It was a Winter holiday celebration for the second night of the finale on Dancing With the Stars! And it all ended with Laurie and Val reigning victorious, making Laurie Hernandez the youngest contestant to ever win the show!
And for the last time this season, here are Julia Delbel’s, Paul Bentley’s, and Fangirl’s final thoughts on the finale and season 23 of DWTS!
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Julianne Hough, Bruno Tonioli]
The 24-Hour Fusion Dance Challenge
The three couples that made it to the second night of the finale had less than twenty-four hours to choreograph, practice, and perform a dance that implemented two dance styles together.
James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess
Viennese Waltz/Foxtrot Fusion: Over and Over Again by Nathan Sykes, featuring Ariana Grande
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Perfect Fusion Dance Score
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Julia: I thought it was interesting (and kind of unfair) that James and Sharna got a double-Ballroom Fusion combination, but since the judges usually heap praise onto everyone for this round it wasn’t that big a deal. I thought Sharna did well at fusing the two styles together and this was a very nice performance for she and James to end their season on.
Julia’s Score: 10
Paul Bentley: I for one loved the fact that James and Sharna were able to fuse the Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz together; it made for a more seamless transition between each dance style. There was a bit more Foxtrot than Viennese Waltz in the dance, but the two styles will still fused together brilliantly. James brought his amazing frame once again along with some improved elegance that made everything nice and polished. Everything flowed together naturally. This dance was the perfect ending to a perfect partnership. It tied together everything that their partnership was based on: connection, personality, being a unit, and supporting each other. I absolutely loved the fact that their opening pose was the same as the opening pose for their very first dance. It showed just how far these two have some, even though they came just one place short of the Mirror Ball Trophy. As we all know, I wanted James to win, but in reality, I think the trophy would just be a gimmick compared to the intangible things they have accomplished on this show. James has such an incredible personality, and he never stopped being himself, making me want to root for him. His friendship with Sharna was another major factor of why I was rooting for him, and after seeing his package from Monday night about saying how Sharna wrote the missing page in his book of life, and seeing that final package on Tuesday where he gave Sharna his race suit, I saw probably the best bond I have seen between two people on this show. If I shipped people together, I would definitely want James and Sharna to be a couple! This will always be one of my favorite couples, and I hope that their relationship continues even after everything's said and done on this show. And you know what? I agree with Julianne from weeks ago, where she said that James is the best male contestant to ever dance on Dancing With the Stars.
Bentley’s Score: 10
Fangirl: For me, the fusion dance is a testament of how much technique the star has accumulated over the 12 week period. There are no troupe members or big sets to hide behind. It is just you and your partner. James did a great job leading Sharna and extending his lines like always. He truly is the best male dancer we have ever had on the show. I have said this before and I will say it again. I think James and Sharna had such an incredible partnership. They deeply cared about each other so much and they had such real raw moments together.
Fangirl’s Score: 10
Calvin Johnson, Jr. and Lindsay Arnold
Jive/Quickstep Fusion: Tutti Frutti by Little Richard
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Perfect Fusion Dance Score
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Julia: These two got probably the most difficult Fusion combo of the three, because Quickstep and Jive aren’t styles of dances that naturally segue into each other. The routine they came up with was so much fun and I loved it but there was a mistake in the middle. Oh no! They recovered well though, so thumbs up for that!
Julia’s Score: 9
Paul Bentley: Calvin and Lindsay did it once again! Lindsay’s choreography is always so innovative, even during the 24-Hour Fusion Dance Challenge. The way that she implemented the Jive content into the Quickstep was done in a way where not a beat was missed! Calvin was light on his feet both in and out of hold, and held his own with the wild dancing Lindsay was doing with him! I am so happy that Calvin was able to go as far as he did, and I am equally as happy that Lindsay was able to bring out the best out of him this season. These two surprised me from the beginning with how Calvin’s height was handled as well as how they were able to stand out without too many gimmicks around them. Calvin has proved some things on this show, and it’s more than just the fact that he can actually dance. He showed us his elegant his, his family-oriented side, his tough side, his fun side, and every side that was brought out of the gate. He might be a multi-millionaire, but he seems very humble about it. He is more human than most celebrities on the world, and overall appears to be a likable person. Megatron is a mega good dancer and a mega awesome person! I’m glad he was able to be in third place, showing us a great journey of this very show.
Bentley’s Score: 10
Fangirl: I was so impressed with this fusion dance and the way Lindsay created such an content filled dance fit to Calvin’s strengths. Lindsay has really grown on me as a choreographer and pro this season. Nobody ever thought that Calvin would make it to the finals but with Lindsay help you accomplished the unthinkable. He has grown so much as a dancer and I am so proud of him.
Fangirl’s Score: 10
Laurie Hernandez and Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Foxtrot/Argentine Tango Fusion: We Are the Ones by Myon
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Perfect Fusion Dance Score
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Julia: Something about this routine seemed weird, like it felt too slow for the song. I think a different combinations of dance styles would have suited the music better. I thought this was an excellent performance but it didn’t really feel like a Fusion. It was mostly Argentine Tango, with a little Foxtrot stuck onto the end. It was executed beautifully, but as I have with other dances in the past, I unfortunately have to dock it for not being a true Fusion.
Julia’s Score: 9
Paul Bentley: This Foxtrot/Argentine Tango Fusion was a phenomenal dance, and looked like they spent a whole lot more time on it than just twenty-four hours! This, to me, was Val’s best choreographed Fusion dance yet! I saw a good blend of Foxtrot and Argentine Tango, dazzled with some pretty impressive lifts here and there. Laurie put all of her energy and power into that dance, and lit the stage with her enormous stage presence. She is a star that can make herself stand out in any dance she performs, which is why I think she won the Mirror Ball. I am so happy for her that she at the age of 16, she not only became the youngest person to ever win Dancing With the Stars, but she also won a gold medal just a few months prior! I would say that this girl is going places, but she already has! Laurie is able to do anything she puts her mind to, and I know she will with all that she has accomplished and all of the determination she has inside of her. She has so much more of her life to live, yet she has already done so much that most people never even get to try in their lifetimes. This win was well-deserved, and even though she wasn’t my first pick to win, I am still glad to see both she and Val with those Mirror Ball Trophies!
Bentley’s Score: 10
Fangirl: This foxtrot/ Argentine tango combo was insane. I loved the way Val incorporated the two dances so effortless. There were so many dynamics of slow and fast movements that created a great routine. Laurie has such a strong attack when performing and it was showcased beautifully in this dance. Although I was a little torn that she won she totally deserved it and was the best technical dancer of the season.
Fangirl: 10
Rankings of the Finale Fusion Dances
Paul Bentley
1. Laurie & Val
2. James & Sharna
3. Calvin & Lindsay
Julia
1. James & Sharna
2. Laurie & Val
3. Calvin & Lindsay
Fangirl:
1. James & Sharna
2. Laurie & Val
3. Calvin & Lindsay
Total Combined Scores For Night 2 of the Finale
Laurie & Val 78/80 + 40/40 = 118/120 WINNERS- 1st Place
James & Sharna 77/80 + 40/40 = 117/120 RUNNERS-UP- 2nd Place
Calvin & Lindsay 75/80 + 40/40 = 115/120 3rd Place
Thoughts on the Other Live Performances of the Night
Paul Bentley: For once it seems like the male pros were showcased more than the female pros. Huh.
Julia: It feels like it’s been that way for most of this season.
Paul Bentley: I would have really like to have seen more dancing from the celebrities this season, but pro numbers are always good too. I do have to say, though, that Rick Perry on stage with Vanilla Ice was everything!
Fangirl: I absolutely loved the tour number and I am so excited for Laurie to be on it. I am impressed with all the pros but I am most impressed with Hayley. Hayley came onto the show with no ballroom/Latin experience and you could tell that she was struggling to keep up at the beginning. Now she has become such an incredible dance and so well rounded. I am so proud of how far she has come.
Fangirl: Allison and Keo have been paired together for the last couple weeks and I absolutely love the pairing. There is something about them together but that is so unique. Allison has such incredible energy and I think it really pairs well with Keo’s melloness.
Julia: I’ve also seen a lot of showcasing of Jenna and Artem this season, both as a duo and individually.
Fangirl: I was a little disappointed that Amber didn't dance with Maks and that Jenna stepped in. Don't get me wrong I love Jenna but I was really looking forward to seeing that fun partnership one more time.
Fangirl: The troupe killed it this season and deserves way more credit than they are given. The have so many costume changes and they always give 100% every time they step on the dance floor. This season Alan proved that he is ready to be a pro and I really hope that will happen for him soon. I think Dennis is the weakest link on the troupe. He has no Latin/ballroom experience that I know of and he is just always off beat and he just isn't that good.
Julia: I have a strong feeling Alan is going to be a pro next season.
MVP (Most Valuable Pro) Choices For Week 11, Night 2
Paul Bentley: Val Chmerkovskiy pulled out all the stops for that Fusion dance with Laurie. It implemented all of my favorite parts of the Foxtrot and the Argentine Tango in a way that made it seem like a dance style of its own. He let Laurie be the star of that dance, and it ended up making for a perfect last dance of the season.
Fangirl: Sharna Burgess has been an incredible pro this season and has bent backwards for James. I am so proud of how hard she has worked and how much she gave to James every single day.
Julia: I really enjoyed the seamless and beautiful Foxtrot/Viennese Waltz Fusion created by Sharna Burgess! (SN: If you want more details on how I thought the pros handled Season 23, check out the pro ranking that I posted a few days ago!)
Rankings of the Contestant’s Dancing Skills in Season 23 of DWTS
Paul Bentley
1. Laurie Hernandez
2. James Hinchcliffe
3. Calvin Johnson, Jr.
4. Jana Kramer
5. Terra Jolé
6. Marilu Henner
7. Ryan Lochte
8. Vanilla Ice
9. Maureen McCormick
10. Amber Rose
11. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
12. Jake T. Austin
13. Rick Perry
Fangirl
1. Laurie Hernandez
2. James Hinchcliffe
3. Jana Kramer
4. Calvin Johnson
5. Terra Jolé
6. Marliu Henner
7. Ryan Lochte
8. Amber Rose
9. Vanilla Ice
10. Maureen McCormick
11. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
12. Jake T. Austin
13. Rick Perry
Julia
1. James Hinchcliffe
2. Laurie Hernandez
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Terra Jolé
5. Jana Kramer
6. Marilu Henner
7. Maureen McCormick
8. Ryan Lochte
9. Vanilla Ice
10. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
11. Amber Rose
12. Jake T. Austin
13. Rick Perry
Rankings of the Season 23 Partnerships
Paul Bentley
1. Terra & Sasha
2. James & Sharna
3. Calvin & Lindsay
4. Jana & Gleb
5. Laurie & Val
6. Marilu & Derek
7. Ryan & Cheryl
8. Amber & Maks
9. Maureen & Artem
10. Rick & Emma
11. Vanilla Ice & Witney
12. Babyface & Allison
13. Jake & Jenna
Fangirl
1. James & Sharna
2. Laurie & Val
3. Jana & Gleb
4. Terra & Sasha
5. Calvin & Lindsay
6. Amber & Maks
7. Ryan & Cheryl
8. Rick & Emma
9. Maureen & Artem
10. Vanilla Ice & Witney
11. Jake & Jenna
12. Marliu & Derek
13. Babyface & Allison
Julia
1. James & Sharna
2. Terra & Sasha
3. Calvin & Lindsay
4. Ryan & Cheryl
5. Jana & Gleb
6. Laurie & Val
7. Rick & Emma
8. Vanilla Ice & Witney
9. Marilu & Derek
10. Babyface & Allison
11. Maureen & Artem
12. Amber & Maks
13. Jake & Jenna
Predictions and Wants For Season 24 of DWTS
Julia: Given the increasing amounts of backlash I’ve seen against people with dance experience lately, and the absolute riot Facebook is having right now (I’m pretty sure this is the first time EVER that the overall favorite over there didn’t win) I’m gonna predict next season’s winner will not be a ringer. I also don’t think the producers will cast just one ringer again because doing so this season seemed to make a lot of people assume the outcome and not watch or pay as much attention as in the past. So going forward we’ll probably see either multiple ringers in the same cast or seasons with none at all like in Season 21.
Paul Bentley: I know I didn’t list Terra on my list for who I wanted on DWTS this season, but she was still someone I have been wanting to see compete for a while now. For next season, some celebrities that I want to see on the show (as well as the people in named last time) include Michael Strahan (football players tend to do either really well or really poorly), Billy Bob Thornton (I just watched Bad Santa 2, and it reminded me of how much I like him), Roseanne Barr (she has rumored to be on many times before), Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Chelsea Clinton, Bill Clinton (very unlikely), some kind of controversial news figure (I’m such a news nerd), Billy Collins (It would be kind of cool to see a poet on the show), Daniel Keem (he’s controversial, but he is very interesting), Mark Normand, Philip DeFranco, Kevin James, and Colleen Ballinger.
Paul Bentley: I hope good ol’ Mark Ballas and Tony Dovolani come back next season! I also want Len Goodman to come back as a judge next season, which I think will happen because he will not be judging Strictly Come Dancing anymore in the Spring.
Paul Bentley: I feel like DWTS should change up it’s formula a bit. We always expect the same things: Most Memorable Year Night, the 24-Hour Fusion Challenge, the Redemption dances, etc. They need to shake things up a bit! For example, maybe instead of doing a team dance challenge of two teams of four couples in the final eight, maybe they should do three teams of three couples in the final nine. And maybe not make it a Freestyle (like they used to do). Maybe make them styles that aren’t common on the show, like Hip Hop, Ballet, and Swing. Or maybe assign each couple in each team a different dance style for their solos? Just some ideas.
Fangirl: I agree with Paul. I really think that DWTS needs to spice up the show a little more and move things around. I think they should create new nights and switch up team dances and duos. They just need a new modern format.
Julia: I love the three-team idea, and would love to see the uncommon style idea used for the Duos challenge.
Fangirl: I really hope Alan is a pro and Emma gets a capable partner under 50.
Julia: I would like to see Lindsay, Sharna, Sasha, Emma, and Gleb as pros again for sure, hopefully all with capable partners, especially Emma who gets them less often than most others. (I am also always open to Derek being on but I don’t think he’ll be available for next season.) And I would love to see Alan get promoted!
Fangirl: I would love to see Simone Biles (Olympic gymnast) but I highly doubt that they will put her right after all the hype of Laurie. I would also love to see any male from the men gymnastics team. I would love to see Sarah Hyland (actress) or Kris Bryant (cubs player). Although it is highly highly unlikely I would LOVE to see comedians Kevin Hart, Ken Chong, or Anthony Anderson. Although I hate Blac Chyna I can totally see her doing it because she is obsessed with fame and she has all that hype about her and Robert. I would love to see Dylan O’Brien or Dave Franco (actors) but these two our very famous right now so I find that highly unlikely. I can definitely see Colleen Ballinger, LaurDiY, or Joshua Tv doing it. They will also for sure have some political star.
Julia: I don’t think having Simone Biles on next season is a good idea, because I have a feeling a lot of people would be less inclined to vote for her on the heels of a Laurie win, and because as I said before I believe anyone with a dance background, even a perceived but not real one, will probably be fighting an uphill battle to win over the audience next season.
Julia: I would really like to see Betty White, Al Yankovic, and Will Friedle on DWTS! I would also really like another YouTuber, but one that someone in the show’s main demographic would be able to get behind, even if they are not aware of them at the time of the cast announcement. Hank Green, maybe? Or someone on the “science side” of YouTube? And I’m all for more athletes, but preferably from sports that are not often represented on DWTS.
Additional Comments on the Finale and Season 23 as a Whole
Paul Bentley: There was a lot of stand-out performance this season, but I think I have to say that Cirque du Soleil was my favorite themed week this season. There were so many dynamic performances with off-the-walls acts spread throughout the night!
Julia: Cirque was probably my favorite theme night of the season too, but I don’t think they should do it again unless they have enough shows to pull material from. I don’t want to see all of the ones from this season again. Maybe a few, but I would like most of them to be different.
Julia: I liked the focus on fun in the packages this season, because the past few seasons before this one seemed to be mostly focused on drama or boring stuff. The fun stuff made the episodes a lot more enjoyable to watch this time around. I know there were still some bad edits (mainly regarding Marilu and Derek and Maureen and Artem) but overall it was a pretty big improvement from what we’d been seeing.
Paul Bentley: Doing the blog and tweeting about Dancing With the Stars was even more fun this season than it was last season! Thank you to all of our readers and everyone who tweeted with us throughout this season-- it is so great to interact with everybody! And also, a huge thanks to everyone that contributed to the blog this season-- it is so interesting to see varying views on all of the dances this season! For next season, I am wanting to make the @DWTS2016 Twitter page and blog even MORE interactive, involving weekly discussions on different DWTS topics as well as bringing in some guest writers for the blog! If you want to be part of that in any way, message the @DWTS2016 Twitter page for more information!
@DWTS2016 was featured on Twitter Moments! Check it out!
What are your thoughts on the second night of the two-night season 23 finale of Dancing With the Stars? Which Fusion dance do you think implemented its two styles the best? What did you think of the other lives performances during the finale? What did you think of season 23 overall? What did you think about Calvin and Lindsay coming in third, James and Sharna coming in second, and Laurie and Val winning the Mirror Ball Trophy? Which couple was your favorite to watch this season? What do you think will happen next season? Who do you want to be on the cast for next season of DWTS?
Well, that’s it’s for season 23 of DWTS! Season 24 will premiere in March with a whole new cast of celebrities to compete for the next Mirror Ball Trophy!
Link to the Week 11, Night 2 Dances: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK1f1bOs9Xye8lqyAkkorGx2rsQlYg7Zl
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