Dancing with the Stars Season 33: What happened in the Finale?

Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and professional dancer Jenna Johnson won the Mirror Ball Trophy in Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Finale on November 26, 2024. The three-hour Finale aired on ABC, featuring two competitive rounds with five remaining couples. Each pair performed a redemption dance and a freestyle routine.

Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher with Alan Bersten secured second place with 114 total points, TV star Chandler Kinney with Brandon Armstrong finished third despite leading the scorecard with 118 points, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik with Rylee Arnold placed fourth with 112 points, and NFL champion Danny Amendola with Witney Carson took fifth with 110 points.

The Dancing with the Stars winner's final tally reached 117 points through consistent performances across both nights. The victory marked the first time a Bachelor franchise contestant has won in the show's 33-season history.

Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Finale sees Joey and Jenna dance to victory

The Dancing with the Stars Season 33 culminated with each remaining couple performing redemption dances and freestyle routines. The judges' panel consisted of Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli.

Graziadei and Johnson's consistent excellence resulted in a total score of 117 out of 120 points when combining their semi-final and final performances. Their win adds a new chapter to the show's legacy, breaking new ground for Bachelor franchise participants.

The second-place finish by Maher and Bersten came after steady improvement throughout the Dancing with the Stars Season 33, culminating in a 114-point total score. Kinney and Armstrong's third-place result followed multiple perfect-score performances, accumulating 118 points.

Nedoroscik and Arnold's fourth-place finish included remarkable technical elements, while Amendola and Carson's fifth-place showing demonstrated significant growth from their season start.

Redemption round performances

The opening round challenged Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Finale couples to revisit and improve upon their previous dance styles. Graziadei and Johnson performed a Cha Cha that garnered perfect marks from all three judges, totaling 30 points. Kinney and Armstrong matched this achievement with their Jive routine, also securing a perfect score.

Nedoroscik and Arnold's Quickstep showed marked improvement, earning 29 points through enhanced timing and movement quality. Maher and Bersten's Jive earned 27 points with improved technical execution, while Amendola and Carson's Tango also received 27 points for their refined performance.

Freestyle round highlights

The Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Finale's second round showcased unrestricted choreography and creative expression. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold merged dance with gymnastics elements, earning a perfect 30-point score through technical precision and athletic prowess.

Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson created a tennis-themed performance that scored 29 points, incorporating his sports background into the routine.

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong presented a celebration of dance history that secured 30 points through flawless execution. Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten performed to "Femininomenon" and achieved their first perfect score of the season with 30 points. Danny Amendola and Witney Carson's high-energy Finale earned 29 points.

Scoring

The Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Finale also reflected the combined scoring from both semi-final and finale performances.

The finale episode’s leaderboard was:

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong: 60 (30 + 30)
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson: 59 (30 + 29)
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold: 59 (29 + 30)
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten: 57 (27 + 30)
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson: 56 (27 + 29)

When final scores were combined with those of the semi-final, Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong topped the overall leaderboard again with 118 points out of 120. Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson followed closely with 117 points.

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten accumulated 114 points through their performances. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold earned 112 points across both nights. Danny Amendola and Witney Carson finished with 110 points in total.

Special Performances

The Finale episode featured additional entertainment between competitive segments. Season 32 champion Xochitl Gomez returned to perform alongside Val Chmerkovskiy. Previous Season 33 contestants, including Anna Delvey and Reginald VelJohnson, made brief appearances with their professional partners.

Each eliminated contestant performed shortened versions of their signature dances from the season. The show maintained its live audience format throughout the Finale, with immediate scoring and feedback from the judges following each performance.