| Dancing with the Stars 13 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Presented By: | Tom Bergeron Brooke Burke Charvet |
| Judges: | Len Goodman Carrie Ann Inaba Bruno Tonioli |
| Broadcast | |
| Original Channel: | ABC |
| Original Run: | 19 September 2011 – 22 November 2011 |
| Season Champions | |
| Celebrity Winner: | J.R. Martinez |
| Professional Winner: | Karina Smirnoff |
| Series Chronology | |
| ← previous Season 12 |
next → Season 14 |
The thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars premiered 19 September 2011.
Twelve couples competed this season, one more than on the previous season.
Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke returned as hosts. Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba all returned as judges.
On 22 November 2011, actor and army veteran J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff were announced as the winners; reality star Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke placed second, and actress Ricki Lake and Derek Hough placed third.
Development[]
Professional Cast[]
Nine professional partners — Derek Hough, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Cheryl Burke, Tony Dovolani, Mark Ballas, Lacey Schwimmer, Karina Smirnoff, Anna Trebunskaya, and Kym Johnson — returned this season. Maksim's brother, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, made his debut competing as a professional. Peta Murgatroyd and Tristan MacManus, part of Season 12's troupe of dancers, also became professional partners for the first time. Louis van Amstel did not compete as a professional, but participated in a new segment called "Ballroom Battles", which would be canceled 7 November but revived the next season. This is also the first season where none of the original pros from Season One competed. Dmitry Chaplin and Chelsie Hightower also did not participate, although Hightower would return in season 14. The troupe had three returning troupe members, Ted Volynets, Kiki Nyemchek, and Oksana Dmytrenko, and three new members Sasha Farber, Sharna Burgess, and Dasha Chesnokova.
Celebrity Cast[]
The celebrity cast was revealed during an episode of Bachelor Pad 28 August 2011. The twelve professionals were revealed 31 August 2011 during Good Morning America. Ryan O'Neal was planning to compete as a celebrity but did not feel he was up to it after a recent knee surgery. Carson Kressley stepped in to replace him. O'Neal hopes to compete in a future season.
Security[]
From the start, controversy erupted over the inclusion of Chaz Bono, the child of famous parents Sonny and Cher. His appearance resulted in backlash from the conservative supporters of the show, who even threatened to boycott due to his transgender status. Despite the criticism, Bono has received strong support from the LGBT community. It was stated in LGBT Weekly that:
"Bono has become the transgender community's living symbol of hope, strength and defiance against vitriolic hate. When ABC Television announced that Bono would appear on DWTS, he faced vile slurs and death threats from a group of trans-phobic women and men".
The controversy did lead producers to hire extra security protection for his time on the show.
Couples[]
| Celebrity | Known for | Professional Partner | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Metta World Peace |
NBA player |
|
Peta Murgatroyd |
Eliminated 1st on 20 September 2011 |
|
Elisabetta Canalis |
Model & actress |
|
Valentin Chmerkovskiy |
Eliminated 2nd on 27 September 2011 |
|
Kristin Cavallari |
Reality TV personality |
|
Mark Ballas |
Eliminated 3rd on 4 October 2011 |
|
Chynna Phillips |
Singer | 
|
Tony Dovolani |
Eliminated 4th on 11 October 2011 |
|
Carson Kressley |
Fashion designer & TV host |
|
Anna Trebunskaya |
Eliminated 5th on 18 October 2011 |
|
Chaz Bono |
LGBTQ activist & author |
|
Lacey Schwimmer |
Eliminated 6th on 25 October 2011 |
|
David Arquette |
Actor & producer |
|
Kym Johnson |
Eliminated 7th on 1 November 2011 |
|
Nancy Grace |
HLN host & prosecutor |
|
Tristan MacManus |
Eliminated 8th on 8 November 2011 |
|
Hope Solo |
US soccer team goalkeeper |
|
Maksim Chmerkovskiy |
Eliminated 9th on 15 November 2011 |
|
Ricki Lake |
Actress & talk show host |
|
Derek Hough |
Third place |
|
Rob Kardashian |
Reality TV personality |
|
Cheryl Burke |
Runner-up |
|
J.R. Martinez |
Actor & army veteran |
|
Karina Smirnoff |
Winner |
Scores[]
Judges' Scoring Summary[]
Average Scoring Chart[]
| Rank by Average | Place | Couple | Total Points | Number of Dances | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Ricki & Derek | 400 | 15 | 26.7 |
| 2 | 1 | J.R. & Karina | 423 | 16 | 26.4 |
| 3 | 2 | Rob & Cheryl | 402 | 25.1 | |
| 4 | 4 | Hope & Maksim | 279 | 12 | 23.3 |
| 5 | 9 | Chynna & Tony | 90 | 4 | 22.5 |
| 6 | 6 | David & Kym | 178 | 8 | 22.3 |
| 7 | 10 | Kristin & Mark | 65 | 3 | 21.7 |
| 8 | 5 | Nancy & Tristan | 213 | 10 | 21.3 |
| 9 | 8 | Carson & Anna | 97 | 5 | 19.4 |
| 10 | 7 | Chaz & Lacey | 113 | 6 | 18.8 |
| 11 | 11 | Elisabetta & Val | 36 | 2 | 18.0 |
| 12 | 12 | Metta & Peta | 14 | 1 | 14.0 |
Highest- and Lowest-Scoring Performances[]
| Dance | Best Dancer(s) | Highest Score | Worst Dancer(s) | Lowest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentine Tango | Ricki Lake | 29 | Hope Solo | 24 |
| Cha-Cha-Cha | Ricki Lake | 27 | Metta World Peace | 14 |
| Foxtrot | J.R. Martinez Rob Kardashian |
26 | Rob Kardashian Nancy Grace Ricki Lake Hope Solo |
24 |
| Freestyle | Rob Kardashian J.R. Martinez |
30 | Ricki Lake | 27 |
| Jive Instant |
J.R. Martinez J.R. Martinez |
28 30 |
David Arquette Nancy Grace |
18 20 |
| Paso Doble | Ricki Lake | 27 | Chaz Bono Nancy Grace Hope Solo |
21 |
| Quickstep | Ricki Lake J.R. Martinez |
29 | Chaz Bono | 17 |
| Rumba | Ricki Lake | 27 | Chaz Bono | 18 |
| Samba | Ricki Lake J.R. Martinez Rob Kardashian |
30 | Chaz Bono | 21 |
| Tango | Ricki Lake | 30 | Chaz Bono | 19 |
| Viennese Waltz | Chynna Phillips J.R. Martinez |
22 | Rob Kardashian | 16 |
| Waltz | J.R. Martinez | 30 | Nancy Grace | 21 |
The celebrities to not land on the list are, Elisabetta Canalis, Kristin Cavallari, and Carson Kressley.
Couples' Highest- and Lowest-Scoring Dances[]
| Couples | Highest Scoring Dances | Lowest Scoring Dances |
|---|---|---|
| J.R. & Karina | Waltz, Instant Jive, Freestyle & Instant Samba (30) | Viennese Waltz & Jive (22) |
| Rob & Cheryl | Freestyle & Instant Samba (30) | Viennese Waltz (16) |
| Ricki & Derek | Samba & Tango (30) | Viennese Waltz (20) |
| Hope & Maks | Quickstep (27) | Jive (19) |
| Nancy & Tristan | Foxtrot & Tango (24) | Cha-cha-cha (16) |
| David & Kym | Tango (25) | Viennese Waltz & Jive (18) |
| Chaz & Lacey | Paso Doble & Samba (21) | Cha-cha-cha & Quickstep (17) |
| Carson & Anna | Tango (23) | Cha-cha-cha (17) |
| Chynna & Tony | Rumba (26) | Jive & Tango (21) |
| Kristin & Mark | Samba (24) | Cha-cha-cha (19) |
| Elisabetta & Val | Quickstep (21) | Cha-cha-cha (15) |
| Metta & Peta | Cha-cha-cha (14) | Cha-cha-cha (14) |
Weekly Scores[]
Unless indicated otherwise, individual judges scores in the charts below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.
Week 1[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metta & Peta | 14 (5, 4, 5) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Krazy" - Pitbull ft. Lil Jon | Eliminated |
| Rob & Cheryl | 16 (6, 5, 5) | Viennese Waltz | "Lake Michigan" - Rogue Wave | Safe |
| Kristin & Mark | 19 (7, 6, 6) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Dynamite" - Taio Cruz | Safe |
| Chynna & Tony | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Viennese Waltz | "If I Ain't Got You" - Alicia Keys | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 16 (5, 5, 6) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Cry Baby" - Cee Lo Green | Last to be called safe |
| David & Kym | 18 (6, 6, 6) | Viennese Waltz | "Somebody to Love" - Queen | Safe |
| Elisabetta & Val | 15 (5, 5, 5) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" - Katy Perry | Safe |
| Hope & Maks | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Viennese Waltz | "Satellite" - Dave Matthews Band | Safe |
| Carson & Anna | 17 (6, 5, 6) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Moves Like Jagger" - Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Viennese Waltz | "Breakaway" - Kelly Clarkson | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 20 (7, 6, 7) | Viennese Waltz | "This Year's Love" - David Gray | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 17 (6, 5, 6) | Cha-cha-cha | "Dancing in the Street" - Martha & the Vandellas | Safe |
Week 2[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope & Maks | 19 (6, 7, 6) | Jive | "Girlfriend" - Avril Lavigne | Safe |
| Kristin & Mark | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Quickstep | "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" - Marilyn Monroe | Safe |
| David & Kym | 18 (6, 6, 6) | Jive | "Runaway Baby]]" - Bruno Mars | Last to be called safe |
| Elisabetta & Val | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Quickstep | "Don't Get Me Wrong" - The Pretenders | Eliminated |
| Rob & Cheryl | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "Surfin' Safari" - The Beach Boys | Safe |
| Carson & Anna | 18 (6, 6, 6) | Quickstep | "Walkin' Back to Happiness" - Helen Shapiro | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 23 (8, 7, 8) | Jive | "Hey Ya!" - OutKast | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 17 (6, 5, 6) | Quickstep | "Love Is All Around" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts | Safe |
| Chynna & Tony | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "The Boy Does Nothing" - Alesha Dixon | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 21 (6, 8, 7) | Quickstep | "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - Duke Ellington | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 22 (7, 7, 8) | Jive | "Jump, Jive, an' Wail" - The Brian Setzer Orchestra | Safe |
Week 3: Most Memorable Year Week[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob & Cheryl | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Foxtrot | "Fly Me to the Moon" - Frank Sinatra | Safe |
| Chynna & Tony | 26 (8, 9, 9) | Rumba | "Hold On" - Wilson Phillips | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 18 (6, 6, 6) | Rumba | "Laugh at Me" - Sonny Bono | Safe |
| Kristin & Mark | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Samba | "Crazy in Love" - Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z | Eliminated |
| Carson & Anna | 23 (8, 7, 8) | Tango | "It's My Life" - No Doubt | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 26 (9, 8, 9) | Rumba | "If You're Reading This" - Tim McGraw | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Waltz | "Moon River" - Andy Williams | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Rumba | "Gravity" - Sara Bareilles | Safe |
| Hope & Maks | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" - Enrique Iglesias | Last to be called safe |
| David & Kym | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Rumba | "O-o-h Child" - Five Stairsteps | Safe |
Week 4: Movie Week[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Movie | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chynna & Tony | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Tango | "Theme from Mission: Impossible" | Mission: Impossible | Eliminated |
| David & Kym | 23 (8, 7, 8) | Paso Doble | "The Raiders March" | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Safe |
| Carson & Anna | 20 (7, 6, 7) | Viennese Waltz | "The Black Pearl" | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Paso Doble | "Flash's Theme" | Flash Gordon | Safe |
| Hope & Maks | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Foxtrot | "You've Got a Friend in Me" | Toy Story | Safe |
| Rob & Cheryl | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Paso Doble | "Theme from Superman" | Superman | Last to be called safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 29 (10, 9, 10) | Tango | "The Murder" | Psycho | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Paso Doble | "Gonna Fly Now" | Rocky | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 26 (8, 9, 9) | Foxtrot | "The Pink Panther Theme" | The Pink Panther | Safe |
Week 5: 80s Week[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope & Maks | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Tango | "Livin' on a Prayer" - Bon Jovi | Last to be called safe |
| Carson & Anna | 19 (6, 6, 7) | Jive | "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" - Wham! | Eliminated |
| Nancy & Tristan | 22 (7, 7, 8) | Rumba | "True" - Spandau Ballet | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Samba | "Conga" - Gloria Estefan | Safe |
| Rob & Cheryl | 25 (9, 8, 8) | Rumba | "Hello" - Lionel Richie | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Samba | "Get Down on It" - Kool & the Gang | Safe |
| David & Kym | 25 (8, 9, 8) | Tango | "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Foxtrot | "Easy Lover" - Phillip Bailey & Phil Collins | Safe |
Week 6: Broadway Week[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Broadway Show | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob & Cheryl | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Walk Like a Man" | Jersey Boys | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 24 (9, 7, 8) | Foxtrot | "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" | Monty Python's Spamalot | Safe |
| David & Kym | 23 (8, 7, 8) | Quickstep | "We Go Together" | Grease | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 29 (10, 9, 10) | Quickstep | "Luck Be a Lady" | Guys and Dolls | Safe |
| Chaz & Lacey | 19 (7, 6, 6) | Tango | "The Phantom of the Opera" | The Phantom of the Opera | Eliminated |
| Hope & Maks | 20 (7, 6, 7) | Rumba | "Seasons of Love" | Rent | Last to be called safe |
| J.R. & Karina | 29 (10, 9, 10) | Quickstep | "Hot Honey Rag" | Chicago | Safe |
| J.R. & Karina David & Kym Hope & Maks Chaz & Lacey Ricki & Derek Rob & Cheryl Nancy & Tristan |
N/A | Broadway | "Big Spender" / "Money Money" | Sweet Charity / Cabaret | N/A |
Week 7: Halloween Week[]
For Halloween Night, couples danced to Halloween-themed songs.
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David & Kym | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Abracadabra" - Steve Miller Band | Eliminated |
| J.R. & Karina | 25 (9, 8, 8) | Tango | "Theme from Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker Jr. | Safe |
| Nancy & Tristan | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band | Last to be called safe |
| Rob & Cheryl | 25 (9, 8, 8) | Tango | "Theme from The Addams Family" - Vic Mizzy | Safe |
| Ricki & Derek | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Paso Doble | "Sweet Dreams" - Beyoncé | Safe |
| Hope & Maks | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Samba | "Werewolves of London" - Warren Zevon | Safe |
| David & Kym Nancy & Tristan J.R. & Karina |
23 (8, 7, 8) | Tango | "Disturbia" - Rihanna | N/A |
| Rob & Cheryl Ricki & Derek Hope & Maks |
26 (9, 8, 9) | Paso Doble | "Bring Me to Life" - Evanescence | N/A |
Week 8: Instant Choreography Week[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob & Cheryl | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Quickstep | "Take on Me" - A-ha | Last to be called safe |
| 24 (8, 8, 8) | Instant Jive | "Maneater" - Hall & Oates | ||
| Hope & Maks | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Quickstep | "Valerie" - Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse | Safe |
| 25 (8, 9, 8) | Instant Jive | "The Best Damn Thing" - Avril Lavigne | ||
| Ricki & Derek | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Waltz | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" - Aretha Franklin | Safe |
| 24 (8, 8, 8) | Instant Jive | "Land of a Thousand Dances" - Wilson Pickett | ||
| Nancy & Tristan | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Tango | "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" - The Ames Brothers | Eliminated |
| 20 (7, 6, 7) | Instant Jive | "Upside Down" - Paloma Faith | ||
| J.R. & Karina | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Waltz | "What the World Needs Now" - Burt Bacharach | Safe |
| 30 (10, 10, 10) | Instant Jive | "Tutti Frutti" - Little Richard |
Week 9: Semifinals[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope & Maks | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Paso Doble | "Can't Be Tamed" - Miley Cyrus | Eliminated |
| 24 (8, 8, 8) | Argentine Tango | "Whatever Lola Wants" - Gwen Verdon | ||
| J.R. & Karina | 23 (8, 7, 8) | Paso Doble | "Spanish Paso" from The Mask of Zorro - James Horner | Last to be called safe |
| 27 (9, 9, 9) | Argentine Tango | "Bust Your Windows" - Jazmine Sullivan | ||
| Rob & Cheryl | 28 (10, 9, 9) | Samba | "I Go to Rio" - Pablo Cruise | Safe |
| 27 (9, 9, 9) | Argentine Tango | "Libertango" - Bond | ||
| Ricki & Derek | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Samba | "Jump in the Line" - Harry Belafonte | Safe |
| 29 (9, 10, 10) | Argentine Tango | "Allerdings Otros Aires" - Otros Aires | ||
| Hope & Maks J.R. & Karina Ricki & Derek Rob & Cheryl |
4 6 8 10 |
Cha-Cha-Cha | "I Like How It Feels" - Enrique Iglesias | N/A |
Week 10: Finals[]
| Couple | Score | Dance | Music | Assistant Judge | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricki & Derek | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Yeah 3x" - Chris Brown | Carrie Ann Inaba | Third place |
| 27 (9, 9, 9) | Freestyle | "Can't Touch It" - Ricki-Lee Coulter | |||
| 30 | Tango | "Theme from Psycho" - Bernard Hermann | |||
| Rob & Cheryl | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Waltz | "It Is You (I Have Loved)" - Dana Glover | Bruno Tonioli | Runner-up |
| 30 (10, 10, 10) | Freestyle | "Minnie the Moocher" - Cab Calloway | |||
| 26 | Foxtrot | "Fly Me to the Moon" - Frank Sinatra | |||
| 30 (10,10,10) | Instant Samba | "Shake Your Bon-Bon" - Ricky Martin | |||
| J.R. & Karina | 24 (8, 7, 9) | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Let's Get Loud" - Jennifer Lopez | Len Goodman | Winner |
| 30 (10, 10, 10) | Freestyle | "Whine Up" - Kat DeLuna | |||
| 28 | Jive | "Jump, Jive, an' Wail" - The Brian Setzer Orchestra | |||
| 30 (10,10,10) | Instant Samba | "Shake Your Bon-Bon" - Ricky Martin |
Musical Guests[]
| Date | Dance | Artist(s) | Song(s) | Dancers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 September 2011 | Foxtrot | Harry Connick, Jr | "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" | Tony Dovolani and Kym Johnson |
| Cha-cha-cha Shuffle |
LMFAO | "Sexy and I Know It" "Party Rock Anthem" |
Mark Ballas, Cheryl Burke, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd, and Lacey Schwimmer | |
| 27 September 2011 | Contemporary | Demi Lovato | "Skyscraper" | Robert Roldan, Chaz Edward Buzan, Ryan Ramirez, and Pam Chu |
| Rumba | The Script | "For the First Time" | Dmitry Chaplin and Chelsie Hightower | |
| 4 October 2011 | Twist | Chubby Checker feat. Estelle | "The Twist" | Chubby & Estelle's dancers, with a cameo from Len Goodman |
| Samba | Mary J. Blige | "Real Love" | Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Dasha Chesnokova | |
| 11 October 2011 | Rumba | Susan Boyle | "Unchained Melody" | Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd |
| Rumba Jive |
Blake Shelton | "Holding Out for a Hero" "Footloose" |
Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald | |
| 18 October 2011 | Rumba Cha-cha-cha |
Kelly Clarkson | "Mr. Know It All" "Walk Away" |
Tristan MacManus, Kym Johnson, Mark Ballas, Sharna Burgess, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and Peta Murgatroyd |
| Rumba | The Band Perry | "If I Die Young" | Louis van Amstel and Karina Smirnoff | |
| 24 October 2011 | Foxtrot | Kristin Chenoweth | "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret | Mark Ballas, Sharna Burgess, Dasha Chesnokova, Oksana Dmytrenko, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Peta Murgatroyd, Kiki Nyemchek, and Ted Volynets |
| Quickstep | "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady | |||
| 25 October 2011 | Rumba | Martina McBride | "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" | Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Chelsie Hightower |
| 1 November 2011 | Samba | Justin Bieber | "Never Say Never" | Mark Ballas and Chelsie Hightower |
| Contemporary Ballet | Christina Perri | "Arms" | Victoria-Rose Viren | |
| 8 November 2011 | Foxtrot | Andrea Bocelli and Chris Botti | "More" | Dance Troupe members |
| Hip-Hop | Flo Rida | "Club Can't Handle Me" "Good Feeling" feat. Livvi Franc |
Flo Rida's backup dancers | |
| 15 November 2011 | Broadway | The Muppets | "Life's a Happy Song" | The Muppets movie ensemble |
| Contemporary | Cobra Starship and Sabi | "You Make Me Feel..." | Tristan MacManus, Kym Johnson, Sonny Fredie-Pedersen, and Sharna Burgess | |
| 22 November 2011 | Rumba | Lady Antebellum | "Dancin' Away with My Heart" "Need You Now" |
Dmitry Chaplin, Kym Johnson, Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd, and Dance Troupe members |
Trivia[]
- This is the first time that Derek Hough makes the finals but does not win.
- It also marks Karina Smirnoff's first Mirrorball Trophy win and only her second appearance in the finals since her Dancing with the Stars debut in Season 3.
- This is the only time from seasons 11 to 21 that none of the professional finalists from the previous season were in the finals this season, as well as the last time that all of the pros that were in the finals in a season that took place in the spring of a year failed to make it to the finals in the autumn of that same year. (Kym, Maks, and Mark were finalists in season 12 but not in season 13. The next time any of these made it to the finals was season 14, when Mark did it with Katherine Jenkins.)
- As a coincidence with this season, in the Fall of the previous year, Kym Johnson was also eliminated right after dancing a Cha-Cha with another man named David. She was also the first professional partner voted off that season.
- This season introduced Maksim Chmerkovskiy's brother and his future wife as professional partners. Both would be eliminated in the first two weeks, in fact Maksim himself was nearly eliminated Week 3.
- Rob Kardashian's sister Kim Kardashian was partnered with Mark Ballas.
- Ballas was eliminated third this season. Coincidentally, he was eliminated third when partnered with Kim.
- It was even the only season of four in a row (11-14) that Mark wasn't a finalist. He wasn't even close to that despite coming in second in Week 2.
- Ballas was eliminated third this season. Coincidentally, he was eliminated third when partnered with Kim.
- Karina Smirnoff matched her Week 7 scores with her Week 9 scores from last season, which had her eliminated that season.
- This was the only season in the third group of five seasons that introduced professional partners.
- The first three eliminated professional partners would be the three finalists in Season 22.
- However, the three finalists that were professional partners would be the final three professional partners again in Season 17. Emma Slater would join them in the finals, but performed three of the four dances, while the other three performed all four dances.)
- Starting this season, the cubes no longer appear on the dance floor.
- Ricki Lake topped the leaderboard the most times with six, then JR with four, then Chynna and Rob with one apiece, Chynna in the first week and Rob in the final week; similarly, Chynna's last score was a low score, and Rob's first score was also a low score.
- Three couples peaked in second place, David & Kym, Hope & Maks, Kristin & Mark, with the professional partners being the three finalists from last season. None of them however made the finals this season.
- In fact they all were eliminated with the same score: 24.
- Nancy & Tristan were the last couple to be picked for the team dances despite being the highest scoring non-captain. (In the last season, Romeo & Chelsie were also the last couple picked despite being the highest scoring couple.)
- In the contestants' phone numbers from 3401 to 3406, their numbers in the ones place are either the same as their placing or order of elimination.
- In the semifinals, like in the previous season, the two remaining professional partners were Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff; Karina was eliminated one week shy of the finals then, but this time, it was Maksim.
- Maks and Karina would tie for the most weeks competing in Dancing with the Stars in 2011, at 19.
- The highest score received by any couple that danced a Cha-Cha-Cha as their first dance was 24, while the highest score received by every couple that danced a Viennese Waltz as their first dance was higher than 24.