By: Eilley Wannarka

The hit series, Dancing with the Stars, features celebrities performing choreographed dance routines that are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts. Season 34 aired a few weeks ago, and fans have plenty to say about the results of the finale.

With some fans favoring Robert Irwin’s win this year on Dancing with the Stars, others believe Alix Earle was more deserving of the mirrorball champion title.

“Actually, I was kind of disappointed,” senior and competitive dancer Kalynn Schaaf said. “I thought Alix and Val should have won. Robert messed up his dances.”

The finalists performed a freestyle, judges’ pick, and the instant dance challenge.

“I feel like they both could have won; they were both equally skilled,” junior and competitive dancer Maddy Hileman said.

Irwin and his dancing partner, Witney Carson, received 89/90 points from the judges in the finale round while Earl and her dancing partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, earned a perfect 90/90.

“It really shows Dancing with the Stars is more celebrity-based, because Robert Erwin is definitely more well-known than Alix,” Schaaf said.

Speculations occurred when Judge Carrie Ann Inaba gave multiple critical comments concerning Earle’s dance performances throughout the season.

But it’s not just Earle she criticized this way; in an interview with Variety, she admited to judging female competitors more harshly than men. “I understand what it is to be a woman, so I can get into more detail about what I’m seeing,” Inaba said.

“It’s definitely hard being a girl competing against a boy, because in dance, the girl is supposed to show off more,” Hileman said.

Earle’s fans believed Irwin used his dad, Steve Irwin, as a pity point due to his dad’s legacy and traumatic passing.