Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars has been fantastic. Now it is on to the DWTS finale, including the epic Freestyle round. Then the winner of The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy will be announced. Of course, there was some controversy over some of the casting. Most notably, convicted criminal Anna Delvey and her bedazzled ankle monitor ruffled a few feathers.
On the flip side, Ezra Sosa was promoted to being a pro dancer. And DWTS brought back the Instant Dance Challenge and the Dance Off. During the Dance Off, two couples performed the same dance, side by side, to earn extra points. Plus, the Instant Dance Challenge gave each couple a dance style and music a mere five minutes before they performed. Kudos to the evil geniuses who cooked up these challenges.
Of course, DWTS had another twist for viewers. During the Semi-Finals, the five remaining couples waited to find out who would be going home. While the last two duos nervously waited onstage, co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro announced that everyone was safe. As you may recall, Season 32 also had five finalists. I didn’t think that they would use that format again. Silly me!
So, who will win and take home The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy on DWTS this season? Let’s take a look at all the contenders.
DWTS Season 33: Danny Amendola and Witney Carson
NFL star Danny Amendola was partnered with fan-favorite Witney Carson. While some athletes find their footing right away, others don’t. Danny was more of a slow burn.
His breakthrough was on DWTS’ “Dedication Night.” He dedicated an emotional Contemporary routine to his former coach who had passed away. Not only did Danny dance, but he channeled his grief into the routine. That week, he tied for first place on the leaderboard with Bachelor star Joey Graziadei. That was Danny’s only trip to the top of the leaderboard – so far.
However, Danny has true grit and determination. He approaches each dance like a football game and prepares. He is dedicated and willing to put in the time. In addition, Witney and Danny have a great connection when they dance. I mean, Ryan Reynolds mentioned their “Disney Night” Deadpool performance on social media.
Of course, Danny’s biggest obstacle is that he has no dance or performance experience. Unfortunately, this sometimes shows when you compare his performance to someone like Chandler Kinney, who is an actress. However, I’m a New England Patriots fan, so I’m not counting Danny out.
DWTS Season 33: Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold
Olympic medal winner Stephen Nedoroscik, also known as the “pommel horse guy” won everyone’s hearts with his nerdy charm and Clark Kent-type glasses. He was the Superman of the pommel horse!
Stephen was paired with dance pro Rylee Arnold. They have a cute connection, and her choreography capitalizes on Stephen’s gymnastic ability and his strength. Of course, one of his signature moves is removing his glasses before some routines, just like at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, this Rubik Cube phenom is hungry to win and is a hard worker. Naturally, his strength and ability to seamlessly add in gymnastics are a huge bonus.
While Stephen lights up the ballroom with his exuberance, he is still having some difficulty with his footwork. Plus, he also has no performance or dance experience. He does well when he can portray a character, and channel his energy into a role.
In some of the Latin dances, he tends to lose a bit of control and is almost too energetic, like his Salsa. If Stephen could get his footwork down, and still show off his personality, that could be the winning combination.
DWTS Season 33: Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten
Ilona Maher is an Olympic bronze medalist for Team USA Rugby Sevens. She is also a funny and relatable influencer who encourages body positivity.
At some points during the DWTS competition, Ilona struggled with feeling feminine. However, her partner, Alan Bersten, helped her feel more comfortable.
When Alan felt that the judges were underscoring Ilona, he spoke out. It’s obvious they have a strong connection, and I’d ship them, but I don’t want Emma Slater to hate me forever.
Of course, Ilona’s superpowers are her strength and determination. As for putting in the hard work? She does it without complaint. During “Disney Night,” Ilona and Alan’s Jazz routine landed them in second place on the leaderboard. Unfortunately, they landed in the last spot on the leaderboard during “Halloween Nightmares.” That was truly a nightmare for Ilona. However, the next week, Ilona came back with a Quickstep that earned her a peek at judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s 10-paddle.
Once again, Ilona has no performance experience. But she shines with her positive attitude and new-found confidence. Her Viennese Waltz was soft, elegant, and graceful. There is no doubt that Ilona is a fan favorite. I would love to see her named the Season 33 champ.
DWTS Season 33: Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong
Chandler had dance experience in the past, but not in ballroom dance. When she hit the dance floor with Brandon Armstrong, it was fire! Chandler and Brandon sat at the top of the leaderboard for the first three weeks of the competition. During “Dedication Night,” Chandler fell to fifth place. The criticism from the judges that week seemed to shake her confidence. The following week, her “Disney Night” Paso Doble brought her back up to the top spot.
Plus, during the DWTS 500th episode, Chandler and Brandon managed a perfect score in both of their dances. It’s no secret that Chandler has wonderful musicality and performance ability. She is an incredibly beautiful dancer.
While there is no doubt that she is the frontrunner, she is extremely hard on herself. Sometimes, she can get in her head, which can throw off a performance. If Chandler embraces her confidence, I think she has a great shot at winning Season 33 of DWTS.
DWTS Season 33: Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson
Joey also has no dance experience. Honestly, if I’m watching routines after Week 4, I would never have guessed! Joey, who is partnered with Jenna Johnson, put off his wedding planning with his fiancée Kelsey Anderson because of the competition. The couple, who got engaged during The Bachelor, are going through this journey together.
I didn’t expect Joey to be so competitive. However, more than that, he is dedicated to nailing not only the steps but the nuances of the dance. He also has a fun personality that comes alive when he is dancing.
At first, Joey’s scores hovered in third place for several weeks. After that, he managed to tie for first place for three weeks and grabbed first place on the leaderboard during “Hair Metal Night.” Of course, there is some room for improvement. But Joey became the first ever Bachelor Nation male to make it to the DWTS finale.
There are so many quality dancers this season, that it is hard to predict who will be the DWTS Season 33 champion. However, with his stand-out performances and fan votes, I think that Joey will win and take home The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Dancing with the Stars Season 33 finale airs on Tuesdays, at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.
TELL US – WHO WILL WIN AND TAKE HOME THE LEN GOODMAN MIRRORBALL TROPHY?
