‘DWTS’ Season 24 Winners Discuss Their Win
Rashad Jennings finally got his win on “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday. He and partner Emma Slater took home the Mirrorball trophy after captivating audiences with their chemistry and ever-improving routines in Season 24.
The latest winners of the ABC dance competition appeared on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday to discuss their win. During their appearance, the NFL running back confirmed that dancing is “way harder than football,” though fans certainly seemed to think he made it look easy. He and Emma then revealed the key to their success, chalking it up to their dynamic friendship — though logging more than 300 practice hours probably didn’t hurt.
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“I think honestly for us it was just our friendship. We’re really close friends, and I trusted him so much. I really depended on him because he was so positive, his work ethic. It was all Rashad,” Emma assured “GMA viewers. “I can’t take [credit for] anything. He was just amazing. He’s the winning combination right here.”
Meanwhile, David Ross and Lindsay Arnold — the “DWTS” Season 24 runners up — are still trying to come to terms with their place in the competition. Speaking with Us Weekly after the show ended, the former Chicago Cubs catcher said although he and Lindsay didn’t get the Mirrorball, he felt like a winner. In addition to building a beautiful friendship with his pro partner, David made it further than he ever expected to.
“I’m shocked and thankful. I felt like I was a winner when they announced I was going to the finals,” he said. “This week we’ve just enjoyed each other and had fun. I came out here with zero expectations.”
Similarly Normani Kordei, who placed third with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, took her loss in stride. Although she was initially the favorite to win Season 24 of “DWTS,” she told ET Online she got more out of appearing on the show than she ever expected.
“You’re never really guaranteed,” she said. “It was quite a shocker for me as well, but I’ve gained so much from this experience. I’m so happy, and I can’t even begin to express you know the gratitude that I carry and the blessing especially because I have a lifelong friend now [in partner Val Chmerkovskiy].”
Val expressed his shared enthusiasm for Normani in a heartfelt Instagram post. He revealed his favorite part of “DWTS,” writing that he saw such a transformation in her and urged her to, “stay great.”
The “DWTS” finale featured eliminated cast members and the three finalists back for several performances. The Week 11 blowout also brought Hailee Steinfeld, Lady Antebellum and OneRepublic to the stage to dazzle the live and at-home audiences with their vocals. In the later portion of Tuesday’s episode, the finalists danced their last two performances.
The first dance they performed was their favorite routine from Season 24 of “DWTS.” The routine wasn’t scored. They then took the stage one more time for a 24-hour fusion dance.
David and Lindsay kicked off the show, wowing the judges with their Foxtrot-Salsa dance for a score of 36 out of 40. Normani and Val followed, garnering a perfect score for their Argentine Tango and Foxtrot dance. Lastly, Rashad and Emma graced the stage for their Cha Cha-Tango performance that earned them a 39 out of 40.
The first place on “DWTS” announced was third. Co-hosts Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron were blown away as they revealed that Normani and Val had fallen short of their dreams of winning. They were without words as Team Valmani left the stage.
In the final moments of the Season 24 finale, it was down to David and Lindsay or Rashad and Emma. Both teams had been highly buzzed about, with fans wondering if they had what it takes to win. Before the show came to a close, the former New York Giants player and his pro partner were dubbed the winners.
Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater say their bond is what helped them win “Dancing With the Stars” Season 24. Photo: ABC
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