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These "Dancing with the Stars" contenders brought fierce talent and unforgettable performances that left us wondering why they didn’t win the Mirrorball Trophy. From Normani’s powerhouse routines to Zendaya’s flawless grace, and Simone Biles’ unmatched athleticism, we're celebrating the dancers who deserved to take the crown. Get ready to relive some of the most jaw-dropping moments and near victories on the ballroom floor!
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00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for eliminated
00:09Dancing with the Stars favorites who had what it took to claim the Mirrorball trophy.
00:17Number 20. Corbin Bleu. Sometimes you have to question if a real contender should be in the
00:23competition at all. High School Musical and Broadway star Corbin Bleu already had a stellar
00:29dance resume going into season 17 with Karina Smirnoff.
00:43Naturally, their razor-sharp footwork and musicality eclipsed more asymmetrically skilled couples week
00:49after week. Some viewers felt that Corbin shouldn't be held to the same standards, and that the judges
00:55agreed.
00:56The first one, at the beginning of the routine, you just picked her up. I think you just forgot.
01:01No, the right foot was on the toe.
01:02Are you sure?
01:03I don't think so.
01:05Smirnoff told TV Guide that there was, quote,
01:07no room for error with the judges, who seemingly nitpicked the couple to justify giving near-perfect
01:12scores. Maybe it's appropriate that Corbin finished as runner-up to the underdog Amber Riley.
01:18Objectively, though, his technical dominance was clear from the beginning.
01:32Number 19, Brandi Norwood. Six seasons before Corbin Bleu, Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey earning
01:39the highest average judges score was met with controversy. Brandi Norwood had some moves as
01:44an R&B icon, but didn't necessarily stand out with Maxim Schmierkowski at first. By week five,
01:50they were undeniable.
02:00They wound up posting the highest scores on seven of the last nine competitive dances.
02:16Brandi's average score fell just short of Jennifer's, even with her shocking elimination against
02:22Bristol Palin in the semifinals. The studio audience's booing was especially audible.
02:27In a season full of dated voting and political drama, Brandi coming in fourth place is considered
02:32a timeless injustice.
02:40Number 18, Alex Earl. Social media powerhouse Alex Earl arrived in season 34 with Val Schmierkowski
02:4730 and massive expectations.
03:00From solid early scores to a perfect 90 out of 90 on finale night, the couple's dominance
03:06was consistently obvious to many viewers. Still, Alex finished as runner-up to wildlife conservationist
03:12Robert Irwin after a record 72 million finale votes. One theory is that name recognition
03:18and backstory edged in the mirror ball's undoubtedly great winner. Stigma against influencers may have
03:24also been a factor.
03:33On the social media front, Dancing with the Stars results have rarely invited so much
03:38debate between technical skill and underdog storytelling.
03:53Long overdue history was made as Disney star Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong became
03:58the technical standouts of season 33.
04:08They were the first black pairing ever to make it to the finals of Dancing with the Stars.
04:13The milestone was commemorated with a freestyle tribute to the Nicholas Brothers and Whitey's
04:17Lindy Hoppers, which earned a perfect score.
04:25Yet Chandler ultimately placed third behind Ilona Marr and Mirabal winner Joey Grazade.
04:31She and Brandon ended with the highest average judges score of the season, with Derek Hough
04:35notably saying that they bested his iconic Argentine tango variation.
04:40That may not have fully won over the judges at home, but many still felt that Chandler owned
04:53the night.
04:56Number 16, Riker Lynch.
04:58The bassist for R5 proved to be season 20's Dark Horse.
05:12Riker Lynch and Alison Holker were precision, power, and party all in one, earning the season's
05:18highest total score all the way to the finale.
05:21That night saw them land a perfect score along with Rumor Willis and Val Schmierkowski.
05:38Then the viewers broke the tie in the latter couple's favor, partly thanks to the stronger
05:43underdog story, but Riker's loss carried its own heartbreak for his fans.
05:47It may in fact be no loss at all when he and Rumor had one of the most heated races
05:52in
05:52the history of Dancing with the Stars.
06:02Is the competition getting a little too heated?
06:05Scan the QR code to unwind with a 24-7 Miz Mojo livestream.
06:10Number 15, James Hinchcliffe.
06:12The shock of season 23 had to be IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe.
06:28He himself predicted that he'd be the first contestant to be eliminated.
06:33Instead, he regularly topped the leaderboard, even when partner Sharna Burgess suffered a knee
06:38injury that prompted Jenna Johnson to step in for two weeks.
06:41I don't tell you what to say, and I don't tell you what to do, so just let me be
06:52myself.
06:52James wound up neck and neck with Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez and NFL star Calvin Johnson
06:58in a three-way tie of perfect scores.
07:01And in the end, the voters pushed Laurie over the finish line.
07:04James coming in second may have disappointed some, but this season's particularly memorable
07:09finale eliminated any skepticism about elite athletes' artistry in the ballroom.
07:25Number 14, Amy Purdy.
07:27Just three days after winning bronze at the Paralympics in Sochi, snowboarder Amy Purdy
07:32was on the ballroom floor with Derek Hough in season 18.
07:43She then rewrote what the show could be.
07:46Dancing on prosthetic legs, Amy delivered some of the most technically stunning and emotionally
07:51resonant routines ever aired.
07:53She rode the second highest average score to a near-perfect finale that left the judges
07:58in tears.
08:07But it was Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis who won the Mirrorball after topping Amy by
08:13one single point.
08:14Whether she was technically the stronger dancer, Amy expanded the very dimensions of dance itself.
08:20And in a way, that's much more valuable than any athletic accolade.
08:34Number 13, JoJo Siwa.
08:37Season 30 saw the first same-sex pairing to ever compete on Dancing with the Stars.
08:42JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson more than made up for that lost time.
08:46Five, five, six, come on and get your kicks.
08:48Now you don't need the money when you look like that, do you, honey?
08:53They consistently topped the leaderboard from week one,
08:56racking up multiple perfect judges' scores with their creative, passionate prowess.
09:01The season ended with JoJo holding a decisive lead in average scores against the other finalists.
09:21Her closest competitor, Amanda Kloots, came in fourth.
09:25Still, NBA star Iman Shumpert's undeniably stellar freestyle placed him over the edge.
09:30Runners-up, JoJo, and Jenna's talent was sadly not enough to win the Mirrorball.
09:34But their getting that close is a triumph in so many ways.
09:47Number 12, Lindsey Stirling.
09:49Solid footwork while simultaneously playing violin surely requires great natural talent.
10:07And Lindsey Stirling still blew away expectations when she stepped into season 25 with Mark Ballas.
10:13Their mix of musicality and imagination, with or without the violin,
10:17took Dancing with the Stars to new levels of both viral value and classical splendor.
10:33Lindsey even overcame a displaced rib during Halloween week to land a perfect score with her Argentine tango.
10:40Still, her average score fell just under that of musical theater phenom Jordan Fisher,
10:45who narrowly claimed the Mirrorball.
10:46The competition was stiff, but Lindsey has since won even more attention with dance skills as refined as her musicianship.
11:02Number 11, Gilles Marini.
11:04Every routine was a full-blown event when actor Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke took to the dance floor in
11:10season 8.
11:18Their raw, elegant, and relentless energy kept them consistently floating near the top of the leaderboard.
11:25But they ultimately settled for second place by the thinnest margins ever at the time,
11:29with 17-year-old gymnast Shawn Johnson being the youngest winner of the Mirrorball.
11:33Even she admitted backstage that she thought Gilles had it.
11:41And she would come out ahead again when they both appeared in the All-Star season in 2012.
11:47Nonetheless, dance enthusiasts widely consider Gilles to be one of the best performers to not win Dancing with the Stars.
12:04Number 10, Sabrina Bryan.
12:17The former Cheetah Girl was partnered with Mark Ballas during the show's fifth season.
12:22They regularly placed at the top end of the leaderboard, and even received the first perfect score of their season.
12:29Just as we thought that the Mirrorball was a sure thing, week six rolled around.
12:33And with it, a shock elimination.
12:35The couple with the lowest combined total, and therefore leaving right now, Sabrina and Mark.
12:45She got a second chance during the All-Star season in 2012, this time partnered with Louis Van Amstel.
12:59We were convinced that this was her year until week six proved unlucky once again.
13:05Exactly five years later to the day, she was eliminated once more.
13:10Now that's gotta sting.
13:24Viewers and judges were left in utter disbelief when this Fuller House star was eliminated just shy of the finals.
13:30He and his partner Cheryl Burke amazed and entertained us every week, picking up numerous well-deserved 10s along the
13:38way.
13:38In fact, they were the first pair to even score a 10 that season.
13:42We thought it would be smooth sailing for them until the double elimination in the semifinals.
13:59Given their two perfect scoring dances that night, you can bet that there were audible gasps of shock when their
14:06names weren't called to advance.
14:11With the Mirabal now out of their grasp, the fans were practically ready to riot.
14:17Number 8. Milo Mannheim
14:26With innovative choreography, amazing chemistry, and plenty of talent, Milo and Whitney Carson quickly became the competition frontrunners.
14:35Every week, Whitney threw new challenges at her partner, and he was all too ready to dive in head first.
14:42Milo was clearly there to learn and have fun, and the payoff was tremendous.
14:56Their Halloween contemporary and freestyle dance feature among some of Dancing with the Stars' most memorable routines to this day.
15:08So when they lost out on the trophy to radio host Bobby Bones, there was understandably some disappointment.
15:16Bobby and Sharna!
15:20In fact, plenty of fans are still justly upset about this one.
15:25Number 7. James Van Der Beek
15:37Topping the leaderboard in week one with their tango, James and Emma Slater instantly became the ones to watch.
15:44Audiences loved seeing James improve each week, while Emma's choreography seemed tailor-made for him.
15:50My church offers no absolutes
15:53She tells me worship in the bedroom
15:56The only heaven I'll be sent to
15:58Is when I'm alone with you
16:01With every new dance, the path to the finals seemed to get a little clearer
16:06Everybody wants a thrill
16:11Paying anything to roll the dice
16:15Just one more time
16:19So we were gutted when after a heartbreaking week, they fell at the final hurdle
16:26You'd better stop the things you do
16:32To anyone watching, it was clear that overall James was the stronger performer out of the bottom two
16:37But, unfortunately, just one off week cost him his well-deserved shot at winning the mirror ball
16:44They're going for those pleasures in the night
16:49Number 6. Mel B
17:00Competing with Maxim Schmierkowski in season 5, this former Spice Girl quickly became the favorite to win
17:07Granted, her dance background gave her a slight edge
17:10But boy, did she know how to put on a show
17:12I have spent all my years believing you
17:16But I just can't get no riddance
17:20There was no dance style she couldn't nail
17:25Even earning five perfect scores across the season
17:28So when it came time to announce the winner
17:31We were fairly sure we knew whose name would be called
17:34Or not
17:40Elio Castronevis was a strong contender
17:42But Brown outdanced the competition most weeks
17:45If it was just about pure talent
17:48She would have been the one raising the mirror ball
17:50Number 5. Heather Morris
17:53America has a complicated relationship when it comes to contestants with prior dance experience
17:58Sometimes they lift the mirror ball
18:00And other times they're unexpectedly eliminated
18:03Even so, audiences clearly enjoyed watching Heather perform
18:07And were keeping her in the competition
18:20But then in week 6, we were left stunned after she was voted off despite her perfect scoring rumba
18:34The studio erupted with boos
18:37And you could feel jaws dropping across the country
18:40After a perfect score
18:42Heather and Max
18:46It would be a pretty safe bet to assume that she could have won
18:49If the contest was judged on dancing abilities alone
18:52Perhaps viewers just wanted to give the other contestants a fighting chance
18:56Number 4. Niamh Shulman
19:04When we first heard that the catfish presenter was joining the show
19:08We didn't quite know what to expect
19:19We certainly didn't imagine that every week
19:22He would blow us away with enthralling, captivating, and skillful performances
19:35Teaming up with Jenna Johnson
19:37Niamh mastered almost anything she threw his way
19:40And proved to be quite a showman in the process too
19:52We also loved watching their blossoming friendship
19:55They had everything it took to become season champions
19:59Only to just miss out on the trophy to Bachelorette star Caitlin Bristow
20:05Caitlin and Arden!
20:06Niamh was delighted with second place
20:11But many believe that he was robbed
20:14Number 3. Zendaya
20:16Be happy
20:20In every life we have some trouble
20:24Aged just 16
20:26This former Disney Channel star often and easily danced rings around the competition
20:31She had a rather compelling stage presence
20:34And rarely put a foot out of place
20:36It was a tough season
20:38With the actress often vying for the top spot with eventual winner Kelly Pickler
20:48Kelly was exceptionally talented
20:51But many fans felt like the results could have just as easily swayed the other way
21:02This was not helped by a technical glitch during the vote that week either
21:06She might have missed out on the mirror ball
21:08But we imagine that Zendaya's trophy cabinet is looking pretty full these days anyway
21:13Are you so proud of what you have accomplished making it this far?
21:16I am I'm very proud and I'm very happy and I get to leave here you know with an amazing
21:20experience so I'm happy
21:21Number 2. Simone Biles
21:24National treasure and world class athlete
21:33Simone Biles dazzled us week after week with her athleticism, stamina and natural rhythm
21:39Partnered with Sasha Farber in season 24
21:42She never ceased to amaze us
21:44And we were convinced that they were a shoe-in for the finals
21:48Their semi-final performances were especially spectacular
21:51With both their jive and rumba earning them tens from all of the judges
22:03So when their names were called during elimination
22:06No one could quite believe it
22:09Simone and Sasha
22:13The shock weighed heavily on the room
22:16There is only one person we might have accepted her defeat to
22:19And they're in our number one spot
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22:53Number 1. Normani Corday
22:55From the first moment we watched her dance with Valentin Schmierkowski
22:59We could see the finals on the horizon
23:02In fact, it didn't take that long before we could envision her lifting the mirrorball trophy
23:14Every week, she took her performances to a whole new level
23:17And was quite simply in a league of her own
23:20She was the highest scoring contestant of season 24
23:31Yet somehow finished in 3rd place, behind Rashad Jennings and David Ross
23:40Normani was considered the best dancer by many
23:44So seeing her take the bronze felt like an injustice
23:47For many fans, it's still a sore subject to this day
24:00Who are your most beloved snubs from Dancing with the Stars?
24:04Dance into the comments below
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