Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas are “elated” over their “Dancing With the Stars” win.
Page Six spoke to the dance duo just moments after they were announced as the new mirrorball champions during Monday’s Season 31 finale.
“It’s been crazy, just so amazing,” D’Amelio, 18, told us in the ballroom, with her shiny new trophy in-hand. “It all happened so fast that I don’t even know how to feel yet.”
For their final dance number – a freestyle to “Us Again” by Pinar Toprak – the TikTok star and Ballas, 36, chose to go with minimal set pieces and keep all focus on the choreography.
Clearly their strategy worked as they beat out fellow competitors Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy, Wayne Brady and Witney Carson and Shangela and Gleb Savchenko.
“It’s funny, I have a folder in my phone of music I’d love to create something to. I haven’t done the show in a long time and I had a little link to that song,” explained Ballas, who returned as a pro this year for the first time since Season 25.
“It’s from a Disney short called ‘Us Again.’ And I was like, ‘If I ever go back on the show, use this song.’ So I went back and listened to it, and when I listened to it, I could see it from start to finish.”
Ballas told Page Six that he felt like it was the perfect last song for he and D’Amelio as they’ve “become like family” over the past few months.
“I’ve had a great time. I think every week I’ve learned something new,” D’Amelio gushed while reflecting on her journey and what she’s learned most about herself from doing the show.
“From the actual dance moves to learning how to perform and just learning how to rehearse. There’s so many different things that we worked on that I just couldn’t narrow it down to one or even just a few things.”
In addition to all the fans who voted for her Monday night, D’Amelio had plenty of support in the live ballroom.
Boyfriend Landon Barker was seated front row with the dancer’s sister, Dixie D’Amelio, and father, Marc D’Amelio, while mom Heidi D’Amelio – who competed with Artem Chigvintsev – returned to dance for the star-studded finale.
“I’m so incredibly proud of her. I miss her so much and I’m excited to be around her more,” Dixie, 21, told Page Six following Charli’s win. “She did so amazing. She’s worked so hard and I’m just so proud of her.”
Marc also chimed in, telling us he’s “just so happy” to see his youngest daughter dancing again and pursuing her passion.
“She grew up dancing. It’s in her heart, it’s in her blood. It’s so important to her,” he said, referencing Charli’s admission that she found herself falling out of love with the hobby amid criticism from TikTok fame.
“For her to get back into this, on this stage and win it, it’s incredible for her.”