America Voted Apolo and Julianne the Dancing with the Stars Champions

Congratulations to Apolo Anton Ohno and his dancing partner, Julianne Hough. They are the winners of this season's Dancing with the Stars. Their charisma and humbleness won the hearts of viewers, and their talents brought them through the competition. Adding to the celebration, the win occurred on Apolo's 25th birthday.

Neither Apolo nor Julianne is a stranger to placing first. He has won two gold medals in the Olympics as well as top spots in various skating competitions. She holds several championships for Latin dance. They did not always please the judges, though. Their first attempt at the Cha Cha left them with 21 out of 30 points. Len Goodman called it "raunchy" causing fans to become irate. Co-judges Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba clearly disagreed. Each week, Apolo and Julianne took the critiques and trained hard for the next round. It was worth the effort. They worked their way to rank number one over other Dancing with the Stars teams.

Unlike the three previous Dancing with the Stars winners, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough have a chemistry that is addicting. It was clear to the judges, and it was clear to the fans. The pair's youthfulness, energy, and spirit charged the room as they performed. They fit together so well that you forget that they are not a real-life couple. Forums and chat rooms are buzzing with hope that Dancing with the Stars may have created another romance. (According to People Magazine, last season's Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff are living together.)

Bruno Tonioli, a Dancing with the Stars judge, compared Apolo's ability to entertain to a ride at Disneyland. Clearly, the sky is the limit for this young man. In fact, Apolo has set his sites on the 2010 Olympics. Julianne is not sitting idle. She is releasing a new album. Each of them are passionate about their careers, and they used that dedication to win Dancing with the Stars.

Apolo and Julianne had to work hard to prove that they were the best couple. They had quite a run from Joey Fatone from *NSYNC, professional boxer Laila Ali, and a star from Beverly Hills 90210, Ian Ziering.

Dancing with the Stars began overseas with the show Strictly Come Dancing. This was the show's fourth season on ABC and is renewed for the 2007 - 2008 line-up. Previous winners of the show include Kelly Monaco, Drew Lachey, and Emmitt Smith. Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba will resume their positions as judges in the fall along with hosts Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris.

Congratulations, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough!