Dancing with the Stars Season 31 has been eventful. Longtime fans who've tuned using Disney+ subscriptions have seen host Tyra Banks eat “boob chicken” live and even found out that judge Len Goodman is stepping down at the conclusion of this season alongside series vet Cheryl Burke. Contestant Gabby Windey experienced all that as well, in addition to the fame and stress associated with being the star of The Bachelorette. And if that weren't enough, the focus on Windey only increased when news of her split from beau Erich Schwer broke. Considering all of that, her coach and dancing partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, is proud of how she's handled herself.
I had a chance to speak to Val Chmerkovskiy ahead of Dancing with the Stars’ Season 31 finale, and we talked about everything, from his chances of becoming a DWTS judge one day to Gabby Windey’s performance this season. Suffice it to say that Chmerkovskiy had nothing but positive things to say in regard to the latter topic, and he made particular note of one aspect of Windey's personality:
I’m very proud of her. I think that’s one of the more impressive things about her. In the midst of this newfound fame and chaos that comes with it, she continues to stay humble and be herself, work hard and focus on what’s at hand. Obviously, I keep a tight ship, so I don’t think she ever had an opportunity to be distracted. You have to fully engaged to get to the end.
Gabby Windey has been focused, according to Val Chmerkovskiy, and that’s not hard to believe based on her performances. The duo have had perfect scores in their past three dances and are neck and neck with the other finale frontrunners. There’s a solid chance she’ll walk away with the Mirrorball Trophy this season, though fellow competitors Charli D’Amelio, Wayne Brady, and even Shangela could pull upsets.
Dancing with the Stars viewers gotten some insight into why the Bachelorette alum ended her relationship with Erich Schwer, as she addressed it in a recent episode. The star explained that she and Schwer weren’t in sync when it came to their goals and, as a result, they ultimately weren’t a good match. Schwer later added in a separate statement that there wasn’t any one thing that led to their split but agreed (via THR) they weren’t each other’s match in the end.
All eyes are sure to be on Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy during the DWTS season finale, which will do more than just crown the winners. The show will also see singer and former contestant Jordin Sparks performing her hit “No Air,” and Selma Blair will return to perform with Sasha Faber after she was forced to bow out of the competition withdraw. It should be a terrific finale and perhaps one of the most competitive in some time. We'll see how Windey and Chemerkovskiy fare amid the proceedings.
Catch Dancing With The Stars Season 31 finale on Disney+ tonight, Monday, November 21st at 8:00 p.m. ET. Anyone who's behind can catch up by watching past episodes right now on demand, though you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping track of where things stand if you don’t have the time to catch every samba and waltz.
