‘Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro’ Season 1 Finale Live Recap: Who Won?

Well friends, it’s official: Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro came to an end this week.

The hit ABC dance competition originally announced the spin-off series back in April, and the show quickly took over our summer when it began airing in July. And now, as we say goodbye to August, the show is ready to crown its “next pro!” And needless to say, tonight’s finale pulled out all the stops to help the judging panel with their final decision.

Wondering what happened on the hour-long final of the first season? Scroll on to learn all the details!

Who was eliminated last week?

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of the finale, let’s make sure you’re all caught up on last week’s episode. As the final four contestants headed into the penultimate challenge, they were paired up with the very people they hoped to call peers in the near future: Dancing With the Stars pros Rylee Arnold, Jan Ravnik, Witney Carson and Gleb Savchenko. For their part, the pros were tasked with reporting the process of working with the contestants directly back to the judges so they could see firsthand how they communicated.

Each aspiring pro was then tasked with choreographing their own routine to perform with the cast members, as well as a second routine they’d perform in pairs. While the judging panel—comprising Mark Ballas, Shirley Ballas and guest judge and mentor Kym Johnson—loved many of the routines and the talent on display, they still had to make the difficult decision of who to send home one week before the final episode.

After all of the contestants had their turn on the ballroom floor, the judges skipped the traditional bottom two and went straight to the elimination. While they sincerely praised all the choreography, they noted that one contestant “ever so slightly underperformed.” That contestant was Allen, who was eliminated in the semifinals, leaving Adele, AJ and Selena as the season’s top three.

For more information on last week’s semifinals, check out our full live recap here.

What happened on the finale?

Titled “The Final Step: Finale with Derek Hough and Witney Carson,” the final episode pulled out all the stops, proving to be the ultimate culmination of everything the aspiring pros had been tested on up to that point.

For their final challenge, fans saw the return of several Dancing With the Stars alums, including former celebrity contestants Charli D’Amelio, Nev Schulman and Adam Rippon, whom they were tasked with teaching two new routines. The finale was also the only episode of the season to feature a live studio audience, which added a fun energy to the episode.

Round 1

Selena and Adam

Selena was paired with the Olympian, and she selected jive for her first routine, hitting the floor with a high-energy number set to “Candyman” by Christina Aguilera. Mark called her an “electric” performer, but wanted the choreography to have more “incline.” Shirley applauded Selena’s ability to take criticism over the course of the season, as well as the way she created memorable “wow moments.” Finally, Derek loved the way she “commanded attention,” adding that she’s clearly a “star.”

AJ and Charli

AJ was paired with the popular content creator and selected a classic Viennese Waltz, which he choreographed to “Golden Hour” by JVKE. Mark said the routine had plenty of “content” in it, adding that it was a “solid” performance overall. Derek loved the confidence on display between the pair, saying “trust is key” on the main show. Shirley joked that AJ “won the lottery” by getting Charli, but worried he didn’t work in enough “wow moments” with the star.

Adele and Nev

Adele and the former Catfish: the TV Show host burned up the ballroom floor with a sultry samba set to “Burn Up the Dance” by Dillon Francis and Skrillex to close the first round. The pair got a standing ovation, and Derek joked that it felt like Nev’s “redemption night” from his last appearance on the program. Mark quipped that the “queen cobra struck again” with the performance, but wanted more “wild” vibes from the duo. Shirley concluded by saying Adele was a “magical teacher,” adding that her skills were “second to none.”

Round 2

Selena and Adam

For the second round, the top three were tasked with choreographing a freestyle routine complete with backup dancers. Selena described her vision as a “gritty contemporary fusion,” which she set to “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake. Mark loved how “connected” the dancers were throughout the routine, while Shirley said she was “in awe” of Selena’s abilities. Derek closed his comments by saying that if Selena were a pro on the main show, she would’ve become a “fan-favorite” with that routine.

AJ and Charli

AJ led Charli through a freestyle choreographed to “Bad Man” by Pitbull featuring Robin Thicke, Joe Perry and Travis Barker, stating it was “a celebration of what he’s learned through every single week” of the show. Shirley loved how many styles were featured in the routine, and Derek concurred, adding that the dance truly “had it all.” Mark also enjoyed it, noting that he was particularly impressed by how quickly the contestant put everything together.

Adele and Nev

Adele’s freestyle closed the show, with the aspiring pro leading the star through a powerful pasodoble set to “Natural” by Imagine Dragons. Derek applauded the power of the dance, and especially loved that Adele chose a specific style for her routine. Mark concurred with Derek’s comments, highlighting the “ferocity” and “drama.” Shirley concluded judging for Season 1 of the show, saying she especially enjoyed how Adele put her partner to work in both rounds.

Who won Dancing With the Stars: the Next Pro?

After both rounds, the trio was brought before the panel and live audience one final time. The judges applauded all three contestants before revealing the finishing order.

In third place was Selena, second place was AJ and the winner—who will appear as a pro on the forthcoming Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars—was Adele.

When does Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars premiere?

Dancing With the Stars Season 35 will kick off with a two-night premiere on ABC on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be back in action with live recaps throughout both nights!

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