Johannesburg - Afrikaans pop star Karlien van Jaarsveld and dance partner Devon Snell were crowned the winning couple of Strictly Come Dancing Season 8 during a dazzling finale broadcast live from the Renaissance Centre at the SABC on Friday.
After ten gruelling weeks of agony, waterworks, anguish, bliss and smiles the winning couple revelled in their victory.
This year’s show was once again co-hosted by the dashing duo of Roxy Burger and Katlego Maboe. Ready to dish out critiques and praise was the popular panel of judges consisting of Michael Wentink, Tebogo Kgobokoe and Samantha Peo.
The competitors were Karlien van Jaarsveld and Devon Snell, Expresso presenter Leigh-Anne Williams and Johannes Radebe, and Muvhango star Nkululeko Tshirumbula with Nombulelo Hlathi.
The glittering evening kick-started with a group number choreographed by Ryan Hammond. This was followed by each of the three finalist couples dancing their freestyle routines. Contestants performed their hearts out with Karlien getting her first perfect score and Nkuli getting his personal best score. The evening didn’t get off to a good start for Leigh-Anne and her partner Johannes, however.
“Absolutely fantastic! You belong in the final – that’s the quality of dance,” said Michael about Van Jaarsveld’s performance, while Samantha commented that Nkuli’s performance was “dynamic, sexy and really authentic”.
The three finalist couples were all hungry for the title but, obviously, two couples had to fall by the wayside and Nkululeko Tshirumbula and Nombulelo Hlathi were the first duo to bid farewell to their dream. The journey, for them, had come to an end.
The show continued with the top two couples, who performed their Judges’ Choice routine. The song chosen for them by the judges was Raging Fire by Phillip Phillips. The dancers demonstrated why they deserved to be in the final by delivering the most captivating performances for the Judge’s Choice, as well as their favourite dance from the season, which earned Leigh-Anne and Johannes another perfect score.
The crowd gave Leigh-Anne and Johannes a standing ovation with screams of “we want more”, bringing Leigh-Anne to tears. “That’s how you dance a final – you danced it like champions,” beamed Kgobokoe.
“You knew what we wanted and you gave it,” she continued.
The pressure was on, and it was tough. Van Jaarsveld and Snell took to the floor with their favourite performance of the waltz and it gave them another perfect score. “It was a powerful performance, and a finale of note,” said Tebogo.
Winning over viewers’ hearts with their impressive performances throughout the competition, Devon Snell and the Afrikaans pop star Karlien van Jaarsveld walked away with the trophy and the title.
The Sunday Independent