Discover the Mirrorball Showdown on Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Finale.

Tonight, the ballroom has a new vibe.

It's not the music resonating through the rafters or the lights, even if they shine brighter than normal. Even the spotless floor is ready for a final round of wonders, sequins, and perspiration. No, it's the calm energy that only arises when a season's worth of tales, hardships, and shocks come together into a single, pivotal moment.

The 34th season of Dancing with the Stars is about to conclude, and if you're feeling particularly excited this year, it's because the rules have been changed.

The finalists are doing three routines instead of just two for the first time in the show's lengthy history. There is a freestyle, a judges' choice dance, and the Instant Dance, a wild card that makes every contender nervous. Each pair will be given a song they haven't practiced to just before they take the stage. No need to redo. No lengthy practice periods. Desperation and instinct alone, plunging right into the spotlight.

As fans watch, a straightforward fact becomes apparent: not every finale is created equally.

Five couples linger backstage in that transitional area between dread and exhilaration. Witney Carson and Robert Irwin are arguably the most intense couple of the evening. This trip has been more than just dance for Robert. It has been about respecting family, history, and the memories of his father, whose larger-than-life personality formed the world's perception of the Irwins. Robert's mother reminded everyone of how much heart he takes to the floor even in the days leading up to the finale.

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy rehearse in short, rapid spurts a few doors down, combining muscle memory with sheer resolve. Nobody anticipated that a content producer would get this much in the competition, but Alix brought something fresh to the ballroom: connection, bravery, and a fan following that appears in tidal waves.

The season's quiet dark horses, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, have developed into polished finalists who consistently appear to have one more surprise left in them. Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, standing next to them, stretch like athletes preparing for an Olympic stage instead of a dance competition. The backstage hallway is filled with their controllable yet strong, determined yet optimistic spirit.

And then there's the unexpected duo of Alan Bersten and Elaine Hendrix. Elaine rose gradually, week by episode, in the type of surge that every seasoned spectator knows may turn deadly at the end, while other contenders soared on the basis of fan votes or viral events. If you manage to keep onto momentum, it may be a secret weapon.

However, the ballroom must welcome back the ghosts of previous episodes before the Mirrorball Trophy can crown a winner.

All of the ousted contestants return for the opening number, swirling around the stage to "Never Can Say Goodbye." The ballroom briefly resembles a reunion, with well-known faces, unfinished tales, and dancers who departed earlier than expected taking back the stage for one more time.

After then, the actual fight starts.

The finalists enter the light one by one. Alix and Val harness the sharp pace of "Hip Hip Chin Chin," while Robert and Witney assault a quickstep set to the thunderous "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" by Jet. The Freestyles promise to be the night's emotional high point, with sweeping mash-ups, daring staging, and dances designed to etch each couple into DWTS history.

However, the Instant Dance looms over everything.

The couples will just have a few seconds to get their bearings once the music starts. In real time, the audience will witness every moment of fear, every creative outburst, every setback, and every victory. It's a risk—and a brilliant change of events—that transforms the climax into something more akin to survival than dance.

And fresh hands will take possession of the Mirrorball Trophy as the final note fades and the voting period ends.

Whoever raises it will bear the weight of weeks — the hardship, the long nights, the breakthroughs, and the metamorphosis that only a program like Dancing with the Stars can inspire.

The ballroom inhales as the clock approaches the live broadcast. The dancers let out a breath. Millions of people are leaning forward.

Because tonight's glitter is more than simply ornamentation; it's the spark of a climax based on emotion, pressure, and the unpredictable enchantment that results from the union of bravery, movement, and song.