So You Think You Can Dance finale recap by Donna Kauffman

We made it, fellow armchair judges! Tonight is the night we find out who will be America's Favorite Dancer … aaaand a quarter mil richer. Yeah, so there's that.

We have many (oh so many) Favorite Dances of Weeks Past to get to, so no time is wasted as we're ushered right in to meet our panel of experts who will matter not at all this evening, but could be fun for the occasional bon mot. OK, so maybe I'm giving them too much credit. After all, Christina and Jesse T are nowhere to be seen. However, in addition to Nigel and Mary, we do get Adam Shankman, so there's that! Also in the house are return judges Jenna Dewan Tatum and Tara Lipinski, and, as I promised (because you know Debbie and me, we're likethis now), yes, the fantabulous Ms. Debbie Allen is with us this evening as well. (What, you missed our dishy little Q&A last week? Check it out right here.)

Then our hostess, the sleek and sparkly Catniss Deeley, introduces us to our group number tonight, choreographed by Tony award-winner, Warren Carlyle … it's our entire Top 20!

Ricky trumpets us into a Doctor Jazz's Jelly's Last Jam Broadway number, which makes sense given one of the prizes this evening is a role in the Broadway show On the Town. Even better, this means there likely won't be a single fling-and-grab for which we can all be grateful as we are sure to get our fill of them later on. Our dancers slink out in top hats, tails, and a whole lotta leg. All four finalists each get their brief solo, though Ricky is easily the most featured of the group. Portentous of the outcome this evening? Or just choreographer's choice? We'll see …

But first! It's time for a stroll down memory lane. Each of our six judges will choose a favorite dance from the season, and our final four will pick what they think is their own best dance as well. Let's reminisce, shall we?

Mary Murphy picks the Travis Wall contemporary with Jessica & Casey. You remember this one, it's got that jubilant kiss. A buzzy, happy way to begin our Best Of night and a dance I'm happy to see again.

Debbie Allen picks the Phoenix & Phar Side hip-hop number with Ricky as puppet master and Valerie as, well, the puppet. Debbie is right in that it demanded both dancers to step way outside their comfort zones, but I'm not sure it was a Must See repeat. Your mileage may vary. That split roll was cool to see again, though! So there is that.

Zack is next and picks the Sonja Tayeh routine with All-Star Amy, you know, the one about loss. I remember not being as moved by this as the judges and crowd were the first time. It is a lovely, sad, but beautifully done routine. I think I see more of what grabbed people this go around, and Zack definitely has grown tremendously this season. Possibly finale worthy, but reminds me of the dearth of samey samey contemporary that got to me for a bit earlier this season. I don't think I'm over it yet.

So, we've had three routines so far and all four of our finalists have appeared. Next!

Nigel chooses the Ray Leaper routine with Rudy and All-Star Allison, and so I get all excited because this was easily one of my favorites of the entire season. Then Nigel tells us that Allison's commitment to the fall season of Dancing With the Stars has made her unavailable to perform. Sad face. Also? Happy face! Allison is on DWTS! But Allison really made this dance for me, so the disappointment is still there. Filling in this evening will be? Wait!! DWTS is so awesome they let her off for the evening, so GLEE! Sit back, and enjoy. The leaps, the twists, the turns, the intensity! Standing O from everyone, and oh yeah, thanks, Rudy!

Then, suddenly I'm thinking I'm having an American Idol flashback when Paula Abdul strolls out. But she's here to announce, in her normal rambling, pleasegettothepoint fashion, the winner of the Australian SYTYCD. Out struts a young man in black leather pants complete with footies and nothing else except for some arm straps, and well, I'm paying attention now. I'm guessing his forte was either ballet or ninja warrior, I'm not sure which, but wow. He's leaping and flinging and catching all by himself. It's kind of crazy, not to mention very impactful. With the floor. Often. Also pointy and leapy and spinny and, well, like the love child of Ricky and Rudy, really. Well done, mate!

Valerie is up next, and she picks the tap routine she did with Zack to Sing. You remember, the one with the marathon tapping up and down those stairs? I recall that Zack easily grabbed the eye the first time around, and he does the same this time. But to Valerie's credit, she has more confidence now and she does keep up better, and easily matches her partner on the floor work. But Zack's longer legs just make the stair step tapping easier for him. All in all, still an amazing feat and a tough, tough routine.

Ricky's turn. He sifts through an entire season of dancing … and decides his favorite was The Vow, the Sonja routine he performed with Jessica that very first week. And you know, he has a point. I thought that dance was gorgeous then and I think so now, as well. But what does that say for an entire season of genre-stretching and growing that he's good with showcasing a dance from where he began? Of course, he was brilliant then and now, so perhaps it's not indicative of anything. Also? One of Jessica's best all season, so there's that, too.

We take a break from the Judges' Best and Finalist Faves to bring you a dance voted on by those of us at home with nothing better to do than tweet our dance desires. And what did we pick? Serge & Carly's skeleton hip-hop routine. We did? Hunh. I didn't see that one coming. Were we, um, deep into the fruity umbrella drink pitcher at that point, or …? Ookay. Anyway, hello, Serge and Carly, and … moving along.

Jenna Dewan Tatum's turn to pick. She selects yet another Sonja routine (Tayeh is on fayeh tonight! Hey, I try. They can't all be winners.) The Rudy and Tanisha routine, you know, the one with the chairs and light bondage feel to it? Again, not sure this would have been a highlight pick for me, but was nice to see Tanisha again!

Adam Shankman is up, and he chooses a Phar Side & Phoenix number that, to me, IS a finale-worthy routine. You remember, it's the Ricky and Zack hip-hop throw-down they did as the two kings-slash-baseball krumpers. It is amazing how well these two exceedingly pale non-street dancers attacked this dance and a lot of fun to see it again, sans all the competition craziness.

Now, we still have Tara's pick, and I don't think Jessica has done her favorite dance yet, but suddenly we have Cat calling our other two finalists on stage to stand with the still heavily breathing Zack and Ricky. (Our final four have danced a LOT this evening!) So, are we cutting someone now? Before they've finished performing? Should we guess it's not Jessica then, as that would be kind of mean. "You're out! Now, what was your favorite dance? Show it to us, will you? Loser?"

Cat's announcing our fourth-place finalist and Valerie has "oh, it's so me" written all over her face, only … surprise! It's Zack! Wow, I didn't see that coming! At all. I figured the girls for the bottom two in either order. Are you as stunned as I am, armchair judges? He seemed the darling and the only threat to topple Ricky. Who, I have to believe is our champ now. Unless we went complete underdog and chose … Valerie. Would we do that? Well, given we picked the Serge/Carly thing as our favorite of all season, I don't know that I can trust you at all now. I'm afraid. Very, very afraid.

Tara chooses a Nappy Tabs routine and … another surprising choice! Emilio and All-Star Jasmine bring it with Get Low and yeah, those pants of hers still bug, and yeah, he's good, but she's just so dang much better, and oh hells yeah, it's been a lot of hip-hop tonight for a season that didn't have all that much of it, overall, so what's up with that, Finale Night Show? Still, it's fun to watch as we get over our abrupt loss of Zack.

Then, just like that, my love for the show is restored as none other than Jesse Tyler Ferguson strolls out on stage. Seriously, he's like a one-man joy parade. The crowd goes wild like he's a rock star, and well … of course they do. He does a cute bit, auditioning for next season with my other bestie, Travis Wall (what, you missed my interview with him, too? Well, check it out, then come back, k?) Jesse is ridiculously adorable and I want him to stay forever, but a part of me is wondering why exactly he's covering for Cat, and what that might mean for our lovely hostess. Hmm … But his exit just leads to the Endless Montage of Season 11 Goodness. You know, with that last part being subjective. It's the fillerness of filler.

Now, time is winding down, and though I think I must have somehow missed Jessica's pick somewhere along the way, we have to be getting to the end, right? But! Cat tells us there's one last bit o' goodness to go. Sonja and Christopher Scott have put together a routine for the Top 10 and our All-Stars. I think this sounds like a great idea! More of this kind of filler, Show! It's a train station set, with a series of benches and little dance vignettes being performed at each one, as the camera pans by. I love this! A great way to showcase in miniature the dancers and the All-Stars in a way where we can see them individually and truly appreciate them. Fun! I loved everything about this. Great end to the season.

And now? Results?

Oh. Right. Remember that Dance Crew competition that this show has mentioned not at all for weeks now? Yeah, well, it's time to announce who won the Twitter voting war for Best Dance Crew. And? It's the Bollywood guys! OK, so that exclamation point meant not much at all as I only vaguely remember them, but they apparently got a record number of votes, according to Cat. To which I say … how can it be a record when this is the first season they've done this? I mean, if they beat the other crews to place first, then it's automatically the number to beat next go, but … Anyway. Here they are in their sparkly vests of glory, thankfully we remain Bieber-free, and I'm guessing we won't be seeing this bit again next season. You?

Ah! I didn't miss Jessica's favorite. She is up now, and thank you! She picks the fabulous Travis Wall routine she did with Robert Roldan. Now that is a finale night finish. An angry almost violent routine that they both did so beautifully. Loved it then, love it now. So worthy.

But surely we can't dance around this any longer. It's time. You know it, I know it, Valerie, Ricky and Jessica know it. Oh, wait. We still have like, fifteen minutes of air time. And Valerie is dressed in yet another costume. So, yeah. This is going to drag. On. Forever.

Cat is just announcing third place. And? It's Jessica.

Hunh. So now I'm getting worried. I know, I know, it's favorite dancer, not best dancer. Otherwise, we'd have given Ricky the cash on week one. And yes, I get the underdog story and the reaching beyond your roots story, but I think that was Zack's arc this season, and I'd have found him a worthy title holder. I'm having a harder time picturing handing it to Valerie. But I am only one voter.

Cat informs Ricky and Valerie that she hasn't had her pick and what does she want to see? She wants to see these two dance together one last time. And, I'm OK with that. They have to be exhausted by now since they, along with the other top two, have been featured quite heavily all night long, but what the heck! She picks the dance from the first week they were paired together, which is actually a nice bookend. It was the week everyone really fell in love with Valerie as the cute was paired with the cute. It's a Travis Wall contemporary routine to Oh Darling.

But now, NOW, surely we get to find out who wins. And YES, we finally do!

Results: Runner-up is? Valerie. Which means our Season 11 Favorite Dancer is, to the surprise of not a single viewer anywhere, Ricky!

Is this the first season where the clear front runner from week one somehow managed not to engender voter backlash and make it all the way to the end and the title, with all good feelings and spirit intact? I can't recall, but love him or wish someone else had taken the title, he certainly earned it. I don't think anyone can argue against that.

And there you have it, armchair judges!!! We've made it all the way to the end of the season and the end of our fruity umbrella drink pitcher. Thank you all for joining me, for dishing with me, and for being my SYTYCD besties. See you back here next summer!

The confetti has fallen (and fallen, and fallen …), the party favors have all been handed out, but the celebration isn't over quite yet! Last week I had two giveaways up for grabs. One with the weekly dance dish recap, and one with my bonus dish Q&A with Ms. Debbie Allen. So a few more party favors yet to go!

Thanks to all who entered and all the enthusiastic and dishy comments that came with. Always love to hear what my fellow armchair judges are thinking! In the first giveaway, I put a trade paperback, an e-book, and an audio book version of my latest release, Sandpiper Island, up for grabs. Trade paperback goes to Pete Rash! E-book version goes to Nancy Ku! And the audio book goes to Robin Driscoll! Woot woot! Another trade copy of Sandpiper Island went on the giveaway block with the Debbie Allen Q&A, And the winner is? Trish Rucker! Samba rolls all around! E-mail me at donna@donnakauffman.com to claim your goodies!

Now, the dancing might be over, but dish, it is not! I will be jumping into the new fall season with weekly recaps of the most-watched show on television. (Why go small, you know?) Yes, that's right, you can join me every Tuesday night at 8 ET starting Sept. 23, for the latest episode of NCIS! We get a whole hour of Leroy Jethro Gibbs Goodness, followed by my recap, which goes live right here on Wednesday mornings at 6 ET. And yes, of course there will be prizes. Many, oh so many prizes.

To learn more about Donna's books, check out her website at www.donnakauffman.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@donnakauffman) and Instagram!