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From devastating personal losses to powerful tributes of survival, these unforgettable ballroom moments brought raw emotion to the “Dancing with the Stars” stage. We’re looking at the routines that made the judges tear up, the audience cry, and viewers feel every beat, from grief and resilience to love, healing, and hope. Which performance hit you the hardest?
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the most powerful,
00:05heartfelt, and tear-jerking routines that ever graced Dancing with the Stars.
00:15Number 20. Alexis Wren and Alan Burstyn's Contemporary.
00:192014 marked the most painful chapter of Alexis' youth,
00:23marking the final year she had with her mother before cancer took her life.
00:27Between the lines of fear and blame, you'll begin to wonder why you came.
00:34Paired with Alan Burstyn, she poured that heartbreak into a contemporary routine set to How to Save a Life.
00:41The choreography leaned into physical resistance, deadweight lifts, and breathless pacing,
00:46capturing the helpless panic of watching someone you love fade away.
00:50How to save a life.
00:59Judges praised her vulnerability, while viewers flooded social media with praise for her courage.
01:05The performance earned 26 out of 30, but the score almost feels beside the point.
01:10Alexis made her grief impossible to look away from,
01:14especially for anyone who has experienced prolonged loss.
01:17Had I known how to save a life.
01:26Number 19. Nastia Lukin and Derek Hoff's Viennese Waltz.
01:31Usually, a routine highlights a poignant moment from the celebrity's life.
01:35This one took a different route,
01:37with Nastia and Derek dedicating their Viennese Waltz to Len Goodman.
01:40I've known Len since I was 12 years old, and it was upsetting hearing him talk about how his
01:45body has basically betrayed him, and he can't dance anymore.
01:49So it's really important that we nail this routine, because, you know, I just want to make Len happy.
01:53Derek stepped into the role of young Len, making the tribute feel incredibly personal from the start.
01:59Earlier, Len spoke about the heartbreak of realizing it was time to hang up his dancing shoes.
02:04So watching him join the dance at the end made it even more meaningful.
02:26Sadly, Goodman passed away shortly after retiring from the show,
02:29making the tribute even more poignant in retrospect.
02:32The show would later honor him again with another beautiful waltz,
02:36giving the ballroom legend one final, fitting goodbye.
02:51All good things have to come to an end.
03:02For Mitchell, this dance meant so much more than a perfect score.
03:06I want to dedicate this to anyone that has lost someone to gun violence.
03:13The actor and comedian dedicated the routine to a childhood friend who tragically lost his life to gun violence,
03:18using the performance to speak about grief and the need for peace.
03:22Partnered with Whitney and dancing to Whitney Houston's rendition of I Will Always Love You,
03:27they brought genuine sorrow and vulnerability to every movement.
03:38The choreography gave his story room to breathe, and the emotion was felt throughout the studio.
03:44Judges and audience members were visibly moved, with the couple earning a perfect 30.
03:49It was a heartbreaking tribute, but also a powerful call for change.
03:54I will always love you
04:12Internet fame can look shiny from the outside,
04:15but D'Amelio's contemporary routine showed what, for many, might be hiding underneath it.
04:25She opened up about the scrutiny and anxiety that came with growing up in the spotlight,
04:30giving Ballas plenty to work with.
04:32Together, they turned that invisible pressure into something we could see,
04:36with movements that felt frantic one moment and fragile the next.
04:47That contrast made the routine so affecting, and every move pulled us deeper into her story.
04:53There was something deeply honest about watching D'Amelio let her guarded side show.
04:58For viewers familiar with the pains of anxiety, the performance hit especially close to home.
05:19Who could possibly forget this duo's emotional contemporary tribute to director Simon Fitzmaurice?
05:25Yet we've gone with their Viennese waltz because it gave Lynch a chance to confront some very personal demons.
05:43Dancing to Hedwig's theme, she used the performance to visually process the severe self-perceptions she carried as a teenager,
05:50including her struggles with body image and disordered eating, particularly during her Harry Potter years.
06:09The choreography became a visual representation of breaking free from guilt and external expectations,
06:15turning every step into a powerful act of reclaiming herself.
06:19For anyone who could relate, it was a reminder to look for the light at the end of the tunnel.
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06:51Woo! This will be a hard one for me. You know how much I've enjoyed our time here.
06:58Number 15. Amber Glenn and Pasha Poshkov's Contemporary.
07:03This duo delivered a stunning contemporary routine set to Sia's Breathe Me.
07:07Help, I have done it again.
07:15Amber dedicated the dance to her sister Brooke, who was her anchor during her mental health battles.
07:21Pasha's choreography was as sensitive and intelligent as it was breathtaking.
07:26You could really follow the story they were telling through the movements,
07:29with Pasha creating a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil.
07:36Pasha.
07:44Brooke joined them on the floor to represent the support system lifting Amber up
07:48and helping her overcome her struggles.
07:51She was not only praised for her athleticism and artistry,
07:54but also for opening up so deeply and allowing everyone to see such a raw, unfiltered vulnerability.
08:16Number 14. J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff's Rumba.
08:20There's a lot of personal history behind J.R.'s emotional rumba.
08:24The Iraq war veteran survived severe, life-altering injuries.
08:28There's a lot of men and women, there's a lot of families out there that don't get that second chance.
08:32So for me, this dance is a tribute to the men and women that didn't make it home.
08:38He and Karina dance to Tim McGraw's If You're Reading This,
08:41written from the perspective of a fallen soldier leaving a letter for his family.
08:45That alone gives the routine enormous weight,
08:48while the slow, vulnerable movement lets the story unfold naturally.
08:52Ding up my boots, tell dad I don't regret, that I followed in his shoes.
09:00Rather than simply executing the choreography,
09:03J.R. channels the grief, sacrifice, and resilience at the heart of the song.
09:07The result feels less like a competition routine,
09:09and more like a tribute to people changed by war.
09:13It's difficult not to feel the weight of every step.
09:16If you're reading this, I'm already here.
09:29Number 13. Jimmy Allen and Emma Slater's Contemporary
09:33Inspired by A Quiet Place,
09:35this contemporary routine put the fear of protecting your family front and center.
09:56The choreography used grounded movement, breathless pauses, and a heightened sense of jeopardy.
10:02Then the music dropped out,
10:04leaving the dancers to communicate through American Sign Language in homage to the movie.
10:08It all hit Allen hard.
10:23Having welcomed a newborn, he was already feeling the weight of parenthood,
10:27and the performance brought those emotions rushing to the surface.
10:31He broke down in tears afterward,
10:33while the couple earned their first tens and 38 out of 40.
10:36Who would have imagined we could be brought to tears on Horror Night?
10:58Number 12. Skye Jackson and Alan Burstyn's Foxtrot
11:02Jackson dedicated this performance to her late Jessie co-star and friend Cameron Boyce,
11:07who passed away in July 2019 at just 20 years old.
11:11I met Cameron, obviously, on Jessie,
11:14and we just really built this bond for years and years and years.
11:18And he was kind of like a big brother figure to me, you know?
11:20And always looked out for me.
11:22Having known him for half her life,
11:24she saw Boyce as a protective big brother who helped shape her.
11:27Partnered with Allen, Jackson turned her grief and the ache of missing him into movement,
11:32expressing how much she wished he could still be there to watch her.
11:35Cause we're ordinary people
11:39Maybe we should take it slow
11:42Take it slow
11:44It was touching because Boyce was also a passionate dancer
11:48who had performed on that very stage.
11:51Knowing that makes the performance feel even more touching,
11:54and it's easy to imagine how proud he would have been.
11:57Oh, this time will take it slow
12:10Number 11. Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas' Viennese Waltz
12:14Grief can make even the happiest memories hurt,
12:17and Lindsey captured that feeling beautifully in this Viennese Waltz.
12:21When all the world is spinning round like a red balloon
12:29Way up in the clouds
12:32Dedicated to her late father,
12:34the performance begins with Lindsey holding onto a balloon
12:37and dancing on Mark's toes,
12:39immediately setting the scene.
12:41From there, the sweeping rotations of the waltz mirror the dizzying turbulence of loss.
12:47Softly say that you wouldn't have me any other way
12:54There's a real push and pull in her movement,
12:57as though she's trying to hold onto those cherished memories
13:00while being swept up in the pain of losing him.
13:03It's a beautiful example of how dance can give shape to emotions
13:06that are almost impossible to put into words,
13:09and this one certainly got us.
13:11Number 10. Amber Riley and Derek Hough's Viennese Waltz
13:14For the season's 17 semifinals,
13:17the couples had to perform two dances to two versions of the same song.
13:21After a lively jazz routine,
13:23this duo had us mesmerized with a breathtaking Viennese Waltz
13:27to a hauntingly stunning version of Bruno Mars' Locked Out of Heaven.
13:41Ahead of their performance,
13:42Riley shared how she'd fought to overcome body critics during her rise to fame.
13:57She channeled her struggles into the dance
13:59and released them through every beautifully placed step and graceful movement.
14:04Carrie Ananaba confessed that she almost brought her to tears,
14:07and needless to say, the scores were well deserved.
14:10You make me feel like I'll be locked out of her world
14:20I'll go too low
14:23As for her critics,
14:25well, they lost out on an outstanding talent.
14:29Number 9. Amy Purdy and Derek Hough's Contemporary
14:32This dance honors Purdy's rehabilitation journey
14:35after contracting bacterial meningitis and losing both legs and kidneys.
14:40I can hold my breath
14:46I can bite my tongue
14:51Through a contemporary routine to Christina Perri's Human,
14:55this duo shares an inspiring and relatable narrative about overcoming obstacles,
15:00no matter how big or small.
15:02The Paralympian was often praised for her footwork and frame,
15:06but her sensitivity and rawness in this number left us awestruck.
15:18You can feel the emotion and intent behind the storytelling through every single step.
15:24Not only does she dance it so beautifully,
15:27but it never fails to hit us right in the feels.
15:30Only do you dance it so beautifully
15:36Only do you dance it so beautifully
15:39Even the judges had a tough time choking back their tears,
15:43and who could blame them?
15:44Number 8. Alexa Penovega and Mark Ballas's Contemporary
15:48Ahead of their dance, the actress confided that she'd struggled with disordered eating for several years.
15:54I know who I am, and I know I've gotten past this, and I'm proud of myself.
15:58Like, for me, I'm just like, let the world know,
16:00because whoever's going through that, I wish I had somebody to be real with me.
16:04She shared that it began after a movie producer commented on her weight when she was just a kid.
16:09Her partner turned this confession into a devastatingly stunning routine
16:13where he personifies her affliction, and she dances with her demons.
16:17Way down in my soul
16:24Well, I know they can't come far from the sky
16:29Ballas showed sensitivity and understanding while crafting the choreography,
16:34but watching the pain etched on Penovega's face
16:36as she pours her heart out on the dance floor is heartbreaking.
16:40Ultimately, it's about strength and resilience,
16:42and if that's something you can relate to,
16:44and we imagine most people can,
16:47this routine will break your heart.
16:49Make it rain
16:52Make it rain
16:55Oh, make it rain
17:00Number 7
17:01Simone Biles and Sasha Farber's Viennese Waltz
17:04During Season 24's Most Memorable Year Week,
17:07both Simone Biles and Rashad Jennings chose to pay odes to their parents.
17:11The NFL star delivered a touching contemporary number for his father,
17:15with whom he'd shared a tricky relationship.
17:18Oh, I will love you unconditionally
17:31Meanwhile, Simone Biles tugged at our heartstrings
17:34with a breathtaking Viennese Waltz in honor of her adoptive parents,
17:38one of whom is also her biological grandfather.
17:40And you call
17:44Deeper still as you call
17:49Deeper still as you call
17:52Biles executes the elegant choreography so exquisitely,
17:56but she admitted that she had to rely on muscle memory since she was so emotional.
18:01We struggled to fight back our tears throughout her performance.
18:04It's who I am
18:06It's who I am
18:08It's who I am
18:11And you're a good, good father
18:13But the moment she ran over to hug her parents,
18:16we could not hold back any longer.
18:19Number 6
18:20Jodi Sweeten and Kiyomutsepe's Foxtrot
18:23The Full House star was five years into her recovery from a substance use disorder when she appeared on Dancing
18:28with the Stars.
18:29However, when the call came to revisit Stephanie on the show's revival, she finally felt like she had gotten her
18:35light back.
18:36I had this light that shined really big and that she'd watched my light become very dark and I just
18:44remember my mom saying to me, like, your light shines again.
18:47With that in mind, Sweeten performed an elegant Foxtrot celebrating strength, growth, and second chances.
19:03Sweeten's a stunning dancer who makes every move look incredibly graceful and heartfelt.
19:08Dancing to Andrade's Rise Up, the actress wears her heart on her sleeve so vividly that we almost felt like
19:14we're going on this journey with her.
19:28It's pure, it's stirring, and it's magnificent.
19:32Can someone pass the tissues, please?
19:35Number 5
19:35Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess's Freestyle
19:38The Army vet used his freestyle dance to tell the story of how he rebuilt his life after losing his
19:44left arm and leg during deployment.
19:45Everything that I do in my daily life revolves around that moment, how it put me in a depression, but
19:52then I was able to come out of it and make life better for me and my family.
19:56Joined by an ensemble of dancers, Galloway gave a rousing performance to a mashup of C.S. Titanium and Coldplay's
20:02Fix You.
20:04Bulletproof, nothing to lose
20:06Fire away, fire away
20:11Ricochet, you take your aim
20:14Despite being surrounded by professional dancers, it's impossible to tear your eyes away from the man at its center.
20:20He doesn't just go through the moves, but really puts his heart and soul into recounting the story,
20:26complete with facial expressions that show how raw it all still is.
20:31You'll get what you want, but not what you need
20:35I am so tired
20:38Also, those lifts? Wow!
20:42It's impossible not to be moved by practically every part of the performance.
20:46You're a bolder and I will try to fix you
20:55Number 4. James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess's Argentine Tango
21:00This was an emotional week all around.
21:03Hinchcliffe and Burgess finally reunited after the latter recovered from an injury, while the former called back to his near
21:10-fatal racing accident.
21:11Literally any other race track, if this had happened, I'm not sure I would have made it.
21:15Uh, it was, it was a lot of, a lot of very special things happened that day to make sure
21:19I was still here.
21:19To prove that they were back and stronger than ever, the duo performed an Argentine Tango while the professional dancer
21:25was blindfolded the entire time.
21:38It certainly added an extra daringness to the dance, which was already utterly hypnotic.
21:43Just the fact that she has so much trust in her partner was enough to hit us in the feels.
22:00Add their touching reunion and heart-wrenching inspiration and how could anyone not be a blubbering mess.
22:17This dance was as heartfelt as it was intense.
22:21Number 3. Amanda Kloots and Alan Burstyn's Contemporary
22:24This TV personality broke our hearts with a moving tribute to her husband, Nick Cordero, who she'd lost to COVID
22:31-19 in 2020.
22:33This hurts like hell, but it feels right now
22:41Far as I can tell, you've made your mind
22:45The couple's fans would often play Cordero's Live Your Life in support of the actor during his battle with the
22:50virus.
22:51It was also the song she played after saying her final goodbyes, so it meant a great deal to her.
22:57Who understands how stars align
23:04If one's shooting past then I'll consider it a sign that you're still alive
23:13Kloots shared her devastating story with her dance partner, who translated it into the most beautiful choreography.
23:29She dances her heart out and bears it all on the dance floor, receiving a much deserved perfect score.
23:36Her pain is unimaginable, but the way she narrates it through the dance is unforgettable.
23:52Number 2. Selma Blair and Sasha Farber's Viennese Waltz
23:56You can bet there were tears throughout the studio and across the country when the actress and her partner made
24:01their dancing debut.
24:03Blair, who'd been diagnosed with MS in 2018, shared that she lost precision in her mobility, but she wanted to
24:10prove that her disability doesn't define her.
24:12I've been waiting for my dreams to turn into something I could believe in
24:22Indeed, that's exactly what she did with this gorgeous Viennese Waltz.
24:26She's so elegant and graceful and really shows that she understands musicality.
24:41From the moment she lets go of her cane, we're already struggling to hold it together.
24:46Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Blair had to withdraw from the competition.
24:50But her final routine provided a fittingly beautiful, if heartbreakingly brief, conclusion to her journey.
25:08Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
25:13Lori Hernandez and Val Schmierkowski's Foxtrot.
25:16They danced for the gymnast's grandmother who had passed away that week.
25:35Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson's contemporary, honoring his mother who joined him at the end of the routine.
25:41Cause you'll be in my heart, heartless.
25:54Bethany Moda and Derek Hough's Rumba.
25:56A message of triumph drowning out those who tried to drag her down.
26:00You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up.
26:03You don't have to change, just sing a thing.
26:06Alex Garlatos and Lindsay Arnold's Waltz.
26:09A beautiful tribute to heroism.
26:11We brought the world from sea to shining sea.
26:26Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold's Contemporary.
26:29A dance celebrating love and family in all its forms.
26:33Wrap me in your arms and take me home.
26:38Take me home.
26:47If you're not bawling yet, hang tight.
26:51Just when I, I thought I lost my way.
26:57You gave me strength to carry on.
27:01Derek Hough choreographed the most mesmerizing and gut-wrenching routine in tribute to his partner's late father, Steve Irwin.
27:08As always, the young conservationist tackled the choreography with such beauty and grace that it seemed inevitable that the mirror
27:15ball was practically within reach.
27:17And I'm weary.
27:20I know you've been there and I can feel you.
27:27Irwin channels all her good memories with her dad and the pain of losing him so young into dance, breaking
27:34our hearts with every step.
27:35We can also see just how close she'd become to her dance partner, who apparently surprised her with the photo
27:41that appears at the end.
27:52We can barely think about this performance without welling up, and we need a mirror ball filled with tissues just
27:58to get through it.
27:59Which dancing with the stars routine completely wrecked you?
28:02Let us know in the comments.
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