Shangela lived out her pop star dreams during the Dancing With The Stars season 31 finale, and it was the best Freestyle of the night. Out of all the contestants that made it to the finale, Shangela was the underdog. Charli D'Amelio, Gabby Windey, and Wayne Brady were at the top of the leaderboard all season, but Shangela had a harder time earning judges' approval. She got her first perfect score on Halloween night and was determined from then on to prove herself. However, during finale night, she only received 9s for her redemption Quickstep. Luckily, she revived herself during her Freestyle.
Shangela turned the DWTS ballroom into a drag show with her Freestyle performance that had more energy than anything the show had seen before. Dancing with her partner Gleb Savchenko to a mashup of Destiny's Child's "Survivor" and RuPaul's "Call Me Mother," Shangela showed the DWTS judges exactly why she deserved to be in the finale. Shangela didn't have to abide by any rules for her Freestyle, so she could put on the drag performance she's been wanting to do all season. Having her partner Gleb dressed as a drag queen named Natasha was the cherry on top of the extravaganza. But it wasn't just the costumes, the backup dancers, or the death-dropping that made the performance the best of the night. Shangela also showed off the dance skills she learned this season, proving how far she's come.
Shangela Shined A Light On The Drag Community During Her DWTS Freestyle
Shangela made history as the first drag queen to compete on DWTS. She's been vocal all season about the importance of representation on the show and how she hopes other drag queens will have the opportunity to be on the show too. Her Freestyle brought more attention to the drag community. DWTS has showcased how ballroom dance can be inclusive, and there are plenty of ways to add to traditional ballroom dances. Shangela is the perfect example of this. While Shangela learned a lot about ballroom dancing this season and always followed the required steps and rules for the routines, she added her own spin to every dance. Her routines were performances. A lot of DWTS fans feel she was underscored throughout the season, and it could be that the judges didn't understand her style. However, for her Freestyle, it finally got through to them, and she scored all 10s.
Shangela's Freestyle was a reflection of everything she stands for and everything she's been preaching all season long. DWTS season 31 contestants like Heidi D'Amelio struggled with being vulnerable, and Gabby also had some struggles with being her full self at the beginning of the season. However, the RuPaul's Drag Race alum effortlessly brought authenticity to the show every week. This was especially apparent in her Freestyle. The best part of the dance was it was so unique to her that no one else could have done it.
Wayne and Charli both did beautiful and powerful routines that fit them. Gabby also did a Cell Block Tango that was vastly different from the one her partner Val Chmerkovskiy did another season. However, there was something especially personal about Shangela's drag show. A lot of people wouldn't want a drag queen on the show and wouldn't approve of Shangela's routine because it wasn't traditional. That just might be the best part because Shangela added to the tradition. Everyone was left in awe after Shangela's Freestyle, proving it was the best of the DWTS season 31 finale and possibly of the whole series.