Dancing With The Sophie: Sophie’s Last Dance

By: Sophie Asher, Multimedia Coordinator

Greetings to all my “Dancing With the Stars” lovers. I hope the post-show depression is not hitting you too hard (if you’re experiencing withdrawals, go watch this week’s “Dancing with the Holidays” special on next-day Hulu). 

The three-hour finale episode was long, yet action-packed. I even hosted a “Dancing With The Stars” finale watch party at my house the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I decked out my basement, made a bunch of themed snacks – my Utah Mormon dirty soda was a hit – and watched the finale surrounded by my favorite people. All the while, I was taking mental notes for this very article – the finale of my Dancing With The Sophie series. So, without further ado, let’s dive into my thoughts.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: My sweet Elaine. At 54 years old, and the first woman over 50 to make it to the finale in a decade (the third ever), she absolutely KILLED it! Alas, I think her fifth place spot was inevitable. The competition was too steep and her competitor’s fanbases were stronger than hers. Elaine’s opening rumba to “Take My Breath Away” by Jae Hall was beautiful and seamless. After the opening dance, the pair performed their instant dance, which is a challenge where the dance style and song is revealed to the couple only minutes before their performance. Elaine blindly chose the quickstep as their style, which was paired with the song “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes. I think the couple came up with an impressive routine in such a short amount of time. Watching the clip back, I find it funny to see Alan talking her through the routine. The night ended with the long-awaited freestyle performances. I was surprised by the theme of Elaine and Alan’s freestyle to “I Hope I Get It” by District 78. It seemed to take on a 1950s school-inspired vibe (with a stellar acting performance from my king Brandon Armstrong). It seemed like the story centered on Elaine being chosen for the lead role in the school musical. I found the dance to be entertaining, but it was not my favorite freestyle of the night. Overall, I was extremely impressed with Elaine and Alan throughout the entirety of Season 34, and I found her to be routinely underscored.  

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: I honestly felt that this duo showed a sudden and noticeable improvement over the last few episodes, as I was not impressed with Dylan’s dancing until recently. I believe fourth place for this pair was not a surprise. Their paso doble to “Stampede” by Alexander Jean ft. Lindsey Stirling was powerful and sensual, though I noticed a few minor hiccups. Diving into their instant dance, the pair was assigned a foxtrot to “Ordinary” by Alex Warren. I believe Dylan and Daniella performed exceptionally well for the routine coming together last minute. Dare I say, I noticed fewer mistakes in that foxtrot than in their paso. Last but not least: the freestyle. What I’m about to say regarding it might surprise you, but watching last Tuesday, I found their dance to be my favorite freestyle of the entire evening. The production may have been less extravagant than their competitors, but the performance was simply stunning. Dylan and Daniella dancing in the water toward the end of the performance gave me the chills. All in all, I was very pleased to see their growth. 

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: This couple worked their butts off! Jordan’s dedication to the craft did not go unnoticed, especially considering that she was balancing her UCLA coursework alongside dance practice. I also want to applaud Ezra for making the finale and scoring third place in just his second season as a pro. I’m glad his talent in choreography was able to shine this season after what happened last year. These two truly deserved third place, if not higher. Diving into their opening dance, a paso doble to “Breaking Dishes” by Rihanna, I was thoroughly impressed. I know she’s a gymnast, but Jordan is a natural dancer. The pair moved quickly and with precision. Also, can we talk about those knee walks? The couple performed a tango to “I Like It” by Alesso and Nate Smith for the instant dance. It was not a bad performance, but it wasn’t great, either. At some points, you could tell they were intently thinking about the moves, making it appear choppy. Lastly, talk about ending with a bang! Jordan and Ezra’s freestyle was INSANE! Someone on TikTok said their dance to Beyoncé’s “Bow Down” and Normani’s “Motivation,” was comparable to a Super Bowl Halftime Show, and I have to agree. The production was incredible, and it was cool when Jordan got to dance with Normani. I also liked that Jordan’s gymnastics skills were incorporated. Overall, their dancing was some of the best of the evening. 

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: If you’ve been reading my articles, then you know I’ve been riding for these two all season. I was so excited to see the pair earn second place, though I truly believe Alix or Jordan deserved that mirrorball just as much as the winner. Alix and Val opened up with a samba to “Hip Hip Chin Chin” by Club des Belugas. I really applaud Alix for choosing the more difficult samba over Val’s original plan to dance a jive. She aimed to push herself to the limit, which makes her a true winner in my eyes. I have to say, that samba was dang good, and they made the right choice in performing it. That dance deserved the perfect 30/30 it received. For the instant dance, Alix and Val stayed on the Latin train, choosing a cha cha, which was paired with the song “Where Is My Husband” by Raye. They performed amazingly for an instant dance, moving quickly and confidently across the ballroom floor. No negative notes. To end the evening was the couple’s freestyle dance to “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado and “Sports Car” by Tate McRae – and they did not come to play! The paso doble vibe was so powerful. It may not have been my favorite freestyle all night, but there’s a reason why Alix and Val received the only perfect score out of all the contestants. Alix Earle is a girlboss and businesswoman. I’m so happy people got to know her and let her shine on this show.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: Let me pretend I’m surprised that these two won – WOW OMG ROBERT IRWIN WON! Anyway, I believe this entire season was set up for Robert Iriwn to bring home the mirrorball, in the footsteps of his big sister, Bindi. Nobody could compete with him. His fanbase bridges generational gaps, not to mention the Iriwn family is famous internationally. There was no way the public was going to vote against him, considering the legacy of his father and the rest of the family. I am happy for Witney, though, who had not brought home a mirrorball since Season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro, and came so close in other seasons. Before I dive in, let me preface – I love Robert Iriwn as a person, but the favoritism was stark. The couple opened with a quickstep to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. The dance was very good, and I was impressed that Robert could execute a kip-up. Robert is a great performer with a positive spirit. Moving on to the instant dance, the pair was assigned a cha cha to “Cake by The Ocean” by DNCE. There was a point in the dance where Robert CLEARLY messed up, and looked to Witney for help. However, for some reason, the judges scored them a 30/30. My biggest grievance this season, especially toward the end, was the inflated scoring. If everyone is receiving nines and tens for every dance of the finale, then it all comes down to fan votes in determining the winner. Anyway, the rest of the pair’s performance was decent. To end the night, Robert and Witney performed a freestyle to “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii. Robert and Witney appear to start the dance inside of a tanning bed. The dance was compelling with some notable lifts, but I was confused about the overarching black-and-gold disco-galaxy theme. Congratulations Robert and Witney on winning the mirrorball; you will be a memorable pairing in “Dancing With The Stars” history.

Season 34 was a remarkable season, breaking the barriers of “Dancing With The Stars,” surpassing the fan votes by millions. I’m truly going to miss locking in every Tuesday night to dissect everyone’s dances. But before I retreat to my nest to hibernate until Season 35, I want to ask: which celebrities would you like to see next season?