The season 18 finale of Dancing With the Stars concluded with a new reigning champion: Olympic figure skater Meryl Davis and her professional partner, Maksim Chmerkovsky.
The win was a first ever for “Maks”, who has been with the show since the very beginning. Usually known for his gruff, no-nonsense manner, this season brought out a gentler side to Maks, and his inspired dances had many speculating whether he and Meryl were actually romantically involved.
Last night, the couple danced a Foxtrot and sexy Cha-cha-cha fusion, receiving a perfect 30/30 score, putting them squarely in the lead. Combined with viewers’ votes, their victory, really, was no contest.
Conservative darling Candace Cameron Bure and her partner Mark Ballas came in third place, and first runners up were Amy Purdy and Derek Hough. Amy, who has two prosthetic legs, has inspired viewers week after week with her vivacious and daring routines.
As part of the night, the contestants who were eliminated in previous weeks returned to perform, and, quite honestly, many of them reminded us why they were eliminated.
The jam-packed evening also featured performances from Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, and Amber Riley, who lit up the stage with their energy and go viewers cheering.
But in the end, the moment viewers had been waiting for all season came when the winners were announced. Although hardly a surprise, it was great to see Maks earn his first mirror ball, and,
possibly, the beginnings of a budding romance!