Paige VanZant and Mark Ballas top the leaderboard, but will they become the winner of 'DWTS' season 22?
- May 25, 2016
AceShowbiz - All the sweats and hard work during the past two months were finally paid off on "Dancing with the Stars" season 22 finale. One pair were declared a winner in the competition on Tuesday, May 24, but before that the three finalists Ginger Zee & Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas and Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd completed the 24-hour fusion challenge.
Ginger & Val danced the Argentine tango/Foxtrot. Len Goodman said she "lost the routine a little bit," but he still called Ginger "a fantastic dancer." Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli praised how much she had changed since she joined the competition. The judges gave her 27 points.
Nyle & Peta danced the tango/cha cha. Bruno called it "glorious" and said no matter what happened to him Nyle's a champion. "That is a beautiful way to end the season," Carrie added, as Len said, "You deserve to be in the finals." The judges gave him 30 points.
Paige & Mark danced the salsa/jive. Len said all three finalists were winners already, but "if this was judged purely on dance, you would be the one to beat." Paige, who had been frontrunner on the show, earned 30 points and topped the leaderboard with a total of 148 points.
When the results were announced, it was between Nyle & Peta and Paige & Mark since Ginger & Val finished in the third place. And the Mirror Ball trophy went to Nyle & Peta. The deaf model has proven that he could overcome any boundaries, even dancing without being able to hear and see. It's the fifth win for Peta.
The finale also saw the three finalists doing an encore of their best dance of the season. Eliminated contestants returned to dance, while Fifth Harmony, Pitbull and Aloe Blacc were among the musical performers.
