After a season dedicated to celebrating female empowerment and body positivity, Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher finished as the runner-up on last night’s “Dancing with the Stars” finale. The season 33 champions were Joey Graziadei, known for his role on “The Bachelor,” and his professional partner Jenna Johnson.
Hailing from Burlington, Vermont, Maher and her partner Alan Bersten showcased their talents with two final performances in the episode. One notable routine was a freestyle dance set to a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon,” which Maher dedicated to girls who have felt marginalized by societal beauty standards. She expressed that winning the mirror ball trophy was secondary to the message behind her performance: “It’ll be for all the girls who’ve been told they’re too big or they’re too muscular and they’re not pretty.”
In addition to the freestyle, Maher also completed a much-anticipated redemption dance, revisiting the jive she had struggled with earlier in the competition. The emotional journey from her previous performance, where she had touched the hearts of viewers and judges alike with her tears, led to a triumphant redo of the jive to Ray Charles’ “Shake A Tail Feather.” The judges responded positively, awarding her nines out of ten for the performance.
For her freestyle, Maher delivered a spectacular routine embodying her journey throughout the competition, resulting in the night’s only perfect score of ten from all three judges. This performance reflected her determination to represent strength and resilience, as she danced not just for herself but for others who see their struggles echoed in her story.
In the finale, the placement of the finalists was determined by a combination of judges’ scores and fan votes. The final scores were as follows: Graziadei and Johnson received a combined score of 117, Maher and Bersten scored 114, while Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong achieved 118, and Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold had 112, with Danny Amendola and Witney Carson totaling 110.
Additionally, it was announced that Maher will continue her journey by joining the “Dancing with the Stars” live tour starting in January, alongside fellow contestants Graziadei and Kinney, with Nedoroscik co-hosting the shows.
This season’s attendees leave with inspiration, as Maher’s journey highlighted the importance of self-acceptance, courage, and personal triumphs over challenges. Her story serves not only as a reminder of the power of representation and confidence but also embodies a hopeful message for individuals striving to break free from societal constraints.