The Dancing with the Stars finale is where months of rehearsals, live performances, judges’ scores, and fan voting finally come together. For Season 34, the competition ended with five celebrity-professional couples battling for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy—and Robert Irwin and Witney Carson emerged as the champions.
The Season 34 finale featured three rounds: a Judges’ Choice round, an Instant Dance challenge, and a Freestyle round. Alongside Irwin and Carson, the finalists were Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.
Beyond the competition itself, the finale became one of the show’s biggest recent television events. More than 72 million votes were cast during the finale, while the episode attracted 9.24 million total viewers, giving Season 34 its largest finale audience in nine years.
Who Won Dancing With the Stars Season 34?
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson won Dancing with the Stars Season 34.
Irwin, a wildlife conservationist and television personality, partnered with professional dancer Witney Carson throughout the season. Their victory came after a finale featuring three different performances from each finalist.
The win was particularly meaningful because Irwin’s sister, Bindi Irwin, had previously won the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 21. That connection gave the finale an additional family legacy storyline, while Irwin’s own growth as a dancer had become one of the season’s major narratives.
Irwin and Carson ultimately received the combination of judges’ scores and viewer support needed to finish at the top.
Dancing With the Stars Finale Results
The Season 34 finale ended with five couples competing for the championship.
| Place | Celebrity | Professional Partner | Result |
| 1st | Robert Irwin | Witney Carson | Winner |
| 2nd | Alix Earle | Val Chmerkovskiy | Runner-up |
| 3rd | Jordan Chiles | Ezra Sosa | Third place |
| 4th | Dylan Efron | Daniella Karagach | Fourth place |
| 5th | Elaine Hendrix | Alan Bersten | Fifth place |
ABC confirmed Irwin and Carson as the champions, with Earle and Chmerkovskiy finishing second, Chiles and Sosa third, Efron and Karagach fourth, and Hendrix and Bersten fifth.
These results also demonstrate an important point about the show: the judges’ leaderboard does not automatically determine the winner. Viewer voting plays a major role in the final outcome.
Who Were the Dancing With the Stars Finale Finalists?
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson
Robert Irwin entered the finale as one of the season’s most popular competitors. His partnership with Witney Carson developed throughout the competition, and the pair ultimately won the Mirrorball Trophy.
Their finale included a Quickstep, an Instant Dance and a Freestyle. Their Freestyle received a perfect 30 from the judges.
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy
Social media personality Alix Earle and professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy finished as runners-up.
The pair were among the strongest scorers throughout the finale, earning a perfect 90 out of 90 across their three dances according to Forbes’ finale scoring breakdown.
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa
Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles partnered with Ezra Sosa and finished third.
Their athletic ability translated well to the ballroom, and their Freestyle earned a perfect score. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba described it as one of the best Freestyles she had seen in her time on the show.
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach
Dylan Efron, Zac Efron’s brother, competed with professional dancer Daniella Karagach.
Their finale journey included a Paso Doble in the Judges’ Choice round and a Freestyle. The pair finished fourth overall.
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten
Actress Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten rounded out the final five.
Their finale performances included a Rumba and Quickstep, and they finished in fifth place.
Dancing With the Stars Finale Scores
The Season 34 finale was structured differently from a normal weekly episode. Each finalist performed three times, giving them a maximum of 90 possible judges’ points.
| Couple | Finale Score | Final Place |
| Alix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy | 90/90 | 2nd |
| Robert Irwin & Witney Carson | 89/90 | 1st |
| Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa | 89/90 | 3rd |
| Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach | 88/90 | 4th |
| Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten | 87/90 | 5th |
The scoring illustrates why the final result cannot be understood by looking at judges’ points alone. Earle and Chmerkovskiy received a perfect judges’ total, while Irwin and Carson scored 89. Yet Irwin and Carson won once audience voting was combined with the judges’ results.
Judges’ Choice Round
The first finale round allowed the judges to select dances for the couples.
For example, Derek Hough selected a Quickstep for Robert Irwin and Witney Carson. Their performance earned 29 out of 30 after Carrie Ann Inaba deducted one point for a minor stumble.
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa performed a Paso Doble selected by Inaba and earned 29 out of 30.
Instant Dance Challenge
The second round introduced an additional challenge because contestants had limited preparation for the assigned dance and music.
That format tests adaptability as well as technical ability. Rather than relying entirely on a heavily rehearsed routine, couples have to respond quickly and perform under additional pressure.
Freestyle Round
The Freestyle round is often the most anticipated part of a Dancing with the Stars finale because couples have greater creative freedom.
Season 34’s five finalists all received perfect 30s for their Freestyles.
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson performed their Freestyle to a combination of “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii. Their performance earned 30/30.
How Does Dancing With the Stars Decide the Winner?
The finale winner is not determined simply by adding the judges’ scores.
The competition combines judges’ scoring with viewer voting. That means a contestant can potentially have an extremely strong judges’ performance but still finish behind another couple if the audience support is stronger for the other finalist.
This system is one reason the finale can remain unpredictable until the winner is announced.
For Season 34, the voting numbers were particularly significant. More than 72 million votes were cast during the finale, while nearly half a billion votes were cast throughout the season.
Why Did Robert Irwin Win Dancing With the Stars?
Several factors helped explain Irwin and Carson’s victory.
First, Irwin showed significant development throughout the season. He was not simply relying on his existing public profile; he had to learn demanding choreography and perform different ballroom and Latin styles.
Second, his partnership with Carson became an important part of the season’s story. A successful professional-celebrity partnership can help a contestant improve technically while also creating a stronger connection with viewers.
Finally, audience support appears to have been crucial. Irwin’s judges’ score was not the highest finale total—Earle and Chmerkovskiy achieved a perfect 90—but the combined competition result placed Irwin and Carson first.
His family connection to the show also added emotional weight. His sister Bindi Irwin had won the Mirrorball Trophy a decade earlier, making Robert’s victory a notable continuation of the Irwin family’s Dancing with the Stars legacy.
Biggest Moments From the Dancing With the Stars Finale
The Season 34 finale offered several memorable moments beyond the final result.
Robert Irwin’s victory was the central moment, particularly because of his family’s previous connection to the show.
The Freestyle round delivered some of the night’s strongest scores, with all five finalists receiving perfect 30s.
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson, the previous season’s winners, also returned for a special performance during the finale.
The scale of audience participation was another major story. More than 72 million votes were recorded during the finale, demonstrating the continued popularity of the competition.
What Made the Season 34 Finale Special?
Season 34 was significant beyond the final result because it marked the show’s 20th anniversary.
The finale also delivered the series’ largest finale audience in nine years, with 9.24 million total viewers according to preliminary Live+Same Day Nielsen data. The show also recorded 6.9 million social interactions during the finale.
That combination of anniversary significance, strong ratings, high voting participation and an emotionally resonant winner made the finale an especially notable chapter in the show’s history.
Dancing With the Stars Finale History
Dancing with the Stars has been part of American television since its premiere in 2005. Each season pairs celebrities with professional dancers, with contestants progressing through weekly performances before the remaining couples compete for the Mirrorball Trophy.
The show’s finale format has changed over time, including changes in the number of finalists, scoring procedures and voting mechanics. That’s why anyone researching an older DWTS finale should check the rules for the specific season rather than assuming they were identical.
For an evergreen Dancing with the Stars finale guide, keeping historical winner information updated is useful because searches frequently shift between the current winner and previous champions.
Where to Watch the Dancing With the Stars Finale
Viewing availability can change by season and location.
For Season 34, episodes were available through Disney+, with subsequent streaming availability through Hulu and ABC’s digital platforms.
If you’re searching for a Dancing with the Stars finale full episode, check the current official streaming availability rather than relying on old links. Streaming rights and episode availability can change.
Dancing With the Stars Finale FAQs
Who won the Dancing With the Stars finale?
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson won Season 34 and took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Who was the runner-up on Dancing With the Stars Season 34?
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy finished second in the Season 34 finale.
How many couples competed in the Season 34 finale?
Five couples competed in the Season 34 finale: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.
What were the highest Dancing With the Stars finale scores?
All five Season 34 finalists earned perfect 30s in the Freestyle round. Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy finished with the highest combined judges’ score of 90/90 across the three finale rounds.
How is the Dancing With the Stars winner chosen?
The winner is determined through a combination of judges’ scores and viewer voting. Therefore, the couple with the highest judges’ total does not necessarily win the Mirrorball Trophy.
How many votes were cast during the Season 34 finale?
More than 72 million votes were cast during the Season 34 finale, according to ABC’s reported figures.
Was Season 34’s finale highly watched?
Yes. The finale attracted 9.24 million total viewers and delivered the show’s largest finale audience in nine years.
Conclusion
The Dancing with the Stars finale is more than a final dance competition. It combines judges’ scores, audience voting, choreography, celebrity storylines and months of contestant development into one decisive night.
Season 34 ended with Robert Irwin and Witney Carson lifting the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, despite Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy recording the highest overall judges’ score. The result highlighted the importance of viewer voting and showed why the winner cannot always be predicted from the judges’ leaderboard alone.
For fans looking for finale results, scores, performances or the latest DWTS news, the best approach is to check verified network information alongside detailed entertainment coverage—and remember that finale details can change from one season to the next.
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