oting ▁has ▁also ▁varied ▁by ▁season ▁( and ▁often ▁within ▁seasons ) ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁whether ▁the ▁vot er ▁selected ▁individuals ▁or ▁cou ples . ▁Following ▁the ▁announ cement ▁of ▁their ▁elim ination , ▁d anc ers ▁are ▁typically ▁given ▁a ▁brief ▁send - off ▁via ▁a ▁video ▁mont age . ▁Each ▁compet itive ▁episode ▁ends ▁with ▁a ▁quick ▁rec ap ▁of ▁the ▁night ' s ▁rout ines ▁accompanied ▁by ▁voting ▁prompt s . ▁Epis odes ▁typically ▁last ▁around ▁two ▁hours , ▁commer ci als ▁included . ▁There ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁vari ability ▁in ▁how ▁long ▁cou ples ▁are ▁kept ▁together ▁and ▁how ▁the ▁at - home - v iewer ▁votes ▁are ▁bal anced ▁against ▁judge ▁dec isions , ▁though ▁ultimately ▁at ▁some ▁point ▁in ▁every ▁season , ▁the ▁jud ges ▁give ▁up ▁their ▁power ▁to ▁save ▁d anc ers ▁and ▁elimin ations ▁are ▁determined ▁exclus ively ▁by ▁vie wer ▁votes . ▁ ▁The ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁hours ▁shown ▁in ▁a ▁given ▁week ▁during ▁the ▁performance ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁has ▁varied ▁from ▁two ▁to ▁four ▁hours . ▁▁▁ ▁A ▁season ' s ▁finale ▁episode ▁is ▁often ▁the ▁most ▁elabor ately ▁produced ▁show ▁of ▁a ▁season ▁and ▁features ▁the ▁last ▁performances ▁of ▁the ▁compet itors , ▁encore ▁performances ▁of ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁season ' s ▁most ▁acc laimed ▁rout ines , ▁guest ▁d anc ers ▁( including ▁returning ▁past ▁season ▁compet itors ▁and ▁cast - members ▁from ▁other ▁international ▁versions ▁of ▁the ▁franch ise ), ▁musical ▁performances , ▁and ▁multiple ▁video ▁packets ▁chron