Always dance with emotion. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most moving dances that took us on a journey back to the celeb’s chosen standout year.
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00:00 "Take me home."
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most moving dances
00:11 that took us on a journey back to the celebs' chosen standout year.
00:15 We'll only focus on the couples' routines, but we couldn't go on without mentioning
00:19 that tear-inducing tribute to late head judge Len Goodman that left us all choked up.
00:35 Number 10.
00:36 Amy Purdy and Derek Hough's contemporary.
00:39 For her most memorable year, the Paralympian took us back to 1999, when she contracted
00:44 bacterial meningitis, which changed her life.
00:47 In the VT, she talks about dance's role in helping her adjust to her prosthetic legs.
00:51 "And I stood up and I started dancing with my dad."
00:55 "I can't believe that Amy is dancing before she is walking."
01:01 Her partner Derek Hough choreographed a stunning routine depicting Amy's journey, learning
01:05 to walk again and paid tribute to her father, who played a significant role in her recovery.
01:10 "I can dance and play the part if that's what you ask.
01:17 Give you all I have."
01:22 Dancing to Christina Perri's "Human," the pair didn't leave a dry eye in the studio
01:26 or among many of us watching at home.
01:28 "I'm only human.
01:29 And I crash and I break down your words in my head, knives in my heart."
01:38 She's a beautiful dancer, and the emotion behind each step radiates out of her, too.
01:43 We still can't watch it without welling up.
01:54 Can you blame us?
01:56 Number 9.
01:57 Ivana Lynch and Keo Motsepe's Viennese Waltz
02:00 Season 27 really tried to wreck us.
02:03 Alexis Ren's emotional tribute to her late mother had us bawling.
02:09 "Had I known how to save a life."
02:15 So did John Schneider, who remembered a tough year that also saw him lose a parent.
02:19 But we were also moved by Harry Potter actress Ivana Lynch, who shared how her love for the
02:24 franchise helped her through disordered eating.
02:26 "Her books and her kindness really made me want to live again."
02:31 Her Viennese Waltz to Hedwig's theme is magical and captures why the franchise resonated with
02:36 so many fans.
02:45 Her spellbinding performance is filled with drama, theatricality, and elegance, entrancing
02:50 audiences through every move.
02:52 Her passion for the world of Harry Potter shines through her eyes, casting a spell that
02:56 captivates us completely.
02:58 Simply put, it's utterly bewitching.
03:11 Number 8.
03:12 Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas' Waltz
03:14 The singer chose to honor her late father with a gorgeous waltz to Josh Groban's "To
03:18 Where You Are."
03:19 "Which is a song that completely sums up how I feel about my dad.
03:22 As soon as I heard it, burst into tears, because it's about knowing that they're there with
03:27 you.
03:28 And I'm with you all around you."
03:30 Katherine's solid technique and natural rhythm often saw her on the top end of the leaderboard.
03:35 "I feel you all around me.
03:39 Your memory so clear."
03:42 However, the emotion in this routine elevated her dance to the next level.
03:46 As she smoothly and gracefully glides around the dance floor with her partner Mark Ballas,
03:51 you can tell she's thinking of her dad every step of the way.
04:01 The emotion she carries throughout is palpable, and it's impossible to remain unmoved no matter
04:06 how many times you watch it.
04:08 We have no doubt that this dance would have made her father very proud.
04:22 Number 7.
04:23 J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff's Rumba
04:26 Dancing with the stars has seen numerous veterans pay respects to their time in service.
04:30 Like this awe-inspiring number from Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess.
04:41 But for us, it was J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff's rumba that sent our tear ducts
04:45 into overdrive.
04:47 The vet talks about his injury and finding the light during his recovery.
04:50 "I don't know why, I just chose in that moment to fight and just to try to be upbeat, try
04:57 to be positive every single moment from that day on."
05:00 He danced in remembrance of the men and women who didn't make it home with a rumba to Tim
05:04 McGraw's "If You're Reading This."
05:16 It's an honest, raw, mesmerizing routine that moved us deeply.
05:19 But what strikes us the most is the look in Martinez's eyes that puts his heart and soul
05:24 on full display.
05:25 This one gets us every time.
05:40 Number 6.
05:41 Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas' Viennese Waltz
05:44 Stirling is another celeb who chose to remember the year she had to say goodbye to a beloved
05:48 parent.
05:49 "I was so grateful for what I had."
05:56 Her dance with Mark Ballas to Mindy Gledhill's "Anchor" portrayed a poignant father-daughter
06:00 relationship through elegant choreography, magnetic storytelling, and a remarkable connection
06:05 between partners.
06:07 Stirling invites us into this personal narrative, while Ballas does everything to make her memories
06:12 soar.
06:23 It's an honest and beautiful performance brimming with intense emotions.
06:27 Can you get through the dance without choking up?
06:29 We certainly can't.
06:40 And when Lindsey revealed that the hat and scarf her partner wore during the dance belonged
06:44 to her late father?
06:45 Well, the score paddles were just blurs to our tear-soaked eyes.
07:00 Number 5.
07:01 James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess' Tango
07:03 For his most memorable year, the IndyCar driver looked back on a life-threatening accident
07:08 that took place roughly 18 months before his Dancing with the Stars journey.
07:11 "Within 18 months, he went from someone assisting him to walk to killing boredom dance."
07:18 With that context, watching him sail across the floor with Sharna to the right time by
07:22 Yves V, featuring Mike James, is even more remarkable.
07:35 The judges praised his posture, technique, and ability to add light and shade to his
07:39 performance.
07:40 However, what struck us most was the strength, control, and intensity he displayed throughout
07:44 the routine.
07:53 Each step tells a tale of tenacity, determination, and resolve, creating an emotionally charged
07:59 showstopper.
08:00 He appears truly unstoppable both on and off the dance floor, and this number stirs something
08:05 profound within us.
08:16 Number 4.
08:17 Victoria Arlen and Valentin Shmierkovski's Foxtrot
08:20 In her VT, the Paralympian shares her journey of resilience after a life-changing diagnosis.
08:25 "Have you been in it since?"
08:27 "Not really, no.
08:28 I don't like to sit now that I can stand."
08:32 Her dance pays tribute to her determination and courage in a way that's both visually
08:36 and emotionally powerful.
08:38 Starting, in a wheelchair, Arlen rises to perform a passionate and heartfelt Foxtrot
08:43 to one Republic's "I Lived" with her partner Val.
08:54 Even if you don't know her story, her dancing is impressive, but knowing the challenges
08:59 she's faced makes it even more touching.
09:01 To call it inspiring falls short.
09:03 It's unforgettable.
09:13 The routine ends with Arlen looking at the wheelchair, reflecting on her story.
09:17 Her message of perseverance and triumph over adversity echoes long after the music ends.
09:31 Number 3.
09:32 Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold's Contemporary
09:34 Although Jordan and Lindsay's dance continues to give us chills, he wasn't the only celebrity
09:39 on Dancing with the Stars honoring adoptive parents.
09:42 Like Simone Biles, Fisher dedicated his dance to his maternal grandparents, who rescued
09:47 him from a challenging home situation and whom he calls "Mom and Dad."
09:50 "My being adopted, it saved me.
09:53 It literally saved my life.
09:54 It could have been really tough for me, and it wasn't.
09:59 And I was so loved."
10:02 We don't need to tell you that the Season 25 champ is a phenomenal dancer.
10:06 But here he lays everything he has on the dance floor and more, pulling at our heartstrings
10:11 more than we thought any dance could.
10:20 He executes the elegant choreography perfectly and really bears his soul to the audience.
10:25 We were wiping away tears throughout, but the moment he embraced his parents broke us
10:29 completely.
10:39 Number 2.
10:40 Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough's Contemporary
10:43 Bindi was just a kid when she went through the unimaginable pain of losing her father,
10:47 conservationist Steve Irwin.
10:49 "It took a really long time to understand what actually happened for the rest of my
10:55 life.
10:56 I kind of feel like he's gonna come home."
10:59 Her partner Derek channeled her emotions into a routine that we would only advise watching
11:03 with a box of tissues nearby.
11:06 As always, Irwin and Hough proved to be a winning partnership.
11:16 "Oh, can you see?
11:21 You belong to me."
11:22 He brilliantly translates her deepest emotions into beautiful choreography, and she flawlessly
11:25 narrates his steps to the audience.
11:28 The dance shares her happy memories with her father and the heartbreak of losing him, breaking
11:32 our hearts a little more with every move.
11:35 We can feel how much the dance means to her, and we're sure her dad was watching, glowing
11:39 with pride.
11:50 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:54 Normani and Valentin Shmurkovsky's Rumba
11:57 A stirring number paying tribute to her parents for allowing her to live out her dream.
12:10 Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev's Contemporary
12:13 A tear-jerking routine about lost love and finding herself.
12:24 Charlie D'Amelio and Mark Ballas' Contemporary
12:27 A beautiful dance about coping with anxiety.
12:37 Jodie Sweetin and Keo Motsepe's Foxtrot
12:40 She honored rediscovering her spark after overcoming substance use disorder.
12:51 Lea Thompson and Artem Chigvintsev's Contemporary
12:54 A breathtaking tribute to her late father.
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13:25 Selma Blair and Sasha Farber's Waltz
13:27 Selma Blair's most memorable year was when she received her MS diagnosis.
13:35 Sadly, it also led to her early exit from the competition.
13:46 But what an exit it was.
13:48 Even before her dance with Sasha began, emotions ran high, moving not only us but also her
13:54 fellow contestants to tears.
14:02 The bravery to walk away from the competition is as valiant as the strength it takes to
14:06 participate in the first place.
14:08 Her final dance was a breathtaking waltz to What the World Needs Now is Love by Andra
14:12 Day.
14:13 We could talk about how beautifully she danced, but what will always stay with us is her parting
14:25 message.
14:26 We should all strive to put a little more love into the world.
14:39 Which most memorable year dance left you a blubbering mess?
14:42 Tell us in the comments.
15:00 [music]
15:09 (upbeat music)