In a finale decided entirely by the public, katelyn cummins dance with professional partner Leonardo Lini won the Glitterball Trophy on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars.
Katelyn Cummins Dance: A Finale Built On Crowd Power
Rose of Tralee winner Katelyn Cummins and partner Leonardo Lini were named champions after an action-packed final that put the outcome solely in viewers’ hands. For the first time this season, judges’ scores did not affect the result, leaving the public vote to determine who lifted the series trophy.
Even with the scoring system sidelined for the final decision, the four-person judging panel still delivered a wave of praise and 10s across the board. Cummins and Lini matched that acclaim with performance, receiving the maximum 40 points for each of their two routines on the night. The pair’s clean execution and crowd-pleasing approach proved decisive once votes were tallied.
Winning Routines And The Field Of Finalists
Competing against Paudie Moloney, Eric Roberts, and Tolü Makay in the final four, the champions delivered two contrasting numbers. Their first routine was an American Smooth to Whistle While You Work by Rachel Zegler, showcasing frame, lift work, and classic ballroom lines. They then shifted gears for a freestyle to Ordinary by Alex Warren, a showpiece designed to underline versatility and connection.
The katelyn cummins dance routines drew maximum 40s from the judging panel, reaffirming their consistency even in a week when those scores wouldn’t decide the winner. The other finalists survived weeks of eliminations to reach the finale, which culminated with the announcement after a night of high-scoring performances and crowd engagement.
Earlier in the broadcast, eliminated contestants returned for a group number, reuniting with their professional partners for a routine set to Myles Smith’s Stay (If You Wanna Dance). The segment featured Michael Fry, Brian Kennedy, Amber Wilson, Anne Cassin, Niamh Kavanagh, Stephanie Kelly, Philip Doyle, and Jordan Dargan, offering a season-closing encore before the results were revealed.
Reaction From The Champion
Reflecting on the moment, Cummins said, “I could never have imagined that this would be my life, ” linking the achievement to a journey that already included her previous Rose of Tralee win. The climax capped a run in which she and Lini maintained momentum through themed weeks and eliminations to emerge among the final four.
The result seals a standout finale shaped by public sentiment, with the champions balancing technical quality and performance values in two polished routines. The combination of a viewer-only vote and perfect-scoring dances gave the winners both the numbers and the narrative on a night built to close the season with spectacle.
