During the current “Let’s dance“-Season it was foreseen early on that Gabriel Kelly (22) would probably become the “Dancing Star 2024”. But one could only hope that the singer would deliver such a great performance. In the grand finale of the dance show RTL (also via RTL+), he won the relay with a perfect 90 points.
There has never been samba like this in ‘Let’s Dance’.
First, the three finalists had to prove in jury dances how much they have learned on the dance floor in recent weeks. Choreographer and coach Detelf D! Soost (53) was presented with a slow waltz and floated through the studio with his professional partner Ekaterina Leonova (37) to a version of ‘What A Wonderful World’. For crowd favorite Ekat, the dance felt “so good” and the jury also praised it. You can see from both of them that it is a special evening, says Motsi Mabuse (43). Together with Jorge González (56) and Joachim Llambi (59), she scored no less than 27 out of a possible 30 points at the start.
Presenter Jana Wosnitza (30) and Vadim Garbuzov (37) danced a slow rumba. González’s ‘secret weapon’ had ‘many, many good moments’ that Llambi and Mabuse describe as thoroughly sensual and romantic. However, she was also unable to gain a lead with 27 points. The big favorite of the season more than did justice to his role. Kelly made it clear with Malika Dzumaev (33) that the competition would not make it easy. Here too, Mabuse and Llambi agreed. “There’s never been a better samba in ‘Let’s Dance’ – ever, ever, ever,” she enthused. The first show judge confirmed: “That was the best Samba in 17 years, of all the candidates.”
As a breather for the finalists, there was then a show act by the professionals and a reunion with the eliminated Maria Clara Groppler (25), Eva Padberg (44), Lina Larissa Strahl (26) and Stefano Zarrella (33) on the TV floor. In addition, Biyon Kattilathu (40), Tony Bauer (28), Lulu (32) and Ann-Kathrin Bendixen (24) again appeared out of competition. Mark Keller (59), Sophia Thiel (29) and Tillman Schulz (34) were unable to dance due to injury or illness.
Head judge Llambi wants Gabriel Kelly to win
In round two, the celebrities also performed their best in their favorite dances with the dance professionals. According to González, Soost’s facial expressions during his samba were “sensational”, while Llambi wondered where the 53-year-old got this dynamism and power from. With him there is “no handbrake on” and the experienced “Let’s Dance” jury member would definitely prefer that to a much too controlled performance. 29 points. Mabuse elevated Wosnitza to dance show nobility after her Quickstep. “You are our standard queen,” the jury member praised. González even thanked him for the “really great show” so far, for which he again received 29 points, just like Soost.
However, Kelly proved with a tango that he often danced again in a different class during the season. The audience rewarded the performance with thunderous applause – probably the loudest that presenter Daniel Hartwich (45) had ever heard in the studio. The pair even managed to cover up the fact that Dzumaev’s skirt got stuck so easily and professionally that they couldn’t even affect the whopping 30-point score. The judge made no secret of the fact that Llambi would like to name Kelly the winner of the season. The reason is very simple: “Because he is the best this year.”
Role model Soost, power woman Wosnitza, final opponent Kelly
But Soost and Wosnitza did not want to give in without a fight. His final freestyle for “Men in Black” was enthusiastically celebrated in the studio. “You were always Detlef and you always gave a thousand percent,” Llambi acknowledged. Mabuse described the famous dancer as a role model who shows that you just have to give everything in life. And González was still “on another planet.” All three received a well-deserved ten points.
A Beyoncé freestyle also became Wosnitza’s best dance of the evening. There was not only a standing ovation from the audience and the jury, but also 30 points. “That was chica power,” admired González. Llambi felt that she had really won again with feminine power in her last issue and that Mabuse had “really blown the whole thing away”. Wosnitza works “incredibly hard” and that should be rewarded. Hartwich’s co-host Victoria Swarovski, 30, summed it up: “Beyoncé would be so proud of you.”
Kelly and Dzumaev’s Romeo and Juliet freestyle became the final highlight of the season. For Mabuse, the two embodied ‘pure dancing’ and what they showed was ‘world class’. Llambi again praised all three freestyles, which were very different and great in their own way, but the 22-year-old once again put his own stamp on the final. No wonder that Kelly managed to achieve the highest number of points three times that evening, bringing the jury score to a full 90 points, while Soost and Wosnitza each only managed to score a very nice 86 points.
Viewers on their home screens also rewarded Kelly’s performance, which ultimately ended with his dance partner Dzumaev on Saturday evening. was crowned “Dancing Star 2024”., with plenty of phone calls. Third place went to Soost next to Leonova and second place went to Wosnitza with Garbuzov.
But the TV dancing fun is not over yet: on May 31, “Let’s Dance – The Big Professional Challenge” can be seen on RTL from 8:15 PM.
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