(DWTS/ABC)
The season 24 finale of Dancing With the Stars airs tonight, but this season isn’t the only one for 2017. Season 25 is set to return this Fall and the start date usually falls around the second week in September.
When it comes to the way the ABC network runs its Monday night show schedule, The Bachelor generally premieres in January, followed by a season of Dancing With the Stars. Then, The Bachelorette airs on TV and runs into Bachelor In Paradise, before getting into another season of DWTS.
Many of this season’s cast members are going on tour after this season, but they should be finished by the time filming for the next season begins. As for the judges, each of the four are reportedly returning, but we’ll probably have to wait and see if there are any changes. In addition, no change has been announced in terms of the co-hosts Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron, so it’s safe to say they both are set to return.
On tonight’s season finale, it’s really anyone’s game. Normani Kordei was said to be the front-runner, but she didn’t score as high as her competitors on last night’s show. In addition, she’s been suffering from a twisted ankle. Rashad Jennings pretty much killed it and MLB star David Ross got great scores as well. Though Ross is admittedly, not the strongest dancer in the competition, by any means, audiences love him and continue to vote him through each week. So, there’s a good chance that he could take home this season’s mirrorball trophy.
For tonight’s grand finale, several big names will perform and our favorite contestants from the season will return to the dance floor. ABC’s official description of tonight’s live episode reads:
The three finalists advance to the final stage of the competition. The night kicks off with a rousing opening number, featuring a reunion of all 12 of this season’s couples, along with judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough, and hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews. Exciting season finale performances include Academy Award-nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld performing her latest single, “Most Girls,” OneRepublic performing their latest hit, “No Vacancy,” alongside a dance by Sharna Burgess and Gleb Savchenko, and Lady Antebellum performing their hit song, “You Look Good,” alongside a dance with Witney Carson, Hayley Erbert, Artem Chigvintsev and Gleb Savchenko. Also, from ABC’s upcoming new adaptation of the global pop-cultural phenomenon “Dirty Dancing,” celebrating the 30th anniversary year of the iconic film, rising star Colt Prattes, who portrays Johnny, and season 10 “Dancing with the Stars” champion Nicole Scherzinger, who plays ‘Penny,” will dance to the hit song from the movie, “Do You Love Me?” … Additionally, fans will get a sneak peek at the sensational “Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Hot Summer Nights” tour that will be traveling across America over this summer.
ABC adds that:
There will also be separate girls and guys’ numbers. The girls’ number features Heather Morris and female Pros and Troupe dancing to “River” by Bishop Briggs, and the guys’ number incorporates the male Pros and Troupe dancing to “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars. In the last element of competition, the three couples will perform a new routine as part of a 24-Hour Fusion Challenge. The couples will fuse two contrasting dance styles that they’ve performed this season, and they’ll have less than 24 hours to prepare that dance for judges’ points. The viewer votes and judges’ points from May 15 and May 22 will be combined along with the judges’ points from the 24-Hour Fusion Challenge to determine the winner. At the end of the night, a champion will be named, and the winner will be presented with the coveted Mirrorball trophy.
The finale episode of season 24 airs tonight from 8:30 – 11 p.m. ET live/PT time delayed.
