That was really amazing!”
30/30 is the score.
Sum total: 117
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Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov
“This is everything,” Ariana remarked prior to her freestyle, recognising the significance of the dance.
“If it wasn’t for you, being partnered with you, I don’t think I would know what I was capable of,” she added, complimenting Pasha on his DWTS relationship. “This experience has taught me that I can trust my partner, even if he’s just my dance partner… I no longer undervalue myself because of the entire event.”
Ariana, who called last year the “most insane year of my life,” said she was “so thrilled to be ending it on such an amazingly positive note,” adding that she feels like she’s been “rediscovered at 38 years old.” that I may be able to keep doing what I love now that my passions have been rekindled.”
“Dancing with the Stars might very well be the beginning of the rest of my life,” she stated.
The judges and audience were upbeat when Ariana and Pasha performed a mix of Beyoncé’s “Run The World (Girls)” and Ciara’s “Level Up.” Their confident routine had them dancing.
Following their dance, Derek declared he was “living it,” complimented Ariana on how she “shined in that routine,” and termed the routine “hot as hell.” Carrie Ann commented that “that was off the charts” and thanked her for showcasing how she was so “empowered.”
30/30 is the score.
Sum total: 117
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Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber
Even after seeing herself at the grand finale, Alyson admitted that she was still in disbelief but was pleased of her accomplishments.
“I entered this to demonstrate to my children that I wouldn’t let fear stop me, and I’ve demonstrated this to myself even more than to them,” she remarked. I’ve developed greatly and learned a great deal.”
“I will always be incredibly appreciative of this experience,” she continued. “Now that I’m here, I am gonna go for it and I’m gonna finish big … winning the mirrorball would be a dream come true, one that I didn’t believe was even possible!”
Alyson chose to dance a mash-up of Jennifer Lopez’s “Papi” and Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” as was to be expected. Alyson used a phrase from her classic performance in the movie, “This one time, on Dancing with the Stars, I made it to the finals!” to further hint at the American Pie theme in the routine.
Alyson was dubbed the “people’s champion” by Bruno, Carrie Ann lauded her “beautiful lines and lifts,” and Derek termed the dance “fantastic” since she “came out here every single week and gave it your call.” She also said that “everything came together.”
28 out of 30
In total, 104
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Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
Not only did Xochitl tell Val she never regretted being on the show, but she also said there was never a “moment of ever saying, ‘Man I wish I wasn’t on this show.'” She attributed this emotion to her “amazing” collaboration with Val and thanked him for “allowing me to be myself.”
“I’ve been on projects where a lot of people don’t listen to what I say… so being here and being able to have that is really nice,” she stated.
As for Val, he claimed that having Xochitl as a father during the off-season enabled him to “empower” her. “It definitely changed everything. There’s a sense of nurturing and protectiveness that I felt this season more than ever,” he stated.
Xochitl promised during preparations to include elements of her culture, referring to it as “one of the most hype freestyle dances” viewers will ever see on DWTS. She continued, “Winning with him would be awesome.”
The duo danced to “Que Calor” by District 78 for the freestyle round. Bruno hailed their dance “exceptional” and complimented the young actress for being able to “live the dance with you” as the audience erupted into a “Xochitl” shout afterwards.
Thanking Xochitl for her self-representation and cultural heritage, Carrie Ann observed that the dance revealed a new, “courageous” side of her and that they “danced as one.”
Derek emphasised their relationship by referring to Xochitl as the “most captivating, charamistic dancer on this show.”
30/30 is the score.
Sum total: 120
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RESULTS
It was finally time to announce the season 32 winner after an exciting evening filled with outstanding performances, celebrity ballroom returns, and thrilling moments. Prior to that, the finalists’ nearest and dearest friends and relatives sent them some inspirational words of love.
Alfonso and Julianne then disclosed that Alyson and Sasha were the couple ranked fifth. Charity and Artem came in fourth, while Ariana and Pasha took third.
Xochitl, Val, Jason, and Daniella were the last two people standing. After that, Charli D’Amelio made her way back to the ballroom floor to give the winners the mirrorball trophy.
Xochitl and Val were declared the victors of season 32 in the closing seconds.
When they were lifted onto their costars’ shoulders and confetti dropped from the ceiling, Xochitl exclaimed, “Oh my gosh!” through tears.
Full episodes of Dancing with the Stars season 32 are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
