'DWTS' finale: Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten prove that down does not mean out
'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 finalists Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten struggled to deliver a flawless Jive during Hair Metal Night, and received criticism from the judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough. However, Ilona made a fierce comeback in the finale with a stunning redemption performance.
The dancing duo was assigned a Jive and nailed the style to Ray Charles & The Blues Brothers' song, 'Shake A Tail Feather'. They came back with powerful moves proving that Ilona and Alan are among the strong contenders in the competition. The duo's moves were flawless, and the confidence Ilona exuded was remarkable compared to her first dance. Ilona previously broke down in tears after she messed up with the Jive. She has gradually learned to give herself grace, understanding that she was stepping out of her comfort zone and trying something new. However, Ilona shed some happy tears after receiving compliments from the judges for her Jive.
DWTS' star Ilona Maher reflects on being nervous about redemption performance
'DWTS' star Ilona Maher confessed that she was nervous about her redemption performance but at the same time, she claimed that she was determined to redeem herself and actually did. She admitted in the confessional, "There are two dances away from winning that mirror ball [trophy], and I know that I have more to give." Ilona believed in herself and claimed that her redemption performance would be perfect.
However, the judges could sense Ilona's nerves and praised her for rebuilding her Jive better than ever. Despite the flawless performance, they awarded her 9s. Meanwhile, her freestyle was everything she needed to prove that she was a deserving finalist. Ilona and Alan Bersten's Freestyle left the audience on their feet and the ballroom erupted in cheers. Ilona and Alan have emerged as the top duo with their flawless performance, showcasing exceptional control and becoming the center of attention among the five finalists. They received 10s from all three judges for their final performance grabbing the top 3 spot on the judges' chart.
'DWTS' Season 33 star Ilona Maher wants to inspire girls with her Freestyle
'DWTS' Season 33 partners Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten delivered a stirring Freestyle to Chappell Roan's 'Femininomenon' during the finale. However, Ilona wanted to leave a lasting impact with her final performance and reflected in the pre-taped video on how she's become an inspiration to girls and women everywhere.
The ABC show star also admitted that she wanted to dance to the inspirational pop hit for all the "girls who see themselves in me." Ilona explained, "I am strong and powerful, but I also can be graceful." She added that the mirror ball trophy matters less to her than inspiring young girls. Her performance was all about the girls who had been told they were too big, too muscly, or not pretty.
'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 airs live on ABC and Disney+. Catch the finale the next day on Hulu.