Beloved Australian zoo keeper Robert Erwin claimed The Mirrorball Trophy as the Season 34 “Dancing with the Stars” champion after Tuesday, Nov. 25’s, two-hour finale in the dance competition reality show.
Erwin, alongside dancing pro Witney Carson, joins his sister, Bindi Erwin, as a Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winner. Bindi Irwin was the season 21 DWTS champion.
Between the five competitors who made the finale, stars took part in 15 dance routines, laying it all on the dance floor to win.
Social media personality Alix Earle finished second; Olympic gold-medalist Jordan Chiles was third; TV personality Dylan Efron placed fourth; and actor Elaine Hendrix was fifth.
The season was record-breaking for fan votes, with more than half a billion votes cast throughout the competition. Overall, there were 72 million fan votes during the season.
Tuesday, each star was challenged with three dances: a judges’ choice round, in which the stars danced a new style selected by one of the judges; an instant dance round, in which they danced to a song and style revealed to them minutes before hitting the stage; and a freestyle round, in which they performed any routine with props and other dancers.
For his freestyle, Erwin danced to “Black and Gold,” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights,” by Avicii, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity and encouragement to chase your dreams. The dance also honored his late father, Steve Erwin.
“My sister said it best, thank you for changing my life,” said Erwin after being announced as the champion with tears in his eyes.
Robert Erwin and Carson earned a perfect score for their freestyle, and overall earned 89/90 points, placing them second on the scoreboard.
The entire cast joined the finale to support the finalists, including singer-songwriter Lauren Jauregui voted off in episode 3; “Boy Meets World” actor Danielle Fishel voted off in episode 8; “Secret Lives of Mormon Lives” star Whitney Leavitt, voted off in episode 10 and others.
In addition, there was a special performance by the Season 33 champions, TV personality Joey Graziadei and his dancing pro Jenna Johnson.
The show highlighted its 2026 “Dancing with the Stars Live,” tour across North America, set to start in January, 2026. The tour will feature dancing pros and former stars to perform live.
Here’s more on the finale of DWTS:
‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 34 Mirrorball Champion
Robert Erwin and dancing pro Witney Carson won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy for Season 34.
What were the scores from the DWTS finale last night?
Here’s the scoreboard from the DWTS finale compiling the scores from the three rounds:
Who was voted off in previous DWTS episodes?
Here are the stars eliminated before the finale:
How can I watch the full season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’?
Fans who want to rewatch or binge Season 34 may watch on Disney+, Hulu and the bundle option of Hulu and Disney+.
Where can I purchase tickets for the 2026 ‘Dancing with the Stars Live’ tour?
To watch your favorite stars and pros dance again, tickets are available online for the 2026 “Dancing with the Stars Live,” tour. Stars include Jordan Chiles, Alix Earle, Elaine Hendrix and others. The tour begins Jan. 22, 2026, and ends in May 13, 2026 — though dates are subject to change.
Contact Sarah Moore @smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who won DWTS? See the Mirrorball champions, scores, dances
Reporting by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
