Xochitl Gomez wins season 32 of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Xochitl Gomez and partner Val Chmerkovskiy became the first couple to win Dancing with the stars‘ Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy during the Season 32 finale on Tuesday, December 5.

“Oh my god, there’s so much confetti,” 18-year-old Gomez exclaimed as she cried tears of joy. This marks the third time Chmerkovskiy, 37, has taken home the win as a pro on the ABC series.

DWTSThe grand prize was renamed in Goodman’s honor in September. Goodman, who died in April at the age of 78, was a judge on the reality competition series from 2005 to 2022.

Before the winners of the coveted prize were announced, the five final couples each took the stage twice. The duos performed both a freestyle and redemption routine, the latter of which gave the pros another shot at a dance they struggled with earlier in the season.

Alyson Hannigan and partner Sasha Farber first tried redemption by performing a salsa to ‘Get on Your Feet’ Gloria Estefan. Right Carrie Ann Inaba 49-year-old Hannigan said she wanted her to bring more sex appeal to the dance this time.

“You did a great job. There is something so different about you,” 55-year-old Inaba told the actress after the performance. “You are a different person than the person who walked in on that very first episode. You have grace, you have faith now.”

Jason Mrazmeanwhile was given the task of making a foxtrot for the redemption round.

“The first time he performed [the foxtrot]he had some problems because the frame was very tight,” Bruno Tonioli told cameras before telling Mraz, 46, that it looked like he was “carrying a sack of potatoes” during rehearsal.

However, Mraz and partner Daniella Karagach‘s training paid off and the pair earned a perfect score.

“Pure classic ballroom foxtrot,” said Tonioli, 68, praising the “old school Hollywood leading man” flavor Mraz brought to the dance.

Karagach, 30, broke down in tears while listening to the judges’ feedback and started talking about Mraz co-hosting Julianne Hough.

“I’m just so proud of him, the human being that he is,” Karagach said. “Week 4 was a struggle for us and the fact that you managed to persevere and be so outspoken in this final and wanting it so badly is just so refreshing.”

Ariana Madix also impressed the judges with her samba, which Derek Hough wanted her to try again so she could “slow it down” and show off the “lines and control” that characterize the dance.

“Giving you the samba in a final is mean, but Ariana, you are a samba queen!” Hough, 38, gushed after the performance and gave Madix, 38, a standing ovation.

However, one finalist received some criticism after her redemption dance. Although Inaba praised “the passion and connection” between the two Charity Lawson and partner Artem Chigvintsev that she was missing during their first tango, she said she “had to point out” an error in the choreography.

Despite Inaba’s criticism, Hough called Lawson’s tango “the best dance of the evening so far.”

Related: Every Bachelor Nation Star Who Has Competed on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Over the years, many members of Bachelor Nation have joined Dancing With the Stars following their search for romance, but not everyone has taken home the mirror ball. Melissa Rycroft was the first Bachelor contestant to join the series in 2009. Although she didn’t win her season, she was asked back for an all-stars game. […]

Last but not least, Gomez and Chmerkovskiy danced a foxtrot. Tonioli told Gomez that she “lost her balance” the first time she tried the dance and “hit so cleanly” that her arm movements were not as elegant as they should have been.

After the performance, Tonioli was satisfied. “Your musicality is like part of the orchestra,” he told Gomez. “It’s really a pleasure to watch you.”

The finalists weren’t the only ones performing at the final; all previously eliminated couples from season 32 returned for an opening number set to “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton as well as a jive to “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” from Mariah Carey.

Last season’s champions Charli D’Amelio And Mark Ballasalso strutted their stuff during the episode, performing a routine to Rick James’ “Give It To Me Baby.”

Keep scrolling to see all the scores of the artists from the season 32 finale: