Who won ‘Dancing With the Stars?’ Season 33’s champions shine with ‘consistency’ and remarkable growth

After 10 grueling rounds of sweat, tears and leg lifts, the five remaining couples delivered their final two performances on Tuesday night’s Dancing with the Stars season finale: a redemption dance, handpicked by the judges to revisit a previous style, and a freestyle routine showcasing their personal journeys and growth.

It’s a journey that deeply resonates with dancer Chris Hernandez, who underscored the importance of trust in the preparation.

“It’s important to just be in the moment,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. Best known for his work in In the Heights and Tick, Tick… Boom!, Hernandez added, “When you step into the performance space, you have to let go of that perfectionist mindset and allow yourself to be free.”

With scores from last week’s semifinals rolling over, combined with the votes collected from live TV viewers, it was anyone’s guess who would take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

The evening saw the return of Season 32 champions Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, who gave a vibrant performance to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” setting a high bar for the new winners.

Tori Spelling and Anna Delvey, the season’s first eliminated contestants, also returned for a dance set to Whitney Houston’s “Nothing” — a subtle nod to Delvey’s viral moment, where she famously quipped she was taking “nothing” away from her experience on the show. Past contestant Reginald VelJohnson also returned to the ballroom with a sweet routine to the theme song of his 1990s sitcom Family Matters.

In the end, Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson triumphed, earning the coveted prize. Reflecting on their win, Graziadei praised his partner: “I feel like Jenna deserves this fully, and this is all for her,” adding that “his whole experience has been unbelievable.”

The pair’s cha cha to Justin Timberlake’s “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” earlier in the night saw judge Carrie Ann Inaba praising Graziadei’s “consistency” from week to week. They kept the momentum with a freestyle to “Canned Heat” by District 78 ft. Jake Simpson.

Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold delivered an energetic quickstep to The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There for You.” Their freestyle to Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” turned into a heartfelt tribute to Nedoroscik’s Olympic journey.

Inaba said Nedoroscik’s quickstep was “absolutely the best I’ve ever seen you [do],” adding, “Well done, Superman!”

Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson kicked off the redemption round with a fierce tango to Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” showcasing technique and strong emotion. They followed up with an electric freestyle to Lizzo’s “Pink” and Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken,” earning a standing ovation.

The judges applauded Amendola’s growth throughout the season, with Hough proclaiming, “For me, redemption dance accomplished.” Inaba added, “Out of all the men, you have made the biggest transformation by far.”

Meanwhile, Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten brought their signature chemistry to their jive to “Shake A Tail Feather” by Ray Charles and The Blues Brothers. Maher delivered again in her freestyle to “Femininomenon” by District 78 ft Mona Rue.

“Your competitive spirit, your determination, you really are an inspiration,” judge Bruno Tonioli told Maher.

Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong dazzled with their jive to “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars, a performance that showcased Kinney’s sharp footwork. Their freestyle to “Hellzapoppin’” by Eyal Vilner Big Band and “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield earned rave reviews from the judges. Both routines earned perfect scores.

As the confetti fell and the new champions hoisted the Mirrorball Trophy, the night proved to be a celebration of growth, reflection and friendship.

“I truly believe anyone can dance,” Hernandez told Yahoo, drawing inspiration from his own childhood spent mimicking dancers in his living room. “We all have so much more potential than we often give ourselves credit for.”

How did the stars perform?

Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli

Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson: CHAMPIONS

• Redemption dance: Cha Cha

• Redemption song: “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” by Justin Timberlake

• Redemption Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Freestyle song: “Canned Heat” by District 78 ft Jake Simpson

• Freestyle score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Total: 59 (for both nights: 117)

Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars

• Redemption Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Freestyle songs: “Hellzapoppin’” by Eyal Vilner Big Band and “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield

• Freestyle score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Total: 60 (for both nights: 118)

Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “Shake A Tail Feather” by Ray Charles & The Blues Brothers

• Redemption Score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 9, Bruno 9

• Freestyle song: “Femininomenon” by District 78 ft Mona Rue

• Freestyle score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Total: 57 (for both nights: 114)

Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold: Eliminated

• Redemption dance: Quickstep

• Redemption song: “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts

• Redemption Score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10

• Freestyle song: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay

• Freestyle score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Total: 59 (for both nights: 112)

Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen

• Redemption Score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 9, Bruno 9

• Freestyle songs: “Pink” by Lizzo and “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling.

• Freestyle score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 9

• Total: 56 (for both nights: 110)

Who’s been eliminated so far?

• Week 2: Anna Delvey and Tori Spelling

• Week 4: Reginald VelJohnson and Eric Roberts

• Week 5: Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko

• Week 6: Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy

• Week 7: Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber

• Week 9: Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach

• Week 10: All pairs were safe

• Week 11: Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong; Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten; Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten; Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold; Danny Amendola and Witney Carson