‘Dancing with the Stars’ Predictions: Who Will Win Historic Season 30?
ABC/Christopher Willard Reading Time: 4 minutes
The Dancing with the Stars season 30 finale is sure to be filled with shocking moments as the next winner is announced. For the first time in the show’s history, a same-sex couple competed this season. JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson are now seen as the show’s front-runners after weeks of impressive performances. Meanwhile, Iman Shumpert, the show’s underdog, has also made history as the first professional basketball player to make it to the finals. Who will take the mirrorball trophy home tonight?
Judge Derek Hough will not be in-person for tonight’s historic finale. After testing positive for an outbreak case of Covid-19, the dancer went into quarantine. Tonight, his sister and fellow professional dancer Julianne Hough will guest judge in his place.
After he tested positive last week, Derek announced the news to fans in an Instagram video. Derek assured fans that he is “currently taking advice from medical professionals and doing everything I can to get better as fast as I can. I’m currently in quarantine.†Fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba also announced that she would quarantine out of caution. She is expected to appear in the ballroom tonight.
All Season 30 Contestants Will Return to the Ballroom for the DWTS Finale
All 15 of the show’s season 30 celebrities will return to the ballroom tonight to dance an opening number to the hit song “Dynamite†by BTS. The perfomance is choreographed by two-time Emmy Award-winning choreographer Tessandra Chavez.
All of the season 30 professional dancers will also perform a dance to “Pour Some Sugar On Me†by Def Leppard. The finale will also feature special performances by Melanie C and CMA Award winner Jimmie Allen.
For their first-round dances, the finalists will each combine two styles of dance into one routine for a Fusion Dance. For the second and final round, the couples will perform freestyle. The finalists and their dances are as follows:
- JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson will perform a Tango and Cha Cha fusion dance to “I Love It†by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX and a freestyle dance to “Born This Way†by Lady Gaga,
- Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach will perform a Cha Cha and Foxtrot fusion dance to “September†by Earth, Wind & Fire and a freestyle dance to a medley of “Lose Control†by Missy Elliot feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop and “Bounce†by DJ Clent,
- Amanda Kloots and Alan Bersten will perform a Viennese Waltz and Paso Doble fusion dance to “Never Tear Us Apart†by Bishop Briggs and a freestyle dance to “A Sky Full of Stars†by Coldplay, and
- Cody Rigsby and Cheryl Burke will perform a Paso Doble and Cha Cha fusion dance to “Free Your Mind†by En Vogue and a freestyle dance to a medley of “Beethoven’s Fifth†and “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels (Just Dance Version)†by Todrick Hall.
Who Will Win the Mirrorball Trophy?
This season’s finale is set to make history even without Derek Hough on the judging panel. For the first time in the show’s 30 seasons, a same-sex partnership has competed this season. Jenna Johnson and JoJo Siwa have stunned both judges and audiences week after week with their professional level routines. The two are most likely to win going into the finale.
Not only does JoJo have a professional background in dance, she and Jenna have become close friends that clearly adds to their trust on the dance floor. The dancers have received the most number of perfect scores this season, including two perfect scores in one night and the first perfect score of the season. Although Amanda Kloots consistently earns just as high of scores as JoJo, it’s not likely she can compete for the audience’s votes.
This is also the first season that two members of the LGBTQ+ community are competing in the finale. If either JoJo or Peloton instructor Cody win tonight, they will be the second openly LGBTQ+ winner in the show’s history. Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon won with Jenna in season 26 and was the first openly gay winner. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Peloton army can rally enough votes for Cody to get the win. He simply doesn’t score well enough with the judges and, frankly, he’s the worst of the best to perform tonight.
Although I do expect JoJo and Jenna will take it home, I’m pulling for Iman Shumpert. He is the first former basketball player to ever made it to the show’s finale and he is also the only finalist this season who did not dance professionally before the show. In my book, this makes him most-improved and most deserving of the win for putting himself in such a new role and for absolutely killing it week after week.
Despite hard criticism from the judges in the first few weeks, Iman has proven to be an underdog willing to put in the work and impress each week. He and partner Daniella have overcome the challenge of their huge size difference and actually use this seeming disadvantage to their use. With daring acrobatics and lifts, these two have viewers on the edge of their seats throughout every performance.
Tune in tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC to see this epic season finale and be sure to vote for who you want to win this year’s mirrorball trophy.
