Before the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season Finale, Take a Look Back at Our Fave Routines

The judges may not have given some of these all 10s, but we sure did while watching at home!

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy / Disney/Eric McCandless

The time has come for us to say “so long” to Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars.

After one of the most competitive seasons of the show in recent memory, with fan voting from viewers at home regularly crushing their “record” number of votes each week, we’re down to our final five dancing duos. And tonight, the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy will officially get a new home.

But before we hang up our dancing shoes and park it on the couch to watch what is sure to be an epic three-hour finale, let’s take a look back at each couple’s highest-rated routines from the judges, as well as our personal favorite routines from throughout the season. (After all, we here at SI Lifestyle have been recapping the show live every week, so we certainly have some opinions!)

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy

Their highest-rated routine by the judges

Judges’ total score: 40/40

Judges’ comments: While Earle and Chmerkovskiy have earned multiple perfect scores, their first-ever 10s across the board came for their Week 9 Foxtrot choreographed to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Matthew Morrison. Bruno Tonioli declared that he went to “ballroom heaven” during the number. Carrie Ann Inaba agreed, applauding that Earle seemed to be finally “letting go.” Hough noted that the choreography was “clean, classic...and flawless,” while guest judge and original show host Tom Bergeron called the number a “chemistry class,” referring to their undeniable chemistry on the ballroom floor.

Our personal favorite routine

Judges’ total score: 24/30

Why it’s our favorite: Many of Earle and Chmerkovskiy’s later routines were magnificent, but their villainous “Disney Night” number set to Lana Del Rey’s spooky take on the Sleeping Beauty classic “Once Upon a Dream” deserves our shout-out! The choreography by Chmerkovskiy was crisp, and the costumes were exceptional—but truth be told, this was our favorite because it was the first time audiences got to see another side of the otherwise bubbly content creator. We all knew Earle could remember the steps and hit the moves, but could she play a character, too? The answer was an enthusiastic “YES,” and this number set the pair on a course to the top of the leaderboard for the rest of the season.

Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach

Their highest-rated routine by the judges

Judges’ total score: 40/40

Judges’ comments: Like Earle and Chmerkovskiy, the judges also awarded Efron and Karagach their first-ever perfect score of the season during Week 9 for their sultry Argentine Tango set to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. Hough said the routine was Efron’s “breakthrough moment,” while Tonioli said Efron was finally “not dancing, but starring.” Inaba also applauded Efron’s journey, while Bergeron joked that it looked like “two pros were dancing” together, rather than one pro and one celeb.

Our personal favorite routine

Judges’ total score: 36/40

Why it’s our favorite: There’s no denying the duo’s aforementioned Argentine Tango was out-of-this-world, but their “Dedication Night” routine remains our personal favorite. This special dance was layered with emotion and personal meaning for Efron, as the talented Karagach choreographed the Contemporary routine to “Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman. Efron’s older brother Zac Efron originally sang the tune for the movie, which was already a sweet nod on its own. Still, the most adorable part was that—given it was “Dedication Night”—Efron danced part of the routine with their little sister Olivia, whom he also dedicated the number to.

Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa

Their highest-rated routine by the judges

Judges’ total score: 30/30

Judges’ comments: Chiles and Sosa got their long-overdue first-ever perfect score for their dynamic Argentine Tango set to “U Got the Look” for “Prince Night” during the semifinals. While this duo had consistently placed at the high end of the leaderboard throughout the season, they’d never received all 10s—until this routine. Hough said it was a “top performance,” while Tonioli praised Chiles’s focus, calling her “the leading lady of dance.” Inaba concurred with her fellow judges, adding that Chiles was “in a class of her own.” (Plus, the pair’s humorous, genuine reaction to their score was simply delightful!)

Our personal favorite routine

Judges’ total score: 24/30

Why it’s our favorite: Chiles and Sosa have been incredible all season long. Still, while their “Prince Night” routine was, of course, perfect, their “TikTok Night” number will always have a special place in our hearts. For the app-themed evening, the Olympian danced a Tango to “Anxiety” by Doechii, and the intricate routine choreographed by Sosa told a visual story about the titular topic. Chiles’s vulnerability and authenticity were on full display, and it was impossible not to be moved by her strength and confidence.

Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

Their highest-rated routine by the judges

Judges’ total score: 30/30

Judges’ comments: Like Chiles and Sosa, Hendrix and Bersten also earned their first-ever perfect score of the season during “Prince Week,” raking in all 10s for their passionate Paso Doble set to the legendary track “When Dove Cry.” During judging, Inaba got up out of her seat on the panel and ran around to hug Hendrix, literally bowing down to the actress afterward. Hough then declared that the routine was “a classic Paso Doble,” while Tonioli echoed his fellow judges’ critiques, applauding Bersten’s cool choreography.

Our personal favorite routine

Judges’ total score: 30/40

Why it’s our personal favorite: Hendrix and Bersten have no shortage of delightful dances to choose from (their “Defying Gravity” number was almost our pick here). Still, their fantastic Foxtrot set to “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole still stands out as a truly special moment—and not just for the duo, but for the show overall. In a moment celebrating the importance of female friendship, Hendrix dedicated the routine to her longtime pal and The Parent Trap costar Lisa Ann Walter. As with Efron and his little sister’s routine, Walter joined the pair on the floor, and Bersten even incorporated Hendrix’s sassy bell moment from the film into the choreography for bonus millennial nostalgia points.

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Their highest-rated routine by the judges

Judges’ total score: 40/40

Judges’ comments: This was not only Irwin and Carson’s first-ever perfect score, but the first perfect score of the entire season. Once the pair finished their emotional Week 9 Foxtrot set to “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (or in our house). Tonioli noted that he “couldn’t take his eyes off” Irwin. Inaba added that the dance was “powerful and profound,” while Hough said he felt “honored” to witness the routine. Bergeron—who had met Irwin previously when his older sister, Bindi Irwin, competed on the show (and won!)—finished judging by saying that Irwin had truly “grown into a star.”

Our personal favorite routine

Judges’ total score: 36/40

Why it’s our personal favorite: From the beginning of this season, it was clear that Irwin and Carson would be an exceptional pair; however, it was their number during “Wicked Week” that cemented their status as a superstar duo. Carson’s choreography was high-energy and impactful, while Irwin brought all the charisma and charm needed to kill the routine. But don’t just take our word for it: even PEOPLE’s 2025 “Sexiest Man Alive” Jonathan Bailey—who performed the song in the first Wicked film—loved it, praising Irwin’s dance skills and giving him his support.

The three-hour Season 34 finale of Dancing With the Stars airs live tonight, Nov. 25, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be back here to recap everything live for you one last time! You can watch the final episode of Season 34 live on ABC and Disney+. The finale will also be available to stream on Hulu beginning tomorrow.

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