Actress Chandler Kinney and professional dance partner Brandon Armstrong were the first Black duo on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” to make it to the show’s final competition round.
On Tuesday night’s finale episode, the pair made even more history with their third-place finish, as well as their “freestyle dance,” which featured an ensemble cast of all Black dancers — a first in the show’s 33-season history.
“Everyone who has come before us, who has broken down barriers for us to even be in this space, that’s what that freestyle was about,” Kinney said in an interview after the show.
“We wanted to honor them and dedicate it to their work, their talent, their joy, for us to be able to come and display ours. We’re proud of that and we could not be more grateful.”
The freestyle dance opened with the pair watching a black and white television screen, featuring Black dancers and upbeat swing music, including “Hellzapoppin” by Eyal Vilner Big Band and “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield.
Then, Kinney and Armstrong debuted on stage with a black and white filter, paying homage to Black music and dance from American history, as the dance later transformed into a full-color spectacle of 70’s glam.
They were also joined by an ensemble of other professional dancers, all of whom are Black.
Earlier in the season, Kinney told Blavity that she grew up watching the show and was honored to have made it so far in the competition.
“It’s a moment in history, and to be the one standing here, like a part of that moment, is unreal. I feel so honored and proud, and I’m stoked,” Kinney said.
Some fans were disappointed with Kinney and Armstrong’s third-place prize, though Kinney made it clear that she was thrilled to have the experience, regardless of the outcome of the competition.
“I think it’s about time that we’ve had a Black couple make it to the finale,” she told Blavity. “But even just to make it this far and have a freestyle that is a celebration and acknowledgment of that, I think, is a win in and of itself.”
Moving forward, both Kinney and Armstrong will go on tour together alongside other finalists, including stars Ilona Maher, Stephen Nedoroscik, and Season 33 champ Joey Graziadei.
While the dancing might just be getting started, the reality competition has come to a history-making end.
“[It’s] been a really incredible experience,” Kinney told Blavity, “And it’s taught me so much more about myself than I ever even could imagine.”
Header image courtesy of Disney/Eric McCandless
