Here’s a look back at my favorite routines from Dancing with the Stars season 25.
#20 Drew Scott and Emma Slater: The Muppet Movie Viennese Waltz (Week 5, Disney Night)
Drew’s most elegant and polished performance, this sweet routine benefited greatly from some very colorful costumes.
#19 Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev: Contemporary (Week 4, Most Memorable Year Night)
The use of aerial silks helped to capture Nikki’s duality of being both vulnerable and strong.
#18 Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson: Pirates of the Caribbean Argentine Tango (Week 5, Disney Night)
Though not quite as good as Riker Lynch’s Pirates routine, Frankie nailed the moves of this intense dance.
#17 Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke: Spy Jive (Week 6, A Night at the Movies)
A quirky spy story was told brilliantly in this dance that showed off T.O.’s charisma.
#16 Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson: Cha-Cha-Cha (Week 2, Latin Night)
This was the first time that Frankie proved that he could be a serious contender, bringing a ton of swagger and shocking everyone.
#15 Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy: Foxtrot (Week 4, Most Memorable Year Night)
Showing her journey of escaping the wheelchair and learning to walk was touching and profound.
#14 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Jive (Week 3, Guilty Pleasures Night)
The opening and closing sequences in the vertical bed were utterly brilliant.
#13 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Viennese Waltz (Week 4, Most Memorable Year Night)
This tribute to her late father was magical and transcendent, with stunning visuals.
#12 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Pinocchio Foxtrot (Week 5, Disney Night)
Most of Lindsey and Mark’s routines were great because of intricate, creative choreography. This one was simple and graceful, highlighting her skills as a dancer. Also, it’s clear she was on a streak because this is her third routine in a row on this list, all in back-to-back-to-back weeks.
#11 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Contemporary (Week 4, Most Memorable Year Night)
Jordan is a beautiful dancer to watch, and this raw routine inspired by his adoption was proof. Now get ready for a whole lot of Jordan on this list.
#10 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Moana Foxtrot (Week 5, Disney Night)
Dancing to his own song, this was as sensual a Foxtrot as the show has ever seen.
#9 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold with Corbin Bleu: Salsa (Week 8, Trios Night)
Jordan and Corbin’s connection made this Trio a joy to watch as they both brought the heat.
#8 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Quickstep (Week 8, Trios Night)
The trippy, psychedelic production and lightning design helped to create a groovy atmosphere that complimented their great dancing.
#7 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Freestyle (Week 10, Finals)
Yup this makes five of Jordan’s routines in a row on this list because he’s just that good. His Freestyle was a delightful showcase of his impressive talent with a lot of solos and content.
#6 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Jive (Week 9, Semifinals)
More Jordan! Recreating one of my favorite routines ever is no easy feat, but they pulled it off with ridiculous speed and precision.
#5 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Paso Doble (Week 7, Halloween Night)
The majority of Jordan’s routines were either smooth or clean, but this Teen Wolf Paso revealed a different side to him, one with attack and ferocity.
#4 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold: Charleston (Week 10, Finals)
OK, eight Jordan routines in a row may seem excessive on this list, but can you blame me? They were all that good. And this was his best, a routine that combined his fast feet and sexy swagger, offering a nonstop entertaining routine.
#3 Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson: Contemporary (Week 7, Halloween Night)
Inspired by stalkers and horror films, this dance was captivating and unlike the usual Contemporary routines we see on this show. Frankie was scarily good at being creepy and the artistry was unreal as they turned an ominous mood into a dance.
#2 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Freestyle (Week 10, Finals)
With Lindsey and Mark playing a pair of mad composers, this Freestyle was epic and grandiose. It captured Lindsey’s spirit, which is the goal, and showed off her talents. The section in the middle with Lindsey playing the violin while dancing was pure genius.
#1 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas: Sci-Fi Argentine Tango (Week 6, A Night at the Movies)
Mark’s most creatively ambitious routine of the season, he played a mad scientist who created a cyborg. They could easily have rested on the gimmick, but instead it was also a crazy and intense Argentine Tango that somehow worked the robotic movements into the flow. And Lindsey absolutely nailed her role.
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
