01:34 AM EDT 04/14/2013
Shawn Johnson
Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani Thank Fans for Dancing with the Stars Win
Originally posted 11/28/2012 01:15PM
We have a winner!
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani won the mirror-ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars Monday night in the culmination of a challenging all-stars season.
"It's unbelievable," Rycroft told PEOPLE after the show. "I don't know why we kept underestimating ourselves. I don't know why we kept thinking, 'It's not us, it's not us.' And it was us."
Dovolani, who's never won in 14 previous seasons on the show, was elated on a night when his reasons for celebrating extended far beyond the DWTS ballroom.
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Dancing with the Stars Crowns Melissa Rycroft All-Star Winner
Originally posted 11/27/2012 10:50PM
There's a new leading lady!
The first all-female finale of Dancing with the Stars featured all-stars Shawn Johnson, Kelly Monaco and Melissa Rycroft in a fierce battle Tuesday night for the mirror ball trophy.
After taking big risks in Monday night's performance show, the stars and their pro partners – Derek Hough, Val Chmerkovskiy and Tony Dovolani – performed "instant dances."
With the competitors getting their dance-style instructions less than an hour before hitting the floor, the field was whittled down to two couples.
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Dancing with the Stars: Who Deserves to Win?
Originally posted 11/27/2012 10:15AM
That mirror-ball trophy is within reach!
Dancing's all-female top three performed two routines a piece on Monday night – and it's a tight race going into Tuesday's big finale.
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani were flawless and are in the lead with a perfect score of 60 points. They performed a sexy samba for their favorite dance and a high-flying contemporary routine for their super-size freestyle.
"Your technique is great but what is good to see is your confidence," judge Bruno Tonioli said after their first dance. "You've grown so much as a performer." After their contemporary number, fellow judge Len Goodman said he wished he had an 11-point paddle.
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Women Sizzle in Dancing with the Stars All-Star Finale
Originally posted 11/26/2012 09:35PM
It's raining 10s, hallelujah!
On the final Monday night of competition for the all-star season of Dancing with the Stars, the all-female top three – Melissa Rycroft, Shawn Johnson and Kelly Monaco – took big risks during two final routines with their partners.
Each couple performed their favorite dance of the season and "super-sized freestyle," which allowed the pros – Tony Dovolani, Derek Hough and Val Chmerkovskiy – to incorporate the music and choreography of their choice with sets, additional performers and costumes to create routines to wow the judges and the voters at home.
Here's how it all played our inside the ballroom on Monday night:
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Apolo Ohno: We Should Have Gone to Dancing Finals
Originally posted 11/26/2012 06:00PM
Apolo Ohno is a former Dancing with the Stars champion, winning the coveted mirror-ball trophy in season 4 with Julianne Hough. Finally ousted last week, the ice-skating Olympian has been blogging for PEOPLE.com about competing with Karina Smirnoff in the all-star season.
I feel good. I did my absolute best on the show. I feel like we did some amazing dances. It was a blast, it was a struggle, it was hard. I overcame all the obstacles. The fan base that was there was incredibly powerful and strong.
On one side, it was a little bit bittersweet. I felt like we should have been in the finals. We definitely were good enough to be there. But it's out of our control. With the combination of the judges' scores and the audience votes, we just did not have enough votes to go onto the finals.
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Dancing with the Stars Features First All-Female Finale!
Originally posted 11/26/2012 07:30AM
Let's hear it for the girls!
For the first time, Dancing with the Stars will showcase an all-female finale, with Shawn Johnson, Melissa Rycroft and Kelly Monaco competing for the mirror-ball trophy on Monday to complete the all-star season.
"Unbelievable," says Rycroft, who finished third on season 8. "The three of us are standing up on that stage going: 'We beat all the boys!' How really does that happen?"
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Dancing with the Stars Season 15 Finalists Revealed
Originally posted 11/20/2012 08:30PM
They were so close!
After five couples performed mixed-up routines and a tribute to Michael Jackson on Dancing with the Stars the night before, two contestants were sent packing Tuesday night, just one week short of season 15's all-star finale. And that's got to hurt.
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Dancing with the Stars: Couples Perform Crazy Combinations in Semi-Finals
Originally posted 11/19/2012 11:05PM
It's the semi-finals!
The remaining five couples on Dancing with the Stars faced two rounds of competition on Monday. First, the pairs performed mixed-up routines, blending uncommon styles with unusual themes. Then, they celebrated the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's hit album Bad with more traditional ballroom numbers.
Keep reading for all the details and scores ...
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Dancing with the Stars: Which Couple Had a Perfect Night?
Originally posted 11/12/2012 11:15PM
After performing twice last week, the remaining couples on Dancing with the Stars had double duty again Monday night. Each pair performed a tribute to America's troops as well as a trio dance with an eliminated pro or member of the DWTS troupe.
And it was a night of big scores! But the pressure is on ahead of Tuesday's double elimination.
Keep reading for all the details ...
Shawn Johnson Calls Switching Partners on Dancing with the Stars a 'Lot to Handle'
Originally posted 11/06/2012 10:30AM
Switching from one dance to the next, week to week, is tough enough. Switching partners, too? That's all but impossible.
Yet Shawn Johnson made it look easy Monday on Dancing with the Stars, scoring a perfect 30 for her fusion dance (a seamless blend of tango and the paso doble to one song) with Mark Ballas while her All-Stars partner Derek Hough took the week off with a neck injury.
"They have similar styles and ideas, but when they're actually dancing with me, it's completely different," the former gold-medal gymnast, 20, told PEOPLE after the show, which also included a swing dance marathon. "Getting used to each one, back and forth, was kind of a lot to handle.
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