Tonight marks the first time that “Dancing with the Stars” will have an all female finale. (Photo property of ABC and BBC Worldwide)
By: Jacob Elyachar
In just a couple of hours: Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough, Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy and Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani will compete one last time for America’s votes and judges’ points
Whoever receives the highest amount of votes and will walk away with the show’s coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.
In this article, you will find the strengths and weaknesses of each couple and what they have to do to win this season.
Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough have been favorites to win this season since the All-Stars pairings were announced this summer. (Photo property of ABC Medianet and BBC Worldwide)
Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough
The minute the Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars pairings, fans have predicted that this couple would go all the way in the competition. Sure enough, this couple is one of the very couples that did not find themselves in the Bottom Two throughout the entire competition.
Strengths: Shawn and Derek have incredible chemistry and presented amazing routines throughout the entire competition. This proved that they could take risks while stunning the audience at the exact same time.
Weaknesses: Sometimes those risks backfired on the couple. For example, Derek earned Len’s wrath when they presented their tribal Samba trio during week eight’s Trio Challenge.
What They Need to Do to Win: In order for the Olympian and Mr. Choreography to claim their prize, they must fine tune their Quickstep and create a whole new routine that is greater or equal to Shawn’s impeccable Freestyle from Season Eight.
Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy’s impeccable Contemporary routine received incredible remarks from the judges and stunned the audience. (Photo property of ABC Medianet and BBC Worldwide)
Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy
The General Hospital star and original Dancing with the Stars champion made it to the finale thanks to her loyal fan base and possibly (romantic) chemistry with her new partner: Val Chmerkovskiy.
Strengths: Kelly and Val have taken on every single challenge that has thrown at them with determination, grace and passion. They soared during their Contemporary, Fusion Dance and Trio challenges and proved they got what it takes to win it all.
Weaknesses: They are the only remaining couple left in the competition that has not received any 10s from the judges. In order to receive these crucial scores, they need to fine-tune their routines so that they could get the Mirror Ball Trophy.
What They Need to Do to Win: This will be Val’s first time choreographing a Freestyle routine and they should have focused a lot of their time this week on presenting an incredible routine.
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani’s stunning Argentine Tango to Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana” propelled them to this season’s finale. (Photo property of ABC Medianet and BBC Worldwide)
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Despite receiving a big injury earlier on in the competition, Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani have shown that they are forces to be reckoned with in the Dancing with the Stars ballroom and have received the most perfect scores of the three couples left in the competition.
Strengths: They are incredible storytellers and have astonished the audience through several show-stopping routines: Viennese Waltz, Quickstep and their smoking’ hot Argentine Tango. In addition, Melissa and Tony have incredible footwork that continues to gain fans throughout the season.
Weaknesses: Tony Dovolani’s previous Freestyles have robbed him from getting two Mirror Ball trophies in the past. In addition, they are recovering from injuries as well and one false move could cost them the competition.
What They Need to Do to Win: In order to receive their first Mirror Ball trophy, Melissa and Tony need to show off their incredible skills as entertainers and not let stress of being in the finale get the best of them.
Dancing with the Stars’ two-night finale starts tonight at 8 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m. CST.
For your DWTS fix, head to the show’s website: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/index
