Season 20 of Dancing With the Stars has been one of the most competitive — and least predictable! — in DWTS history. There were injuries, tears, and one marriage proposal. An Olympic gymnast missed the finals by a hair. An Army vet with missing limbs made the final three. At various points in the season, all three remaining couples — Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy, Riker Lynch and Allison Holker, and Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess — brought the judges to tears.
But Tuesday’s finale show was about more than just the winners. Riker and Allison were chosen by the judges to give an encore performance of their freestyle routine from last night, and former contestants from both this and prior seasons (including fan favorites Amy Purdy, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Sadie Robertson) hit the dance floor.
Castoff contestant Patti LaBelle showed off her impressive pipes, while Derek Hough (apparently recovered from his injury) and his sister, judge Julianne Hough, danced together while Sia belted out her hit song, “Elastic Heart.”
After as much fanfare as time would allow, finally, host Tom Bergeron announced which couple would take home the golden Mirroball, and the bragging rights that come with it. While the race was close — especially between Team Willis and Team Lynch, who wound up the final pair — ultimately, it was Rumer and Val who took the top prize.
Indeed, it has been a dramatic season for the actress and her pro, who had been to the finals many times but never won top honors. From their first dance, they caught the judges’ attention for their passion and flair, but at times Willis’s competitive nature got the better of her. She stumbled occasionally under the pressure, but by the finals she and Chmerkovskiy had hit their stride, earning rave reviews from every person at the judges’ table.
Of course, Willis’s famous parents were on-hand to congratulate her. A few weeks back, her mom had declared that America was falling in love with her daughter, and now, it seems that without a doubt, she was right.
Tell Us: Did the right couple win?
