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Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) recently returned with its latest season, which premiered on Monday, September 19, 2022. The new season is being hosted by Tyra Banks alongside former winner Alfonso Ribeiro.
DWTS is a competitive dance show that pairs a celebrity with a professional dancer and pits them in competition against other such pairs. The winners are decided by the cumulative marks received from the judges and a live voting system which is open to all viewers.
Over the years, the dance show has seen some incredible performances from many popular celebs, including Zendaya, Milo Manheim, Juan Pablo, and others. In this article, we have listed some of our top picks for the best performances on the show till date.
Disclaimer: This list is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.
Rumer Willis, Bindi Irwins, Alfonso Ribeiro, and others: Here are the top 10 performances on DWTS till date
1) The Queen of Salsa, Zendaya
Zendaya appeared in season 16 of DWTS and was partnered with Ukrainian professional dancer, Valentin Chmerkovskiy. She consistently performed well and raked in the highest scores throughout the season. She even reached the finals, only to be placed as the runner-up to winners Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough.
One of her most iconic moments on the show was Trio Challenge Night, which came on the eighth week of the show. For the round, Zendaya and Val teamed up with Gleb Savchenko and performed a salsa on the song Dança Molengo. They scored perfect 10s from all three judges and Zendaya was even dubbed "The Queen of Salsa" by Carrie Ann.
2) Nyle DiMarco's powerfully emotional performance
Nyle DiMarco is an American actor, model and spokesperson who appeared on DWTS season 22. It must be mentioned here that DiMarco is deaf, which makes dancing akin to a feat for him. DiMarco was partnered with professional ballroom dancer, Peta Murgatroyd, and the duo went on to win the title that season.
One of his most impactful and strong performances on the show was in the finals. The duo performed freestyle to The Sound of Silence by Disturbed, and received a perfect score of 30 from the panel of judges. The performance was not only moving but also impeccably choreographed.
3) Rumer Willis and Val's electric chemistry
Rumer Willis is the daughter of actors Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. She appeared on the show in season 20, which aired in 2015. Partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, she performed well throughout the season and went on to win the Mirror Ball Trophy.
The duo had an amazing chemistry which they played off well in their performances. One of their most popular routines came in the eighth week, which had them performing Rumba on the song Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps by Doris Day.
4) Meryl Davis' professional Tango
Meryl Davis is a former competitive ice dancer who has represented America in ice dancing across the world and won several championships and medals, including two World Champion titles as well as gold and silver in the Olympics. She participated in DWTS season 18. Paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, the duo went on to become the winner of the season.
Her ice dancing career played a major role in her win as she was well acquainted with maintaining postures and executing the routine flawlessly. One of her best performances on the show was in week six, when the duo performed Tango on the song Feel so Close, by Calvin Harris.
5) Bindi Irwin's tribute to her late father
Bindi Irwin is the eldest daughter of late wildlife conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin. She appeared on DWTS in their 21st season that aired in 2015. She was partnered with Derek Hough, and eventually developed a strong relationship with him.
Bindi and Derek went on to win the Mirrorball trophy with a record-breaking eight perfect scores that season. Of their many performances, one of the most inspiring came in the fourth week, with the duo performing a contemporary routine to the classic, Every Breath You Take, by The Police. The performance was directed as a tribute to her late father and left everyone in the audience with teary eyes.
6) Milo Manheim's goosebumps-inducing performance to Toxic
Milo Manheim participated in DWTS in 2018, on their 27th season. An actor from Disney's Zombies franchise, Manheim was paired with Witney Carson as his professional partner. The duo made their way to the finals but ended up short on the public votes, taking the place of runner-ups.
Despite not winning the competition, the duo delivered some amazing performances throughout their time on the show, key among them being the contemporary routine that they performed to Toxic, by Britney Spears. With a Halloween theme, their rendition of the song gave goosebumps to the onlookers, while fetching a perfect score from the judges.
7) Helio Castroneves' Hey Pachuco dance from The Mask
Auto racing driver Helio Castoneves is a four-time winner of the Indy 500 championship. The Brazilian racecar driver appeared and won the fifth season of DWTS in 2007, along with partner Julianne Hough. The duo delivered amazing and power-packed performances and quickly became a favorite among fans.
One of the most enjoyable and energetic performances of the show till date, came in the eighth week of season five. Helio and Julianne choreographed a quickstep routine to Hey Pachuco from the 1994 film The Mask. Their energy and enthusiasm radiated throughout the performance.
8) Juan Pablo di Pace plays the perfect Gaston on Disney Night
Argentine singer-actor Juan Pablo di Pace appeared on DWTS in their 27th season, which aired in September 2018. He was paired with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. The duo put on some amazing performances throughout the season and raked in multiple perfect scores. Although they were fan and judge-favorites, the duo unluckily got eliminated in the eighth week.
While they may not have won the season, their Disney night performance continues to remain one of the highlights of DWTS' 31-season run, even after so many years. Replete with energy, the Viennese Waltz to Gaston from Beauty and the Beast was a performance to behold and felt akin to a Broadway show.
9) James Hinchcliffe tells the story of Joker and Harley Quinn
James Hinchcliffe is a former IndyCar series driver who appeared on DWTS season 23, which aired on ABC in 2016. Partnering with professional dancer Sharna Burges, Hinchcliffe climbed the ranks to finish second on the night of the final.
While they missed out on the winning title, the duo won the hearts of numerous fans with some amazing choreography throughout the season. One of their most memorable performances was in the eighth week, when they chose to perform Viennese Waltz to You Don't Own Me by Leslie Gore, while dressed as the iconic pair of Joker and Harley Quinn.
10) Alfonso Ribeiro takes us down memory lane
Alfonso Ribeiro is an American actor famous for his role as Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. One of the most iconic moments of his character on the show was him breaking into a dance to a song by Tom Jones.
Therefore, it is no surprise that fans were quite excited to witness the actor include the Carlton routine in his jazz performance to It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones. Ribeiro went on to win season 19 with partner Witney Carson, and has returned to DWTS as a host in season 31.
DWTS returned with season 31 on September 19, 2022. The panel of judges this time includes Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman and Derek Hough.
With a new roster of celebrities waiting to show off their dancing prowess and an uninterrupted watching experience on online streaming platform Disney+, DWTS Season 31 promises to be a blast. Don't forget to check it out if you want to catch some electric dance performances by some of your favorite celebrities.
New episodes of the show are released every Monday on the streaming platform.
