After ten grueling rounds of sweat, tears and leg lifting, the five remaining couples delivered their final two performances on Tuesday evening Dancing with the stars Season finale: a redemption dance hand-picked by the judges to reinterpret a previous style and a freestyle routine showcasing her personal journey and growth.

It’s a journey that deeply touches dancer Chris Hernandez, who emphasized the importance of trust in preparation.

“It’s important to just be in the moment,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. Best known for his work in In the heights And Tick, tick…boom!Hernandez added, “When you enter the performance space, you have to let go of your perfectionist mindset and allow yourself to be free.”

With results from last week’s semi-finals rolling in and votes from live TV viewers coming together, it was unclear who would take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

The evening saw the return of Season 32 champions Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, who put on an impressive performance in Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” and set the bar high for the new winners.

Tori Spelling and Anna Delvey, the season’s first eliminated contestants, also returned for a dance set to Whitney Houston’s “Nothing” – a subtle nod to Delvey’s viral moment in which she famously quipped that she had “nothing” from her experience in the would take the show with me. Former contestant Reginald VelJohnson also returned to the ballroom with a sweet number to the theme song of his 1990s sitcom Family matters.

In the end, Joey Graziadei and professional player Jenna Johnson won and secured the coveted prize. Looking back on her win, Graziadei praised his partner: “I feel like Jenna totally deserves this and this is everything for her,” adding that “his whole experience was incredible.”

The couple’s cha-cha-cha to Justin Timberlake’s “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” Earlier in the night, judge Carrie Ann Inaba was seen praising Graziadei’s “consistency” from week to week. They kept the momentum going with a routine to “Canned Heat” by District 78 ft. Jake Simpson.

Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold delivered an energetic quickstep to “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts. Her routine to Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” became a heartfelt tribute to Nedoroscik’s Olympic journey.

Inaba said Nedoroscik’s quickstep was “absolutely the best I’ve ever seen you do,” adding, “Well done, Superman!”

Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson opened the redemption round with a fierce tango to Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” showcasing technique and strong emotions. They followed with an electrifying freestyle to Lizzo’s “Pink” and Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” and received a standing ovation.

The judges praised Amendola’s development over the course of the season, with Hough proclaiming, “For me, the dance of redemption has been successful.” Inaba added, “Of all the men, you’ve made by far the biggest change.”

Meanwhile, Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten brought their signature chemistry to their live performance on “Shake A Tail Feather” by Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers. Maher delivered another victory in her free skate against “Femininomenon” from District 78 ft Mona Rue.

“Your competitive spirit, your determination, you are truly an inspiration,” judge Bruno Tonioli told Maher.

Chandler Kinney and professional Brandon Armstrong impressed with their enthusiasm on “APT”. by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars, a performance that showcased Kinney’s sharp footwork. Her freestyle to “Hellzapoppin’” by the Eyal Vilner Big Band and “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield received rave reviews from the jury. Both exercises achieved perfect results.

As the confetti fell and the new champions lifted the Mirrorball trophy, the evening proved to be a celebration of growth, reflection and friendship.

“I truly believe that anyone can dance,” Hernandez told Yahoo, drawing inspiration from his own childhood imitating dancers in his living room. “We all have so much more potential than we often give ourselves credit for.”

How did the stars fare?

Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli

Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson: CHAMPIONS

• Redemption dance: Cha Cha

• Redemption song: “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!” by Justin Timberlake

• Redemption score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Freestyle song: “Canned Heat” by District 78 ft Jake Simpson

• Freestyle result: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• In total: 59 (for both nights: 117)

Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars

• Redemption score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• Freestyle songs: “Hellzapoppin’” by the Eyal Vilner Big Band and “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield

• Freestyle result: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• In total: 60 (for both nights: 118)

Ilona Maher and professional Alan Bersten: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “Shake A Tail Feather” by Ray Charles & The Blues Brothers

• Redemption score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 9, Bruno 9

• Freestyle song: “Femininomenon” by District 78 ft Mona Rue

• Freestyle result: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• In total: 57 (for both nights: 114)

Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold: Eliminated

• Redemption dance: Quickstep

• Redemption song: “I will be there for you” by the Rembrandts

• Redemption score: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 9, Bruno 10

• Freestyle song: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay

• Freestyle result: Carrie Ann 10, Derek 10, Bruno 10

• In total: 59 (for both nights: 112)

Danny Amendola and professional Witney Carson: Eliminated

• Redemption song: “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen

• Redemption score: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 9, Bruno 9

• Freestyle songs: “Pink” by Lizzo and “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling.

• Freestyle result: Carrie Ann 9, Derek 10, Bruno 9

• In total: 56 (for both nights: 110)

Who has been eliminated so far?

• Week 2: Anna Delvey and Tori Spelling

• Week 4: Reginald VelJohnson and Eric Roberts

• Week 5: Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko

• Week 6: Phaedra Parks and Pro Val Chmerkovskiy

• Week 7: Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber

• Week 9: Dwight Howard and professional Daniella Karagach

• Week 10: All couples were safe

• Week 11: Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong; Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten; Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten; Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold; Danny Amendola and Witney Carson