DWTS hands the Season 27 trophy to

Dancing With The Stars ( DWTS ) hands the Season 27 trophy to – Bobby and Sharna

Written By Gayle Falkenthal | Nov 20, 2018

Yes, Bobby Bones, this just about sums it up for us too. ABC/Eric McCandless

San Diego, Calif. – November 19, 2018 – America, we know you are still processing this one. Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess really did win Season 27 of DWTS – ‘Dancing With The Stars’ It’s not clear how long it will take for the shock to wear off.

Country music radio personality Bones must be the most improbable winner in all 27 seasons. He is arguably the least skilled dancer to ever win, although he certainly improved over the course of 12 weeks.

Since the couple who should have won, Juan Pablo di Pace and Cheryl Burke, were eliminated last week after one of the best performances ever delivered on DWTS, did it really matter who won the Mirror Ball Trophy?

The couple who should have won Season 27: Cheryl Burke and Juan Pablo di Pace. Photo: Eric McCandless

It mattered to the other three finalist couples, all of whom delivered wonderful final performances: Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten, Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe, and Milo Manheim and Witney Carson.

Perfect freestyle performances

On Monday night’s finale, the four remaining couples had one last night of competitive dancing to score extra judges’ points and viewers votes. The first was a repeat performance from a past DWTS dance. The couples enhanced one of their best dances from earlier in the season. Then all couples performed their anything goes, fan-favorite, freestyle routines.

Finalists Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess and Bobby Bones, Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe Millo Manheim an Witney Carson.
Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless

Each couple danced to the following songs (in alphabetical order):

Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Repeat: Tango – “Swan Lake” by Ray Chew Live

Freestyle: “Head Above Water” – live performance by Avril Lavigne

Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten were nearly overshadowed by their scenery.

Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess

Repeat: Cha Cha – “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer

Freestyle: Remix of “The Greatest Show” by Panic at the Disco

Bobby Bones danced his final freestyle as “The Greatest Showman.” Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless

Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe

Repeat: Tango – “Disturbia” by Rihanna

Freestyle: “It’s Oh So Quiet” by Björk

Evanna Lynch’s freestyle with Keo Motsepe was effervescent and creative. ABC/Eric McCandless

Milo Manheim and Witney Carson

Repeat: Charleston – “Living in New York City” – live performance by Robin Thicke

Freestyle: “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Lido Remix) by Bill Withers

Milo Manheim and Witney Carson dazzles with a rainstorm themed freestyle. Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless

Each of the final freestyle dances received DWTS perfect scores. Did Bobby and Sharna deserve theirs? The routine was wildly entertaining. Burgess showed off the best of her partner’s qualities. But it hardly compared in sheer dancing skills to Milo and Witney, or even the charming creativity and evolution of Evanna Lynch as a dancer.

It would have been no surprise to see Instagram star Alexis Ren with millions of followers win the competition, and she was certainly deserving.

But Instagram followers, Disney Channel fans, and Harry Potter enthusiasts don’t vote. Country music radio listeners do.

Popularity prevailed. Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless

DWTS has officially crossed over into a popularity contest. Whether the producers care to change the voting system, and whether the fans decide they liked or didn’t like the way thing went in Season 27 remains a mystery. But at least there is still the finale of “Dancing With The Stars: Juniors” next week.

Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR, is President/Owner of the Falcon Valley Group in San Diego, California. She is a veteran boxing observer covering the Sweet Science for Communities. Read more Ringside Seat in Communities Digital News. Follow Gayle on Facebook and on Twitter @PRProSanDiego.

Please credit “Gayle Falkenthal for Communities Digital News” when quoting from or linking to this story.

Tags: Dancing With The Stars, Gayle Falkenthal, TV Den

Gayle Falkenthal

Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, MS, APR, is President of the Falcon Valley Group, a San Diego based communications consulting firm. Falkenthal is a veteran award-winning broadcast and print journalist, editor, producer, talk host and commentator. She is an instructor at National University in San Diego, and previously taught in the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University.