10 of the Most Memorable (and Memeable) Moments from “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34

The Dancing with the Stars season that had everyone cheering at their TVs, voting from home, and wanting to learn how to do the cha cha is finally coming to an end on November 25. The reality ballroom dancing competition reached unprecedented success (if you watch, you know every episode seemed to surpass the last with how many fans voted), 20 years after it premiered.

This Tuesday’s three-hour Dancing with the Stars season 34 finale features the top five finalists: wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, TikTok star Alix Earle, actor Elaine Hendrix (well known for her iconic role in The Parent Trap), Olympic gold-medalist gymnast Jordan Chiles, and producer, content creator, and Season 3 winner of The Traitors Dylan Efron. I’ve watched every episode of this season, and I can’t wait to see who wins. But before it ends, let’s look back at some of the most memorable moments — from shocking eliminations to the funny moments you only get with live TV.

Whether you’ve been watching from the start or are looking to catch up before joining in for the first time for Tuesday’s finale watch party, these are the 10 most unforgettable moments (in no particular order) from season 34 that you need to know.  

If I had a nickel for every time in the last two seasons that a star sent home too soon gave an iconic one-word response to their elimination, I’d have two nickels. After Anna Delvey memorably said she was going to take away “nothing” from her time on DWTS, Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui told cohost Julianne Hough that she was feeling “pissed” after getting eliminated third in the competition. 

Hilaria Baldwin, the “media personality and entrepreneur” married to actor Alec Baldwin, faced some controversy this season when fans uncovered that, in 2004, she competed in a dance competition and placed higher than DWTS pro Emma Slater. Since the spirit of the show is largely about watching celebrities grow in their technical skills throughout the season, some viewers felt the extent of Baldwin’s dance experience wasn’t made clear. Baldwin was sent home fourth this season, and later said she felt it was unfair, believing there to be a plot to have people not vote for her.

Say what you will about Whitney Leavitt on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but on DWTS, she and pro Mark Ballas consistently looked like they were having the most fun on the dance floor. I didn’t know Hamilton was on the table for Disney Night, but thank goodness it was — their creative foxtrot celebrating the hit Broadway show about the founding fathers mixed creativity, joy, and good old dance fundamentals for a dance that earned a 25 out of 30 score. 

It only takes one glance at the YouTube comments section to see that this dance will go down in DWTS history. “This is one of those dances I’m just always gonna come back to watch,” says one commenter. “Idc what anyone says, this was one of the best dances on the show ever,” says another. (I’ll also leave an honorable mention here for Whitney’s husband, Conner Leavitt, who showed up each week to the ballroom in a costume matching his wife’s dance theme.) 

The world is obsessed with the Irwin family, from mourning the late Steve Irwin to celebrating his daughter Bindi’s life milestones to now reflecting on just how much his son Robert looks and sounds like his father. But Steve’s widow, Terri, doesn’t always get the proper recognition for both raising their children on her own and carrying on Steve’s legacy as a wildlife conservationist. Many expected Robert’s Dedication Night performance to be about his father, but he instead delivered a gorgeous, emotional contemporary dance dedicated to (and briefly featuring!) his mother. Don’t ask how many tissues I needed after that performance. 

Before Dylan Efron competed on The Traitors, most people knew him as High School Musical star Zac Efron’s little brother. Though fans had to wait all the way until the semifinals to actually catch a glimpse of Zac in the ballroom, Dylan gave his big brother a sweet nod during Dedication Night, when he danced with their little sister, Olivia, to “Rewrite the Stars,” a song that Zac sang for The Greatest Showman. 

Don’t count Elaine Hendrix out — while the Parent Trap star hasn’t always gotten the most recognition from fans during a season with immense talent across the board, the 54-year-old star could become the oldest winner in show history should she take home the Mirrorball Trophy on Tuesday night. She’s shown how much she wants this victory throughout the season (even bouncing back after getting hospitalized over a rib injury), but her Wicked Night contemporary performance proved that producers were right to give Hendrix the musical’s most showstopping number. 

Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles got such harsh feedback from judges after her Halloween Night contemporary dance to Sia’s “Elastic Heart,” in which she danced with pro Ezra Sosa while attached to a harness as a symbol for anxiety, that Sosa actually apologized to her in rehearsals the following week. I couldn’t disagree with the judges more — Sosa’s choreography and Chiles’ execution deserved much better, which seemed to be a recurring issue this season. And the comments of the YouTube video of this performance is completely aligned: “HOW did this not get 10s? One of the best performances this season! Creative and strong!” says one comment, and nearly every other response echoes a similar sentiment.

If you’re going to dance to one of the most iconic songs in music history, you better bring it. And TikTok star Alix Earle did just that with her “Purple Rain” dance on Prince Night, showcasing just how much she’s transformed this season — from party girl to bona fide ballroom dancer — in a gorgeous, fluid Viennese Waltz that landed her a perfect score. “My favorite dance of the night! I cried,” says one comment under the YouTube video of their performance, with so many others saying how incredible the waltz was. 

DWTS fans were stunned to learn a few years back that longtime host Tom Bergeron would be leaving the show following a dispute with producers over the casting of former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer in season 28. Bergeron hadn’t been part of the show for five years — until this season. The TV presenter made a welcomed return to the ballroom as a guest judge as DWTS celebrated its 20th birthday party, and I’m hoping it’s not the last we’ll see of him on the show. 

Comedian Andy Richter became the surprise fan favorite this year, not because he was the most talented (in fact, he routinely got some of the lowest scores of the week), but because he was consistently one of the most fun contestants to root for. A complete dance beginner, Richter knew he’d have to lean into being a natural entertainer. 

Over the course of the season, he hammed it up for the cameras, shared funny quips during rehearsals and once ripped off his shirt in a sexy number to reveal a T-shirt with six-pack abs printed on them. And somewhere along the way, he actually became a better dancer. While other stars were undoubtedly more deserving of a Mirrorball Trophy this season, Richter reminded me why I fell in love with the show to begin with. 

Zac Efron showed up in the ballroom for the first time this season during the semifinals, sitting with little sister Olivia and his mom, Starla Baskett. When Dylan performed his first dance of the night and his score was revealed to be 27 out of 30, the audience camera captured Zac turning to his mom to seemingly ask, “Is that a good score?” He waits until she laughs and nods yes, before his face lights up and he claps enthusiastically. The naive reaction went viral, with fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) joking that he “probably thought the scale went to 100” and others kidding that he “has no idea where he is.” All jokes aside, it was a thrill to see Zac in the audience, and for those at home still wondering: Yes, a 27 is an excellent score.