'Dancing With the Stars' Recap: We Have a Winner!

It's here, dance fans! That huge semi-annual televised dance party is back! It's the "Dancing with the Stars" Season 20 Finale-as the giant letters across the stage continually remind us. There's lots of activity as all of the season's contestants return to the ballroom, but it's not all fun and games: the final 3 couples still work really hard with one more round of competition.

After their performances last night, the final 3 were given their dance styles for the 24-hour fusion challenge. Noah and Sharna's cha-cha/argentine tango mashup uses phrases and sequences we've seen earlier in the season, and it looks like it. Same with Rumer and Val's fox-trot/paso doble fusion, as lovely as it is. I imagine Riker and Allison's salsa/quickstep also uses sequences they have done previously, but it doesn't seem as obvious to me. Perhaps they just hide it better. But all three couples dance beautifully, receiving generous scores: Noah & Sharna: 36; Rumer & Val: 40; Riker & Allison: 40

But before the competition comes the big celebration, with lots of additional performances and video packages filling out the evening. Jason Derulo sings his auto-tuned hit "Want to Want Me"-on Sesame Street, for some reason-and reminds me of Jimmy Fallon's autotuning bit at the Emmys some years ago. Fifth Harmony sings "Worth It" while the "DWTS" women strut and wiggle; the "DWTS" men show off to the same song after the commercial break. We're treated to a silly bad lip reading video (though it's funny hearing Derek talk about pooping), an even sillier "Die Hard" parody with Tony Dovolani as Bruce Willis, and an awesome rehearsal bloopers package. And Patti LaBelle delays the final results with her song "2 Steps Away."

But the standout performance tonight is Derek and Julianne Hough, joined by two amazing young dancers (Joey German and Emma York), dancing to Sia's incredible song "Elastic Heart." Ryan Heffington's dynamic choreography is still stupendous, and executed beautifully with raw emotion and power, as the two couples violently throw each other around their rooms, breaking things. In an incredible bit of special effects, the routine starts with the last few measures of the dance in reverse. The only problem is it's difficult to watch both couples at the same time, and I want to see every tiny movement they make.

The season's 12 competitors all return for an encore performance of one of the routines they competed with during the season. Redfoo, the first eliminated contestant in the show, starts by singing an expanded version of his week 1 cha-cha, "Juicy Wiggle," even though it's not as good as his week 2 jive. I'm still disappointed about Redfoo's ouster in Week 2. He worked so hard that first week that he deserved to stay longer.

The other contestants' routines, while fun, are not necessarily my favorites. Here's what they performed, and what I'd have rather seen:

- Riker & Allison win the encore freestyle from last night's twitter competition, and reprise their Week 1 jive routine. My favorite Riker routine is too difficult a decision, so it's a tie: Riker's incredibly moving performance in their week 8 Viennese waltz, and week 9's stupendous contemporary.

- Charlotte & Keo's Week 2 "California Gurls" routine is worse than the first time around, as she had improved tremendously. If I have to pick a favorite of Charlotte's dances, it would be this one-based on her first performance of it, at least.

- Suzanne & Tony's Week 3 "Copacabana" cha-cha is still a crowd pleaser, Suzanne still terrific, and I agree this is my favorite of their dances.

- Robert & Kym's Week 1 cha-cha is still cute, but off timing. My favorite of his dances is the fun and unexpected week 7 1980s argentine tango to "Word Up."

- Chris & Witney's Week 1 "Footloose" Jive is very cute and he made a great first impression with it, but my favorite of his is the week 7 1940s-style fox-trot.

- Nastia, Derek, & Sasha's modern Charleston with Andy Grammer is still a great routine, but I have to award them a tie between their sexy week 4 argentine tango and their fun week 8 "Centuries" paso doble.

- Willow & Mark reprise their Disney Week 5 "Alice in Wonderland" routine, and as much as I like it, my favorite of theirs is a tie between their brilliant Week 4 contemporary Hunger Games routine, and their fiery week 2 Gotye argentine tango.

- Rumer & Val's Week 3 Disco is clearly chosen for the upbeat party anthem, but my favorite of theirs is their "50 Shades of Grey" waltz from the Semi-Finals, or their classic week 8 rumba.

- Patti & Artem's party "In da Club" routine from week 2 is as fun as the first time, but my favorite is her week 1 fox-trot.

- Noah & Sharna don't dance an encore per se, except for a little of their Argentine tango, with special guest Amy Purdy and Derek. But my favorite Noah routine is a tie between the awesome ensemble week 7 1970s jazz and the stunning freestyle contemporary from last night's finals.

- Michel & Peta don't get a full encore tonight either, just a tiny bit of the opening group number. It's unfortunate because he's a good dancer but his week 1 cha-cha is his best.

With the results close at hand, I'm nervous and hopeful for the end I want. I've made no attempts to hide my desires of how much I want Riker to take the title, and there's so much Riker and Allison at the top of this finale that I have my hopes up. But I still suspect that Rumer and Val will take the trophy. After Tom and Erin award Noah and Sharna third place and bid them goodbye, they make the final announcement, naming Rumer and Val the winners. Val finally has his big win.

So, how is it for you, dance fans? Did you get the final result you wanted? What are your highlights this season 20? And will you tune in again next season?


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