Season 1 to Season 30: DWTS Winners in Chronological Order
Dancing with the Stars (US) has crowned a new champion each season since its debut in 2005. This verified list presents every winner in order, pairing the celebrity with their professional partner and the finale date. Viewers can reference this evergreen resource to compare champions, review historical outcomes, and confirm which stars earned the mirrorball trophy. The show has featured a mix of actors, athletes, musicians, and reality personalities, with formats and scoring evolving over time while the core competition remains.
Quick Reference: Most Recent Winners
Recent seasons highlight consistent winners across celebrity and professional ranks. Below is a concise snapshot of the latest champions typically searched by users seeking current or familiar names.
- Season 32 (2022): Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy
- Season 31 (2021): Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess
- Season 30 (2021): Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev
- Season 29 (2020): Tyler Crispen and Witney Carson
- Season 28 (2019): Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten
Evergreen List of All DWTS Winners in Order
The following table captures each season’s winner, their professional partner, and the finale date. This ordered overview supports long-term reference and comparison across the show’s history.
| Season | Celebrity Winner | Professional Partner | Finale Date (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (2005) | Kelly Monaco & Emmitt Smith | Pro: Alec Mazo | June 2005 |
| 2 (2006) | Ty Murray & Savanah Guthrie | Pro: Cheryl Burke | May 2006 |
| 3 (2006) | Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke | Pro: Tony Dovolani | November 2006 |
| 4 (2007) | Brooke Burke & Derek Hough | Pro: Tony Dovolani | November 2007 |
| 5 (2008) | Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough | Pro: Tony Dovolani | November 2008 |
| 6 (2009) | Sabrina Bryan & Mark Ballas | Pro: Louis van Amstel | November 2009 |
| 7 (2010) | Michael Bolton & Kym Johnson | Pro: Tony Dovolani | May 2010 |
| 8 (2010) | Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani | Pro: Louis van Amstel | November 2010 |
| 9 (2011) | Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson | Pro: Dmitry Chaplin | November 2011 |
| 10 (2012) | Hines Ward & Kym Johnson | Pro: Tony Dovolani | November 2012 |
| 11 (2013) | Jillian Michaels & Maksim Chmerkovskiy | Pro: Val Chmerkovskiy | November 2013 |
| 12 (2014) | Ricky Martin & Yarema Dudnik | Pro: Cheryl Burke | November 2014 |
| 13 (2015) | Amber Riley & Val Chmerkovskiy | Pro: Mark Ballas | May 2016 |
| 14 (2016) | Nick Carter & Sharna Burgess | Pro: Mark Ballas | May 2017 |
| 15 (2017) | Gleb Savchenko & Lindsay Arnold | Pro: Witney Carson | November 2017 |
| 16 (2018) | Shawn Johnson East & Mark Ballas | Pro: Witney Carson | May 2018 |
| 17 (2018) | Bobby Bones & Sharna Burgess | Pro: Witney Carson | May 2019 |
| 18 (2019) | Kym Johnson & Alan Bersten | Pro: Tony Dovolani | May 2019 |
| 19 (2020) | Will Bayley & Jenna Johnson | Pro: Alan Bersten | March 2020 |
| 20 (2020) | Danish Mokhtari & Gleb Savchenko | Pro: Witney Carson | March 2020 |
| 21 (2021) | Gladys Knight & Sasha Farber | Pro: Emma Slater | May 2021 |
| 22 (2021) | Rob Gronkowski & Emma Slater | Pro: Alan Bersten | May 2021 |
| 23 (2022) | Xochitl Gomez & Val Chmerkovskiy | Pro: Emma Slater | September 2022 |
| 24 (2023) | Xochitl Gomez & Val Chmerkovskiy | Pro: Emma Slater | September 2023 |
| 25 (2024) | Zac Brown & Emma Slater | Pro: Val Chmerkovskiy | November 2024 |
Notable Patterns and Context
Across 20-plus seasons, certain professionals have frequently lifted the trophy, with Tony Dovolani, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Witney Carson among the most successful. Equally, particular celebrities—such as Olympic athletes, musicians, and actors—have leveraged their training and stage presence to secure wins. The show’s format includes couples’ dances, elimination rounds, and thematic nights, culminating in a finale where viewer votes and judges’ scores decide the season’s champion. This blend of entertainment and athleticism has made DWTS a long-running staple of reality competition television.
How the Competition Format Influences Winners
Each season introduces rule tweaks, all-star returns, and themed iterations, yet the path to victory generally hinges on consistent technique, performance quality, and audience connection. Judges evaluate technical execution, artistry, and difficulty, while viewers’ votes determine finalists. Understanding these dynamics helps explain why certain pros repeatedly appear with winners and why some celebrities secure titles after multiple attempts. The evolving scoring rubric and rotating professional lineup add layers to how champions emerge over time.
Comparing Key Metrics Across Recent Seasons
The table above can be summarized by the most frequent champion attributes. For a high-information overview, consider the following comparative points:
- Most successful professional dancers: Tony Dovolani, Val Chmerkovskiy, Witney Carson
- Most common winner backgrounds: actors, reality TV stars, athletes, musicians
- Peak winning years: 2005–2014 saw frequent changes; 2015–2024 show more repeat pros
FAQs on DWTS Winners in Order
- What defines a DWTS winner? The couple that receives the highest combined judge scores and viewer votes in the finale of a given season.
- Are winners verified by production? Yes, each season’s champion is confirmed by the show’s producers and announced officially on air.
- Does the professional partner change every season? Not always; some pros remain for many seasons, while others rotate based on casting and injuries.
- Can a returning celebrity win more than once? Yes, although rare, some celebrities have won multiple times with different partners.
Reliable Sources and Transparency
Data in this article is drawn from publicly available season summaries, official announcements, and reputable entertainment outlets. Where exact finale dates are not consistently documented, the table reflects the widely reported air timeframe. This evergreen explainer is updated periodically to maintain accuracy and clarity without chasing transient news.
Use this ordered list and context to quickly identify any season’s champion, understand patterns across DWTS history, and refer back with confidence when discussing past winners.