They're the best of the best. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most impressive winners of “Dancing with the Stars.”
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00:00 Welcome to Ms. Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most impressive winners
00:10 of Dancing with the Stars.
00:19 Number 20.
00:20 Iman Shumpert An NBA champion, Iman Shumpert was also the
00:24 first basketball player to win Dancing with the Stars, conquering season 30 with his partner
00:28 Daniela Karagos.
00:35 The duo had good competition in runners-up Jojo Siwa and Jenna Johnson, but managed to
00:40 sneak in the win, owing no doubt to a very strong finish.
00:44 Iman and Daniela were the second duo to score a perfect 40, which they did on their Horror
00:49 Night contemporary dance.
01:00 They also performed admirably in the finale with a freestyle and Cha-Cha-Cha Foxtrot fusion.
01:05 Those brilliant performances allowed Shumpert to make Dancing with the Stars history and
01:09 add another trophy to his wall.
01:19 Number 19.
01:20 Donny Osmond Having dominated both the television and music
01:24 industries, Donny Osmond thought that he would conquer a reality competition program.
01:35 And that's exactly what he did in 2009, winning season 9 with Kim Johnson.
01:45 Osmond had a very strong week 5, scoring two 10s with his Argentine Tango and attaining
01:50 the highest scores of the week.
01:57 He would repeat this feat in the finale, as his combined score tied with Maya and Dimitri
02:02 Chaplin for the highest.
02:03 However, Osmond was the only dancer to score a perfect 30 on night 2, which likely helped
02:08 secure him the win.
02:15 It was a remarkable feat considering his age, and to this day he remains the oldest winner
02:19 in the show's history.
02:21 Number 18.
02:22 Charli D'Amelio There's no question about it, season 31
02:26 was Charli D'Amelio's to lose.
02:33 D'Amelio absolutely dominated the competition, attaining the highest score in all 10 weeks.
02:39 It was obvious from the very first episode that she was the best dancer, as she was the
02:43 only one to score above 30.
02:45 She started strong, and she ended strong.
02:53 D'Amelio danced 5 perfect 40s in a row in the final 3 weeks, finishing strong with a
02:58 great freestyle to "Us Again".
03:00 If that's not all, D'Amelio also set a Dancing with the Stars record.
03:04 She is the first dancer to score a perfect 50, owing to the presence of 4 judges plus
03:09 guest judge Michael Bublé.
03:19 Number 17.
03:21 Apollo Ono It's no secret that athletes often make the
03:24 best contestants on Dancing with the Stars, and this 8-time short track speed skating
03:28 medalist was no exception.
03:30 Ono appeared in the show's 4th season and was partnered with Julianne Hough.
03:34 While they scored unanimous 7s in their first week, they really picked it up with their
03:38 second week quick step, scoring 2 9s and an 8.
03:46 However, they solidified their place in Dancing with the Stars history with their 5th week
03:51 samba, becoming the first couple to score 3 10s.
03:54 They would accomplish this feat 4 more times throughout the season, so it's no surprise
03:58 that they were crowned the victors.
04:00 Add the trophy to his list.
04:02 Oh yes!
04:09 Number 16.
04:10 J.R. Martinez J.R. Martinez is a former U.S. Army soldier
04:14 who suffered burns on roughly a third of his body and was forced to undergo more than 30
04:19 plastic surgeries.
04:25 But incredibly, he's not let this immense tragedy stop him, and has pursued a career
04:30 as a motivational speaker and actor.
04:32 He appeared in Dancing with the Stars' 13th season alongside Karina Smirnoff.
04:36 The two would score unanimous 10s on four separate occasions, leading to Smirnoff's
04:41 first victory as a choreographer.
04:43 Martinez was not only a fantastic dancer, but a terrific personality who proved the
04:48 virtues of motivation and persistence to say the least.
04:59 Number 15.
05:00 Emmett Smith Emmett Smith certainly had a reputation going
05:04 into season 3 of Dancing with the Stars.
05:06 Smith was an all-star football running back who won three Super Bowls and became the NFL's
05:11 all-time leading rusher.
05:19 So he could run, but could he shimmy?
05:21 Well, he was the man to beat and fortunately, he did not disappoint.
05:26 Smith was a great dancer who worked well with Cheryl Burke, and his numerous improvisations
05:30 were praised by both Burke and the judges.
05:37 While other dancers may have received better scores, Smith's personality and focus ensured
05:42 his victory, and he became the first athlete to win the competition.
05:53 Number 14.
05:54 Nicole Scherzinger Before her own TV hosting career, Nicole Scherzinger
05:59 was the lead vocalist for the Pussycat Dolls, one of the most successful groups of the 2000s.
06:11 She appeared in the show's 10th season alongside Derek Hough.
06:15 The two received the highest score on 12 occasions and received four perfect scores, including
06:20 two in the finale.
06:21 They also received the season's highest score average of 27.5, beating out runners-up Evan
06:26 Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaja, who scored 26.3.
06:36 While Nicole was the favorite to win, Evan and Anna certainly made it a battle, and it
06:41 was exciting to watch the two supercouples battle it out week after week.
06:50 Number 13.
06:51 Christy Yamaguchi Figure skater Christy Yamaguchi achieved
06:54 incredible athletic success in 1992, winning both the world championships and an Olympic
07:00 gold medal.
07:01 The Miraball trophy was added to her collection in 2008 after winning season six with Mark
07:06 Ballas.
07:16 Like Charli D'Amelio, Yamaguchi was the obvious standout, attaining the highest score in eight
07:21 of the ten weeks.
07:22 She was also the first celebrity to score a perfect 30, having done so in week six with
07:27 an accomplished jive.
07:35 And speaking of perfect 30s, Yamaguchi would finish with three straight in the finale,
07:40 winning the group cha-cha-cha and repeating her perfect jive from week six.
07:44 Yamaguchi was the first Olympic skater in the show's history, and she set the bar extraordinarily
07:49 high for all who followed.
07:58 Number 12.
07:59 Melissa Rycroft If you win an all-star season, does that
08:03 make you the best winner of all time?
08:08 Maybe, and Melissa Rycroft certainly makes a good argument for herself.
08:16 Rycroft first competed on season eight and placed third with partner Tony Dovolani.
08:21 They reunited for the all-star season, and Rycroft completed her revenge arc, beating
08:25 season eight winner Shawn Johnson.
08:27 Rycroft started slow but ended strong, scoring perfect 30s on five of her last seven dances.
08:42 She also narrowly defeated Johnson in the finale, combining for a score of 88.5 to Johnson's
08:48 87.
08:49 They were neck and neck the whole season, but the strong finish likely secured Rycroft's
08:54 win.
09:00 Number 11.
09:01 Rumer Willis The eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi
09:04 Moore, Rumer Willis has followed in her parents' showbiz footsteps and has secured herself
09:08 a nice career as an actress and singer.
09:19 And as it turns out, she's also an incredible dancer.
09:22 Willis defeated Riker Lynch to win season 20 with partner Valentin Chmerkovsky.
09:27 She was strong from the very beginning, earning the highest score in week one with a great
09:31 foxtrot.
09:41 But Willis truly came into her own in the final three weeks, with six of her last seven
09:45 dances earning perfect scores.
09:47 In fact, this feat tied the record for most perfect scores in a single season, joining
09:52 the esteemed ranks of Meryl Davis and Jennifer Grey.
10:03 Number 10.
10:04 Alfonso Ribeiro Alfonso Ribeiro, aka Carlton from The Fresh
10:08 Prince of Bel-Air, was not only one of the most famous contestants on Dancing with the
10:12 Stars, he was also, unsurprisingly given his B-boy past, one of the best dancers.
10:21 During the show's 19th season, Ribeiro earned five perfect scores, including three in the
10:27 finale alone.
10:28 You know you've got the trophy in the bag when you score three perfect scores in the
10:32 finale.
10:38 And while his dancing with Whitney Carson was certainly great, his fun and infectious
10:43 personality ensured that he became a judge, host, and fan favorite.
10:48 He remains, without a doubt, one of the show's most memorable contestants.
10:58 Number 9.
10:59 Jennifer Grey We aren't saying that Dirty Dancing made
11:02 Jennifer Grey a terrific dancer, but it certainly didn't hurt.
11:10 Grey was a fan favorite going into the show's 11th season due to her star power and previous
11:15 dancing experience, and she did not disappoint.
11:18 She and Derek Hoff earned the highest score on an incredible 13 dances, and earned six
11:23 perfect scores, ensuring Jennifer's win over her main competitors, Kyle Massey and Bristol
11:28 Palin.
11:34 Despite some injuries and setbacks, she was sexy, she was cool, and she proved that she
11:39 could dance with the best of them.
11:41 You could almost say that she had the time of her life dancing on this show.
11:45 Yeah, we said it.
11:54 Number 8.
11:55 Kelly Pickler A contestant on the fifth season of American
11:58 Idol, Kelly Pickler launched a successful career in country music.
12:02 She was paired with Derek Hoff for Dancing with the Stars' 16th season, and emerged
12:06 victorious, somewhat surprisingly, over Zendaya.
12:19 Zendaya and Val were arguably a more technical couple, but it was Kelly and Derek who won
12:23 over fans and voters.
12:25 Pickler improved dramatically over the season, and everyone loves a good underdog story.
12:36 This combined with her lack of dance experience and stunning freestyle, allowed Pickler to
12:40 eke out a victory.
12:42 To this day, Pickler's freestyle to Labyrinth's "Beneath Your Beautiful" is a beloved
12:46 fan favorite.
12:55 Number 7.
12:56 Jordan Fisher An esteemed Broadway performer, Jordan Fisher
13:00 is used to dancing for a crowd, and his talents were on full display throughout the show's
13:04 25th season.
13:13 Fisher emerged victorious over Frankie Muniz and Lindsey Stirling, a fact that didn't
13:17 come as much of a surprise.
13:19 Fisher was strong right out of the gate, landing the highest score of Week 1 with a tango to
13:24 Shawn Mendes.
13:31 It was a sign of things to come as Fisher dominated the rest of the season with partner
13:36 Lindsey Arnold, and finished with four perfect dances in the finale.
13:40 That made nine overall, setting a Dancing with the Stars record for most perfect scores
13:45 in a single season.
13:46 While his victory was somewhat predictable, it was definitely deserved.
13:57 Number 6.
13:58 Lori Hernandez Some backgrounds are particularly better for
14:01 dancing, and being a gymnast is certainly one of them.
14:05 Hernandez won gold in the women's team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and soon after she
14:10 was in LA competing on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars.
14:21 And well, let's just say she showed them how it was done.
14:24 Just 16 years old at the time, Hernandez dominated the season and tied the record for most perfect
14:29 scores with eight.
14:39 Seven of those came in her last eight dances, with the first occurring back in Week 4.
14:44 Hernandez set all types of Dancing with the Stars records with her impeccable performance,
14:49 putting first Latina and youngest celebrity to win.
14:59 Number 5.
15:01 Bindi Irwin Bindi Irwin, the late Steve Irwin's daughter,
15:04 starred in an Australian reality show and has had multiple showbiz gigs.
15:12 However, she truly made a name for herself during season 21 of Dancing with the Stars,
15:19 where she was partnered with veteran Derek Hough.
15:22 To say that they made a terrific couple would be an understatement.
15:25 They took off right out of the gate, scoring unanimous eights in their first week with
15:29 a great jive.
15:36 They would then make Dancing with the Stars history by scoring unanimous tens on eight
15:40 separate occasions, a record for the show.
15:43 They scored three perfect scores in the finale alone, which was more than enough to ensure
15:48 their predicted victory.
15:56 Number 4.
15:57 Shawn Johnson East The trophy was Shawn Johnson East's to lose.
16:02 She went into the show's eighth season as an Olympic balance beam gold medalist, three-time
16:06 Olympic silver medalist, and five-time Pan American Games gold medalist.
16:15 That is a hella impressive resume, and she fully used her incredible athleticism to her
16:20 advantage.
16:21 While she only earned the highest score on four of her 16 dances, and two lowest scores
16:26 to boot, that athleticism, her chemistry with Mark Ballas, and her infectious personality
16:31 ensured that she became a season favorite.
16:41 While East definitely faced stiff competition, her persistent hard work and skill eventually
16:46 won out in the end.
16:53 Number 3.
16:55 Amber Riley A natural performer, Amber Riley rose to prominence
16:58 on Glee before winning the Lawrence Olivier Award for the West End production of Dream
17:02 Girls.
17:03 She also happened to crush season 17, and became the first African American female winner.
17:12 Riley's dominance was obvious from the very first dance, when she scored three nines for
17:20 her Cha-Cha-Cha.
17:22 By doing so, she tied the record for the highest score in the first week.
17:33 And she never let off the gas, earning multiple week-high scores, and being the only finalist
17:38 to achieve three perfect dances in the finale.
17:41 That saloon freestyle is a thing of pure beauty, and we will hear no different.
17:53 Number 2.
17:54 Meryl Davis Meryl Davis is a highly acclaimed ice dancer
17:58 who has won an Olympic gold medal, two world championships, three Four Continents championships,
18:03 and five Grand Prix finals.
18:11 Both viewers and judges had high expectations for her in the show's 18th season.
18:16 Luckily for her, and our expectations, Davis proved to be one of, if not the best dancer
18:21 in the show's history.
18:22 She and partner Maxim Shmierkowski wowed us all, dance after dance, earning six perfect
18:28 scores and the highest score on 11 of her 15 dances.
18:37 While some debated the fairness of her inclusion, Davis nevertheless set the bar for future
18:42 contestants.
18:43 As Len Goodman said, quote, "There's good, there's great, and there's Meryl."
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19:11 Number 1.
19:12 Niall DeMarco This model, actor, and activist had an amazing
19:16 two-year run in 2015 and 2016.
19:25 First he became only the second man to win America's Next Top Model, then he became
19:29 the second deaf contestant ever on Dancing with the Stars, after Marlee Matlin, who was
19:34 the sixth person eliminated in her season.
19:37 Niall and partner Peta Murgatroyd were instant fan favorites due to the couple's obvious
19:40 chemistry and persistence, and the two earned tens week after week, including three perfect
19:46 scores.
19:54 Niall was a great dancer, but it was also his charming and inspiring personality which
19:59 won over viewers.
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