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'Dancing With The Stars' Recap: Amber Riley & Derek Hough Win Mirror Ball

Dancing With the Stars’ Season 17 concluded on Tuesday night with Glee star and singer Amber Riley being named the champion alongside her professional partner, five-time winner Derek Hough.

Dancing With The Stars Recap

The finale began with judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, the previously eliminated celebrities and the three remaining couples dancing throughout the studio with clips from earlier nights on the show spliced in. The group routine/montage is followed by a musical performance by Enrique Iglesias and a reprise of the fan-favorite group freestyle routine to “What Does the Fox Say?” performed by Norwegian duo Yltvis themselves on the DWTS stage.

Pros & Eliminated Contestants Perform

Both the female pros and the male pros had their moments in the spotlight with elaborate numbers, as did the formerly axed couples. Bill Nye performed his with the help of a rather acrobatic body double. In a disappointing choice, Elizabeth Berkley didn’t reprise her “So Excited” routine, but rather the sultry Cha Cha of week six. Leah Remini took on an abbreviated version of her Samba.

Brant Daugherty and Peta Murgatroyd and Christina Milian and Mark Ballas teamed up for a quartet Paso Doble to Lady Gaga’s “Applause.” The new dance showed that both stars likely exited the completion a few weeks too soon. Valerie Harper also returned to the stage, taking on a slow Waltz to Colbie Caillat singing live.

Nicole "Snookie" Polizzi, who also performed a dance, also delivered a notable performance in interviews. Having to raise her voice on the red carpet, she shouted to host Brooke Burke, “I love you, I miss your boobs, I miss your body” and then got reminded that the show is live. In a flashback interview, the Jersey Shore alum said, recalling her foxtrot, “I’m not an elegant person, but to look like a virgin again was awesome.”

Dance Fusion Round

Corbin Bleu and Karina Smirnoff moved from a Foxtrot into a Cha Cha. The judges agreed that the Foxtrot was just about perfect, but that Corbin lost the steps more than once in the Cha Cha portion. Score: 27

Jack Osbourne, who’s always struggled a bit with the Latin dances, had to flow from a Paso Doble into a Salsa with Cheryl Burke. As has been his habit, the youngest Osbourne sibling was flat footed, though graceful during the routine. The judges, appreciating his determination, sung his praises. Score: 27

Amber and Derek turned the competition round on it’s head, completely and seamlessly blending the two dances assigned to them – the Samba and the Quickstep. Despite her knee injuries, Amber was as crisp and on beat as ever, and the judges all stood up to applaud her. Score: 30

DWTS Final Eliminations

As was expected, Jack was named the second-runner up, ending up in the same standing as his sister Kelly Osbourne in season nine. He graciously accepted third place and admitted he never thought he’d get so far. After a dramatic build-up and a split screen view of the two remaining couples, Amber and Derek are dubbed the champions. Corbin diplomatically said the competition was a great experience as Amber got lifted up in the air with her Mirror Ball trophy held up high over her head.

– Chelsea Regan

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