17 “Dancing with the Stars” Couples Who Fell in Love in the Ballroom

Partners in dance — and love! Here are some of the most memorable 'DWTS' pairs who romanced and rumba'd off stage

These Dancing with the Stars duos have two-stepped their way into each other's arms.

Since first premiering in June 2005, ABC's dance competition series has seen many fiery and intimate routines from the celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners (who are judged based on their onstage chemistry). But sometimes, the sparks fly past the ballroom floor — leading to dating rumors, short-lived flings and even marriages.

"I've got so much to thank Dancing with the Stars for," former DWTS cast member Kym Johnson told PEOPLE in March 2024. "I ended up meeting my husband on the show. So, thank you!"

From Johnson and Robert Herjavec to Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart, here are the stars who found love while working on DWTS.

Daniel Durant & Britt Stewart

CODA actor Daniel Durant and pro Britt Stewart competed on season 31 of DWTS together.

"When I met him and found out he was my partner on Dancing with the Stars, immediately I was like, I must learn ASL because I'm teaching him how to dance," Stewart told PEOPLE in December 2023. "I'm not going to use his interpreter."

On Valentine's Day 2023, the couple confirmed their romance on Instagram. Durant shared a sweet selfie with Stewart and captioned, "My Valentine. ♥️ Happy Valentine's Day." At the same time, Stewart posted an adorable reel — set to Montell Fish's "Fall in Love with You" — of the couple dancing in front of a camera.

Reaching another milestone during a different holiday that year, the couple got engaged while hiking with their families on Christmas Eve.

"We were both emotional, overwhelmed with joy and at peace knowing that this would eventually be part of our story," Stewart said of the proposal to PEOPLE. "It felt like magic, but at the same time, it felt right and normal."

"It's a complete surprise that I found her," Durant added, explaining why their love feels so natural. "She sees me. She knows my culture, my language and understands everything about me."

As for their wedding plans, the couple — now living together with their two cats — prioritize sharing their special day with their closest family and friends. "Looking at the wedding, we want people who know about our lives who can witness and celebrate with us and share the love that we have for everyone," Durant said. "It's about celebrating together so that's what I think our wedding will be."

Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev

In January 2019, PEOPLE reported wrestler Nikki Bella was casually dating her former DWTS costar, Artem Chigvintsev.

In March of that year, Bella posted a cute selfie of her kissing Chigvintsev's cheek on Instagram, and four months later, the couple confirmed they were officially together on The Bellas Podcast.

In January 2020, the two had extra-exciting news:

Chigvintsev proposed to Bella in France in November 2019, two months before announcing they were expecting a baby together. After welcoming son Matteo Artemovich on July 31, 2020, the pair tied the knot in Paris in August 2022.

Matthew Lawrence & Cheryl Burke

Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence didn't technically meet in the ballroom — but it's how it all began.

The couple initially met in 2006 through Joey Lawrence, Matthew's brother and a contestant on the third season of DWTS. They first started dating in February 2007 and were in a year-long relationship before calling it quits in February 2008.

Two years after reuniting in February 2017, the couple tied the knot in San Diego. "The wedding was a surreal high,” Lawrence told PEOPLE in May 2019. “I feel like the most blessed man on the planet.”

In February 2022, Burke filed for divorce from Lawrence, which was finalized that September.

Reflecting on the split to Entertainment Tonight in March 2023, Lawrence said, "It tested me. And I learned so much about myself, and I'm so thankful and blessed for the opportunity to grow and that's what came out of it."

During an April 2024 interview on the Amy & T.J. podcast, the DWTS alum discussed the dynamics of their former marriage. “I tried to not — obviously, I didn't buy my ex-husband — but, like, I definitely would say I was the breadwinner,” Burke said. “It's like — it made me feel good, but then it didn't necessarily make the relationship good.”

Alan Bersten & Alexis Ren

In November 2018, pro Alan Bersten and model Alexis Ren — who had been particularly open about their feelings throughout season 27 — confirmed their romance while filming.

Their romance was short-lived, though, and the pair had broken up by December that same year.

Peta Murgatroyd & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Though they first crossed paths during their time performing in the Broadway production of Burn the Floor in 2009, it wasn't until New Zealand-born dancer Peta Murgatroyd joined the main cast of DWTS that she and Ukrainian pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy began their romance, which lasted from 2012 to 2013.

After rekindling their flame in October 2014 and becoming engaged in January 2017, the couple tied the knot in July 2017.

"I was trying not to trip over my dress," she said of walking down the aisle to PEOPLE in September 2023. "When they said, 'You are now husband and wife,' that was like, 'Wow, holy crap. I'm married.' Yeah, it was a good moment." Chmerkovskiy added, "It was insane. It was amazing."

The pair welcomed two sons — Shai Aleksander in January 2017 and Rio John in June 2023. In February 2024, they announced they are expecting their third child together: another son!

While Murgatroyd is thrilled to be a father of three boys, he believes his wife's parenting skills deserve the highest praise. "I do feel like mothers of two-plus kids deserve a special extra medal,” he told PEOPLE in April 2024. “You’re going to have to stock up medals for that. It's a lot of energy. It's about to be chaotic, and I love it.”

Valentin "Val" Chmerkovskiy & Jenna Johnson

Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson first met on Dancing with the Stars when Johnson joined the show as a troupe member in 2014. After a few years of dating — with a brief break in between — the couple got engaged in June 2018.

"My life has changed because of [her,]" Chmerkovskiy told PEOPLE. "And I find myself to be the best version of myself that I've ever been. She's awesome."

In April 2019, the DWTS castmates tied the knot in Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif., and celebrated with a romantic honeymoon in Saint Lucia. Three years later, the couple exclusively revealed to PEOPLE that they were expecting to become parents.

"Our little baby was created with a lot of love. It all seems so magical and meant to be," Johnson told PEOPLE at the time of pregnancy. "If [Chmerkovskiy] is anything like he is as a husband, he's going to be the best dad in the world. He is so selfless and loving. Between the two of us, [he] is by far the more patient one. So I think, all of these little attributes are going to just make him an incredible dad."

The couple welcomed their son, Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy, in January 2023.

Kym Johnson & Robert Herjavec

Wasting absolutely no time at all, pro Kym Johnson and Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec were spotted canoodling at the show's 20th season premiere in Los Angeles. "I don't do anything for publicity," Herjavec told PEOPLE of his relationship with Johnson. "From the moment I met her, I loved hanging out with her. We are having a great time."

After Johnson left the series, the two tied the knot in August 2016 and welcomed twins Haven and Hudson a little less than two years later.

"It's truly a miracle," Johnson told PEOPLE in March 2024. "And to have met Robert, who is incredible, so supportive and my best friend, and then to have these miracle children was just absolutely amazing. So I couldn't be happier. I have to pinch myself. It's truly magical."

Emma Slater & Sasha Farber

Professional dancers Sasha Farber and Emma Slater got engaged during a live episode of the show — after dancing together, naturally!

"Babe, I wanted to do this for such a long, long time," Farber said, pink sapphire ring in hand, to his girlfriend of five years. "I love you so much. Will you marry me?" She said yes, and the entire DWTS cast quickly joined in on the excitement. They married in March 2018.

After four years of marriage, the pair separated in August 2022 — officially filing for divorce in February 2023.

Despite the split, they remain on good terms and continue to work together on the show. "We support each other so much that I want the very best for Sasha,” Slater told E! News in October 2023. “I'll help him with his dance and he'll help me with my dance. We do that, all [of] us pros together. I don't feel that competition at all with him."

Amber Rose & Val Chmerkovskiy

Though Amber Rose was eliminated earlier than she hoped from season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, she briefly found a romantic connection with the brother of her pro partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

The two got cozy at her 33rd birthday bash and shared sweet photos of their time together on Instagram before splitting after five months together.

“(Val) and I broke up due to our own personal reasons but we still care about each other tremendously and we love each other’s families even more,” Rose captioned a now-deleted Instagram post from February 2017.

Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff

When Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff were paired in 2006 on the show's third season, the chemistry was immediate. "I thought he was extremely hot and charming," she told PEOPLE in 2008, shortly after their "painful split."

When Lopez confirmed infidelity rumors, Smirnoff was heartbroken. "It felt like the world came to an end for a second. I hit the ground, and I couldn't get up."

Maksim Chmerkovskiy & Karina Smirnoff

Smirnoff picked herself up after the nasty Lopez split, then fell almost immediately into the arms of fellow DWTS dancer Chmerkovskiy.

The two got engaged in Las Vegas in January of 2009, but called it off just nine months later, reportedly over disagreements on starting a family.

Val Chmerkovskiy & Janel Parrish

Janel Parrish — best known for playing Mona Vanderwaal on Pretty Little Liars — felt instant chemistry with season 19 partner Chmerkovskiy, and couldn't stop gushing. "Val's been amazing," she wrote in a blog for PEOPLE. "He’s been keeping it really calm, which is the only reason why I’m calm because I look to him. He’s my leader, so when he’s strong — and he is — I feel strong. It's been really good, and we're having fun amid the crazy."

Romance rumors reached their peak in November of 2014 when the two were spotted holding hands in N.Y.C. (However, the rumors waned before the season ended.)

Mark Ballas & Sabrina Bryan

The dimple-faced pro dancer Mark Ballas dated his very first DWTS partner, Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan, and after the 2007 season, the two would Skype every day while Bryan was in India filming The Cheetah Girls: One World movie.

The couple broke up a few months later due to Bryan's busy schedule.

Derek Hough & Shannon Elizabeth

Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough — who had intense chemistry during the show's 2009 sixth season — dated for more than a year before ending it extremely amicably: with matching posts on Twitter (now X).

"Hi everyone, we wanted you all to know directly from us that Shannon & I have decided to end our relationship as boyfriend & girlfriend," Hough tweeted before Elizabeth added, "We love & care about each other very much."

Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas

Ballas and Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson were the total Dream Team — they won the competition in 2009, and, of course, romance rumors followed them throughout the season.

While neither Ballas nor Johnson acknowledged a relationship, there was reportedly a nasty breakup.

Cheryl Burke & Chad Ochocinco

In Cheryl Burke's 2011 book, Dancing Lessons: How I Found Passion and Potential on the Dance Floor and in Life, the dancer wrote that people assumed she and her partner (real name: Chad Johnson) were an item because of their "great chemistry," and then, she admitted to their relationship — er, "fling" — to Lifeline Live: "We maybe had a little bit of a fling. I wouldn't take it to that word dating."

James Maslow & Peta Murgatroyd

The 2014 DTWS duo admitted to going on a date before the season 18 premiere, but apparently, things fizzled almost immediately — and they both got pretty sick of answering questions about it.

"We'll be asked the same question rephrased 17 times, and yet they expect different answers," James Maslow told PEOPLE. "It's fun, it's all good and I'm flattered because she's beautiful and it's not such a bad thing … But really, we're just here just to dance."

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