While Dancing with the Stars 23 may be in the books, what could get lost in all the confetti from the award presentation is the work of the dancers in the finals.
James Hinchcliffe lost his teacher for two weeks, and delivered one of the iconic performances of the season. Jana lost her teacher for an afternoon, and she lost her cool.
That wasn't the reason she went home on Day 1 of the Finals.
Jana and Gleb had a hot start, pun totally intended, but went back to the sexy well a bit too often. The depth of her dance development was overshadowed by a lack of depth in her character development as a performer. That being said, she still had a spectacular run on Season 23, and after her first Waltz performance, we predicted she'd do well this season, and she did.
If you went back in time 100 years and told them that in 2016 the sexiest dance you had just witnessed was a Viennese Waltz, they would have fallen out of their motor coach laughing. But that's exactly what vaulted Jana Kramer into instant contention, and set the bar high for a successful season 23.
Scientifically speaking, a shower can be used as a means of relaxing your muscles, or cooling off. Now, in the case of that shower being in the middle of the dance floor, on national television, and in the middle of a bedroom-themed Argentine Tango - science is thrown out the window.
The sex appeal factor was a constant theme that, as a viewer, started to feel like being at a dinner party with a new couple that can't keep their hands off each other. Just when you're about to take them off your guest list, the Quickstep happens - and Elegant Jana is revealed to the viewing audience.
Jana Kramer was an inspiration to many viewers. She demonstrated how one can use dancing as a vehicle to recapturing lost confidence, and discovering new strengths. Watching Jana and Gleb perform felt like a guilty, soap opera on a sick day, pleasure, and they added plenty of steamy moments to Season 23. Should she decide to continue dancing, she's got (no pun intended) a body of work that could have her stand out on any dance floor.
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Despite landing in the bottom two, Jana and Gleb have a great chance of squeezing their way into the Top 3 with their ability to go beyond the easy and obvious chemistry.
Calvin made a living as a football player not enjoying defenders in his personal space. He jumped higher, ran faster, and generally avoided defenders enough to make him a sure-fire member of the Football Hall of Fame.
Unfortunately, ballroom dancing requires you to be nestled in a dance frame, intermingling your personal space with another person's. Physical challenges aside, this was Calvin's biggest obstacle throughout the season, and Lindsay did a masterful job of pushing him past it - including a few socially awkward hugs from time to time.
This was the Calvin Johnson "the performer" debut, and while his dead-on Steve Urkel impression was highlighted at the beginning of the routine, his smooth movement had much more of a "Stefan Urquelle" vibe.
In the Most Memorable Year episode, Lindsay threw the kitchen sink at Mr. Johnson. She pushed the limits with choreography that had them doing everything from Swing, Foxtrot, Jazz, and a few death defying lifts. Meanwhile Calvin, amid all the challenging material, was just as bright as the blinged out, Detroit Lions, blue suit he wore.
To truly make this a special moment, DWTS alum Jerry Rice, considered to be the greatest Wide Receiver of all time, surprised Calvin as the routine finished.
Some may say that this honor goes to James Hinchcliffe's chair handstand, but those people may have missed Calvin and Lindsay's Tango performance. You see, had that been set to record, you would have watched that move at least three times, recorded it on your phone, repurposed it into a GIF, and made it your most shared post ever on Tumblr.
While Calvin advanced to the second day of the 2-part DWTS Finale, he was ultimately eliminated. Considering the talent of Season 23, and his evolution as a dancer, he should hold his head up high. After all, that's a pretty well trained habit by this point, and any future football player on the show will have some big dance shoes to fill after such an incredible run on Season 23.
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"Lindsay keeps pushing Calvin, and in doing so is challenging everything from his footwork to his dance frame. Anything that rotates a lot, or has multiple layers of dance information will set his dance frame back. For that to get under control he's got to practice at the same intensity level as his performance - and that won't get any easier as he gets closer to the championship."
And then... there were two. Who would have thought that at the start of DWTS Season 23 the lesser known race car driver would be in the final two against the season favorite, and Olympian, Laurie Hernandez?
The same competitor who would be called the "greatest male competitor ever on Dancing with the Stars" by judge, Julianne Hough, and the same guy who lost his teacher to injury for a few episodes.
That guy.
James Hinchcliffe: Worthy of the up swell of public opinion, and very capable of backing up his claim to the Mirrorball trophy. He went from overlooked to can't miss, and his non-Canadian racing fan base got about 20 million times bigger.
Nothing cemented the epic run that Hinchcliffe had on this season more than, what will forever be known as simply, "The Handstand". As the finale of his Argentine Tango routine, complete with a blindfolded Sharna Burgess, he raised the bar for his fellow competitors, and every male celebrity from this point forward on the show.
Learning to dance on television can feel like a life threatening activity. For the record, it's not. But when we learned on the Most Memorable Year episode that James Hinchcliffe nearly died in a horrific racing accident, the fact that he was walking was incredible. Being on a dance show, on the other hand, was nothing short of a miracle.
The viral performance of the season was, hands down, the Joker and Harley Quinn Viennese Waltz with Hinch and, his very capable stand in pro, Jenna Johnson. They turned the Halloween Episode into an event that will stay saved on DVR's, or bookmarked on YouTube for years to come.
There's a term floating around the world of competitive dancing, "vice-champion". It's a cool way of saying second place, runner up, or always a bridesmaid and never a bride. Yet, as much as the use of "vice champion" may cause an involuntary eyeroll, in James Hinchcliffe's case - it's absolutely appropriate.
The Final two of DWTS Season 23 featured, quite possibly, the top male and female competitors ever on the show in any season.
Hinchcliffe had everything you'd want in a champion, including the ability to acknowledge and accept defeat with class and dignity.
We hope this is only the beginning of dance-related activity for Mr. Hinchcliffe. He seems to be pretty good at it.
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James Hinchcliffe has gone from "surprise performer" to "potential finalist" to "legitimate potential champion". Yes, if there is one couple poised to unseat Laurie and Val from their mirrorball moment, it's James and Sharna.
Through the course of the season, Laurie and Val were the unquestioned frontrunners. While it would be easy to chalk this up to the physical tools made available by being a member of the US Olympic gymnastics team, this is a ballroom dancing show - and Laurie's skill was a product of rapid improvement in Ballroom and Latin, and not just a repackaging of gymnastics material.
Laurie Hernandez was pushed by her teacher, Val. She responded, developed, and could, therefore, be pushed further and further. As a clear favorite, it would have been easier to coast on the momentum of her collection of top scores over the weeks, but Laurie and Val approached this season the way every athlete or team that's the odds on favorite to win should approach competition: To compete as if you're always playing from behind.
They did that, and that's why they did so well.
With her first ever performance on DWTS, Laurie Hernandez made a statement that she was a force to be reckoned with. The opening of this video shows that, now, distant memory of Laurie as a non-dancer gymnast. Judging by her Cha Cha, it's easy to see why imagining her as a non-dancer is so difficult.
While Laurie never lacked for charisma, she showed some definite acting ability in this cute Quickstep.
Honestly, you can't go wrong with any week of Season 23 when it came to Val & Laurie. From start to finish, they competed like Champions, but never seemed to carry themselves like anything but people who love to dance and perform. Laurie Hernandez may have looked polished and poised coming in to Season 23, but all of it, dance results included, were the result of relentless hard work.
Moving Forward
We are thrilled to hear that Laurie will be a part of the DWTS Tour. As one of the hardest working celebrities in the show's history, you can bet that this Olympic Gymnast turned Ballroom diva will continue to refine her new hobby, and continue to remind everyone in attendance why she won it all and took home the Mirrorball Trophy.
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Being the wire to wire favorite is difficult. If you're wondering just how difficult, ask the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors. They set new records for regular season wins, only to lose the championship in their final game to decide the new champion... people would rather rally behind the underdog, over going with the odds on favorite.