Since it was launched on ABC on June 1, 2005, “Dancing with the Stars” has crowned 28 winners. Take a tour of all the past champs in this photo gallery.
-
Season 31: Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas
Image Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless TikTok star Charli D’Amelio win season 31 of “Dancing with the Stars” on November 21, 2022, besting finalists Gabby Windey, Wayne Brady, and Shangela. She was the front-runner by the end of the season and was at the top of the judges’ leaderboard every single week of the competition.
Her pro partner Mark Ballas won for the third time, making him the second most decorated pro dancer in the show’s history behind Derek Hough. This was his 20th season on the show, though his first in five years. He previously won with Kristi Yamaguchi in season six and Shawn Johnson in season eight. And he was a finalist seven other times.
-
Season 30: Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach
Image Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless Basketball player Iman Shumpert won season 30 of “Dancing with the Stars” on November 22, 2021, besting finalists JoJo Siwa, Cody Rigsby and Amanda Kloots. It was an upset since Siwa led our racetrack odds for most of the season. Shumpert was the first basketball player ever to claim the Mirror Ball Trophy.
His pro partner Daniella Karagach was a first-time winner. This was just her second season on the show and the second time he made it to the finals. She had previously finished third with Nelly in season 29.
-
Season 29: Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev
Image Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless “The Bachelorette” star Kaitlyn Bristowe won season 29 of “Dancing with the Stars” on November 23, 2020, besting finalists Justina Machado, Nelly, and Nev Schulman. It was an upset since Machado and Schulman led our racetrack odds for most of the season.
Her pro partner Artem Chigvintsev was a first-time winner. This was his ninth season of the show and the first time he made it to the finals, let alone won. His previous personal bests had been sixth place finishes with Lea Thompson (season 19) and Nancy Kerrigan (season 24). But Chigvintsev had previously won the British version of the show, “Strictly Come Dancing.”
-
Season 28: Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten
Image Credit: ABC “The Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown won season 28 of “Dancing with the Stars” on November 25, 2019, besting finalists Kel Mitchell, Ally Brooke and Lauren Alaina. It was a bit of an upset considering that the front-runner for most of the season, James Van Der Beek, was eliminated in the Semi-Finals. But Brown was the only celeb who never at risk of elimination.
Her pro partner Alan Bersten was a first-time winner. This was only his fourth season on the show, following his partnerships with Debbie Gibson (12th place in season 25), Mirai Nagasu (fourth place in season 26) and Alexis Ren (fourth place in season 27).
-
Season 27: Bobby Bones & Sharna Burgess
Image Credit: ABC Country radio personality Bobby Bones won season 27 of “Dancing with the Stars” on November 19, 2018. It was arguably the biggest upset in “DWTS” history; he bested finalists Milo Manheim, Evanna Lynch, and Alexis Ren, who all had markedly highers scores. In fact, Bones was only the eighth best contestant based on judges’ scores.
His pro partner Sharna Burgess was a first-time winner. This was her 12th season on the show, but her very first Mirror Ball victory after previously reaching the finals with Noah Galloway (season 20), Nick Carter (season 21), James Hinchcliffe (season 23) and Josh Norman (season 26).
-
Season 26: Adam Rippon & Jenna Johnson
Image Credit: ABC Adam Rippon won the special four-week ‘Dancing with the Stars: Athletes’ season on May 21, 2018. He’s the third figure skater to prevail, following Kristi Yamaguchi (season 6) and Meryl Davis (season 18), and he’s the first male figure skater to pull off a victory.
His pro partner Jenna Johnson was a first-time winner. This was only her second time competing as a pro on ‘DWTS.’ She previously competed in season 23 with Jake T. Austin, but they were the first team eliminated, finishing in 13th place.
-
Season 25: Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold
Image Credit: ABC Broadway star Jordan Fisher made history when he became the show’s 25th Mirror Ball champion. He’s the youngest male winner to date at age 23, and he received more perfect scores than any other contestant in history (nine).
This was the first Mirror Ball victory for his partner Lindsay Arnold, whose previous best finish was second place in season 24 with David Ross.
-
Season 24: Rashad Jennings & Emma Slater
Image Credit: ABC Football player Rashad Jennings became the fourth football player to win the Mirror Ball Trophy, following Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward and Donald Driver. He topped the judges’ leaderboard for three out of the 10 weeks of competition.
This was the first Mirror Ball victory for his partner Emma Slater, whose previous best finish was fourth place in season 17 with Bill Engvall.
-
Season 23: Laurie Hernandez & Val Chmerkovskiy
Image Credit: ABC Gymnast Laurie Hernandez made history. Mere months after winning a gold medal with the “Final Five” at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she became the youngest Mirror Ball Trophy winner of all time at age 16. She topped the judges’ leaderboard for six out of the 11 weeks of competition.
This was the second Mirror Ball victory for her partner Val Chmerkovskiy, who previously won season 20 with Rumer Willis. It also put Val one win ahead of his big brother Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who only won the Mirror Ball once in his “DWTS” career.
-
Season 22: Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd
Image Credit: Courtesy of ABC Nyle DiMarco made history by winning season 22 of “Dancing with the Stars” on March 24, 2016. The model is the first deaf contestant to win the prize, and he’s the first winner since Donald Driver in season 14 to win the title without getting the highest score in the finals.
DiMarco and Driver were both partnered with Peta Murgatroyd, who is now a two-time winner and the sixth pro dancer to win multiple seasons of the show, but she’s still got a long way to go if she wants to catch all-time record-holder Derek Hough with six wins.
-
Season 21: Bindi Irwin & Derek Hough
Image Credit: ABC After eight times on top of the judges’ leaderboard (nine if you count her perfect score in the final Fusion Challenge), Bindi Irwin took the season 21 title.
Her win was historic in a couple of ways. At age 17, Irwin is now one of the youngest champs in the show’s history. Irwin’s victory also brought Derek Hough his sixth title as a pro dancer, extending his record as the show’s most awarded pro.
-
Season 20: Rumer Willis & Val Chmerkovskiy
Image Credit: MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock “Dancing with the Stars” celebrated its 10th anniversary by crowning actress and singer Rumer Willis (the daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis) as the champion of season 20. It was also the first-ever win for her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy.
-
Season 19: Alfonso Ribeiro & Witney Carson
Image Credit: ABC Despite an injury late in the competition, former sitcom and Broadway star Alfonso Ribeiro pushed through to win season 19. It was also the first-ever win for his 21-year-old pro partner Witney Carson.
-
Season 18: Meryl Davis & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Image Credit: ABC Ice dancer Meryl Davis followed her historic Olympic gold medal with a historic mirror ball trophy; partnering with her brought pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy his first ever win.
-
Season 17: Amber Riley & Derek Hough
Image Credit: ABC “Glee” singer-actress Riley was the fifth woman to win the mirror ball trophy with Derek Hough, who has won “DWTS” more times than any other pro dancer.
-
Season 16: Kellie Pickler & Derek Hough
Image Credit: StarPix/REX/Shutterstock Country singer Kellie Pickler had made a mark on reality television on “American Idol,” where she finished sixth during season five. She finally got a taste of victory by winning “Dancing with the Stars” season 16.
-
Season 15: Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani
Image Credit: MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock Former “Bachelor” contestant Rycroft finished third in season eight, but returned for the “All Stars” season, where she edged out past winners Shawn Johnson and Kelly Monaco for the title.
-
Season 14: Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Image Credit: MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock Driver was the third pro football player to win “Dancing with the Stars” and to date the most recent pro athlete to take the prize.
-
Season 13: J.R. Martinez & Karina Smirnoff
Image Credit: ABC US Army soldier Martinez suffered severe burns while serving in Iraq, after which he transitioned into acting, beginning on “All My Children.” The war hero then won “Dancing” with partner Karina Smirnoff.
-
Season 12: Hines Ward & Kym Johnson
Image Credit: J. Puskar/AP/REX/Shutterstock Ward was the second pro football player to win “DWTS,” following Emmitt Smith in season 3.
-
Season 11: Jennifer Grey & Derek Hough
Image Credit: Pizzello/AP/REX/Shutterstock It’s perhaps fitting that Grey won the mirror ball trophy; her biggest claim to fame was starring in “Dirty Dancing.” At age 50, she was also the oldest female winner in the show’s history.
-
Season 10: Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough
Image Credit: ABC Nicole Scherzinger came to fame as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls before winning “DWTS” with Derek Hough.
-
Season 9: Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson
Image Credit: Sandoval/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock Singer-actor Donny Osmond was 51 when he won “DWTS,” making him the show’s oldest winner to date.
-
Season 8: Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas
Image Credit: ABC Johnson was the third Olympic gold medalist to win the mirror ball trophy. The gymnast was the second star to win with partner Mark Ballas.
-
Season 7: Brooke Burke & Derek Hough
Image Credit: ABC After winning season seven, TV personality Burke co-hosted “DWTS” from season 10-17. In season 18, she was replaced by season 10 contestant Erin Andrews.
-
Season 6: Kristi Yamaguchi & Mark Ballas
Image Credit: Peter Brooker/REX/Shutterstock Olympic figure skater Yamaguchi was the fourth consecutive athlete to win the mirror ball trophy, but the first woman to do it since Kelly Monaco in season 1.
-
Season 5: Helio Castroneves & Julianne Hough
Image Credit: AJ Mast/AP/REX/Shutterstock Brazilian IndyCar racer Castroneves won pro dancer Julianne Hough her second straight “DWTS” title.
-
Season 4: Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough
Image Credit: ABC Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno traded his speed skates for dancing shoes and won with partner Julianne Hough.
-
Season 3: Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke
Image Credit: ABC Professional dancer Cheryl Burke won two in a row: after pushing Drew Lachey to victory, she won the mirror ball trophy with football player Emmitt Smith.
-
Season 2: Drew Lachey & Cheryl Burke
Image Credit: ABC Singer Lachey, of the boy band 98 Degrees, was the second “DWTS” winner, alongside pro dancer Cheryl Burke.
-
Season 1: Kelly Monaco & Alec Mazo
Image Credit: ABC Emmy-nominated “General Hospital” star Monaco got off to a slow start with professional partner Alec Mazo, but won the first season of “Dancing with the Stars” in summer 2005. She competed again in the 2012 “All Stars” season, finishing third.
