By Kristal Bailey

Tonight on Live to Dance, we find out who America voted to win the biggest dance prize in television history! Will it be the young ballroom couple D’Angelo & Amanda, White Tree Fine Art, Twitch, Dance Town Chaos, Kendall Glover, or The Vibe?

To open the show, all six finalists danced together for the first time. And while there were just so many people (“60 bazillion?!”) on stage, that was an incredible routine! Kendall and the guy from Twitch were stand outs, but really everyone got a moment to shine. Paula Abdul choreographed that routine and it was truly impressive.

While all six performances were strong, only the Top 3 get to perform again tonight. White Tree Fine Art makes it through and I am very surprised. They are fantastic dancers, but I didn’t think America would vote for ballet over the other dance styles. D’Angelo and Amanda and Kendall Glover are the other two at the top. None of the big groups made it through, and it may have to do with the camera work for their routines. I’ve mentioned before, but for the larger groups it was always hard to tell exactly what was going on because of the constant camera movement and quick cuts.

After a quick review of the other groups’ experience on the show, I am very sad to see that Twitch did not make it to the Top 3. They had wholly original routines with beautiful technique. While it’s sad to see groups get cut, Travis points out that it’s part of the reality of this business – not everyone can get the part. But, you can benefit from this experience and see the growth that each group had from their audition piece through to last week.

D’Angelo & Amanda – Dancing to the ballroom favorite “Hip Hip, Chin Chin” they blew the roof off that place! They earned a standing ovation from the judges and audience with fantastic tricks and footwork. Paula calls them “beautiful souls who are technical geniuses” and believes the future is theirs for the taking. Kimberly loves how consistent they are, giving flawless performances with great chemistry. What’s adorable is that they see themselves still dancing together when they’re “old” and 20. I hope they are still dancing together, and would love to see what they can accomplish by then.

Before the next performance, the experts reminsenced about their experience on the show. Travis really regrets giving the contemporary/hip hop dancer Austin a red star, and hopes that he continues dancing and pushing himself. Kimberly and Paula remember Chi Town Finest Breakers and loves their hearts. They were homeless at one point, and now that they’re back on their feet, they volunteer their time to teach children how to dance and breakdance. And for their work in the community, Chrysler decided to give them a brand new Chrystler Town and Country car. What a wonderful surprise! While they didn’t win, they were still rewarded for their hard work and perseverance.

White Tree Fine Art – Dancing to a beautiful cover of “Halleluiah” they really do make ballet seem so effortless with their graceful movements and smooth lifts. Kimberly feels that they’ve already won just by being and dancing together and are able to convey their love through dance. Paula calls them a true inspiration and considers it a privilege just to work with them.  And while Travis wasn’t a fan at first, he believes that America got it right. They are poetry in motion with a beautiful future. Travis finally became a fan after that routine.

Kendall Glover – Dancing to “Firework” by Katy Perry, she did a fast and fun routine that again earned a standing ovation from the audience. Paula thinks she’s “every girl’s best friend, every parent’s dream daughter, and every choreographer’s brilliant shining star.” Very high praise for a very talented young lady. As a fan of So You Think You Can Dance, I hope the show is still around when she’s old enough to try out. She’d be a shoo-in to the Top 20.

Before the winner is announced, we get another montage of highlights from the show. While the show was filled with montages, they were all great recaps of the emotion, the talent, and the personalities that we’ve seen in this short season.

In the end, White Tree Fine Art takes home 3rd place. They’re amazing dancers and I am very happy they made it this far. Coming this far from having to fight for the last spot in the Top 18, they have really impressed me and America with the beauty and technique of ballet.

Before the winner is announced between D’Angelo & Amanda and Kendall Glover, Paula took a moment to thank the teachers, the parents, and the choreographers that have all led to these performers being on this stage. It was an emotional moment for her, and I’m glad that they get their shout out on national television, since they are often missed.

In the end, D’Angelo & Amanda take home the title! The 9 and 10 year old ballroom couple will be splitting the $500,000 prize! Their shock and the happiness of their families was adorable, but I especially loved D’Angelo’s comment “I’m going to DisneyWorld!”

And that wraps up the first season of Live to Dance. It was a short season, but strong on talent. No word on if there will be another season just yet.

Follow Kristal on twitter @kristal_bailey