On Dancing with the Stars, the celebrities work closely with their pro dancer partners — literally. They spend hours a day together creating a spectacular performance. It’s a prime setting for a romance novel, so it’s really no surprise that some of them find love along the way.
Here are 14 celebs who dated their Dancing with the Stars partners:
Britt told the podcast Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis, “We built that friendship. We see each other then [in old clips from the show], and we’re like, ‘God, now we know what everyone was talking about,’ ’cause all the fans, the whole season, were like, ‘I think something’s going on. Do they like each other? Blah blah blah blah blah.’ And we were like, ‘We’re just friends.’ But now, we go back, and we’re like, ‘Oh wow. We see it.’ We see why people thought we had really good chemistry and a connection.”
Describing how their relationship began, she continued, “We were in his trailer. It was after the last episode, and we were just, like, saying goodbye. And it was so strange, ’cause…it just didn’t feel right. And Daniel — he thinks a lot. And so he was thinking, and he was looking at me. And I was like, ‘What are you thinking about? Why are you looking at me like that?’ And all he said was, ‘I think you know. I think you know why I’m looking at you like that and what I’m thinking.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, me, too.’ And then, that was it. Then I said, ‘Okay, I gotta go. I gotta go, like, figure out my life. I gotta go… I don’t know what this means right now.'”
“But that was the first time that we both were like, ‘Yeah, there’s something more here,’ and he didn’t even say it. He didn’t even say, like, ‘I like you.’ He’s just like, ‘I think you know.’ And I was like, ‘I know exactly what you… Like, I know, ’cause me, too,'” Britt said.
She also said that she didn’t catch feelings for Daniel until the end of the season. She said, “I didn’t even know what those feelings meant. Like, I remember talking to my mom one day. I was like, ‘I’m thinking a lot about him… Maybe I’m just obsessed, and I really wanna go far in the competition and all this stuff.’ And I was like, ‘But I think I’m thinking more about him than I need to be.’ I remember one time, he made a comment like, ‘Oh, it’s just dance. People flirt all the time.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t think you know me. I actually don’t flirt.’ And then I realized, in that statement, I maybe admitted that I was maybe flirting with him a little bit… I knew that something was there, and I just didn’t know what it meant. I just didn’t know if he felt the same, and I also didn’t know if it was just because we were spending every day together.”
A year after their season ended, Daniel proposed to Britt on Christmas. On a hike with their families, everyone stopped at the top of the mountain to talk about what they were thankful for and looking forward to. He told People, “I was the last one — and I started talking about the year, about us meeting and everything that happens in life. I just feel like there’s balance. She sees me. She knows my culture, my language, and understands everything about me… We were both emotional, overwhelmed with joy, and at peace knowing that this would eventually be part of our story. It felt like magic, but at the same time, it felt right and normal.”
Two years later, they tied the knot at a ranch in California. Their ceremony was all about “connection.” In a “full circle” moment, Daniel asked his childhood interpreter to interpret for him at the wedding. Britt walked down the aisle to “528 Hz Love Frequency,” and she also surprised her new husband by bringing in a group that interprets music into sign language. She told People, “My soul has been waiting for his! I love that he is unique in every way possible and will surprise me every day for the rest of my life. I will never be bored with him, and I need that! Our life together brings me so much joy. Daniel calms my nervous system, and he is home.”
2.
Season 33 contestant Brooks Nader and partner Gleb Savchenko were romantically linked during their season, which premiered in September 2024, and they had an off-and-on relationship that ended in April 2025.
At first, Gleb denied dating rumors, telling E! News, “We’re just having fun honestly, and you know, just living our life… Listen, when you rehearse together for such long hours and days, you create a certain chemistry. Especially, like, when we dance together, it’s there. We’re trying to get into character pretty much, you know.”
On an episode, a producer asked Brooks how she felt about the two of them being “called a couple.” She replied, “That doesn’t make me mad at all. Gleb tells me having a strong connection is key to this dance, and something tells me that will not be an issue.”
In late September 2024, a source told Us Weekly that Brooks and Gleb were “hooking up,” but it was “casual.” The pair were also reportedly spotted kissing backstage. As the season progressed, they posted many flirty TikToks together and even got matching tattoos. She told E! News, “This is my first ever tattoo and ever. I have no tattoos. We got something that’s special to the both of us, and we’re not sharing what it is… When something special happens in your life, you need to commemorate it.”
Gleb later confirmed he ended things over text, telling TooFab, “There’s a lot of things. Sometimes, you can be mixed up in a conversation. So I always like to write everything down. When I wrote that down, it felt like it was perfect, because the moment you start a conversation, you might get lost, so it’s better to just write it down.”
And Brooks told TMZ she was removing her tattoo, adding, “I didn’t know we were dating, to be honest with you. You don’t have to be dating someone to make out, right?”
However, amidst the breakup and a back-and-forth on TikTok, they were seemingly reunited by the finale episode. Brooks told People, “It is all real. And the TikTok thing, those little rebuttals and back and forth were all real because we were a little bit broken up — not that we’re like, there’s no defining what we are — but he sent me that text and he started this whole TikTok thing. So I was just going back at him, and it was just kind of funny and funny banter, but we weren’t speaking. We were just TikToking, which is hilarious. Not speaking, no speaking terms, and then we rekindled. Listen, he’s such a great person and a great guy, and I’ve loved getting to know him, and I’m having fun hanging out with him.”
In April 2025, a source told People that Brooks and Gleb broke up again after he allegedly cheated on her. He denied the allegations, telling Page Six, “I was surprised to learn through article(s) published today … that Brooks has ended our relationship. The last communication I received from her was a text on April 6, asking to speak. I called her today in response, but she has not replied.”
He also told E! News, “I’m not a cheater. I’m actually a family guy. I’m a relationship guy. I’m not a fuckboy who goes around and goes on all these dates. I’m not even on dating apps… This thing happened [the rumors spreading] that broke my heart. It was really upsetting.”
Then, in the premiere episode of Love Thy Nader a few months later, Brooks alleged that, after Gleb accidentally left his phone behind, she decided to go through it. She claimed she found “all these screenshots of [her] boobs,” “like a million girls in here,” and a contact named “Threesome girl, Joshua Tree.” She said, “I don’t even know what to say. I feel really betrayed.” An end card stated that Gleb denied all of her allegations.
3.
Season 20 contestant Robert Herjavec and partner Kym Johnson got married in 2016.
Robert signed on for DWTS a year after separating from his first wife, Dr. Diane Plese. From the moment he met Kym, there was an instant connection. Kym told People, “We just got along so great, we were friends. Going through that whole experience together was really fun to do. We really got to know each other, and it blossomed into something else, which is amazing.”
In 2016, they got engaged. He told People, “I still can’t believe that a year after walking into a dance studio of all places, my life has changed this much. Kym is an incredible woman, and I’m just so excited for what the future brings for us.”
4.
Season 33 contestant Jenn Tran and partner Sasha Farber confirmed their relationship a month after the show wrapped.
The Bachelorette star, who’d recently ended her engagement to Devin Strader, and the pro dancer first sparked dating rumors when he called her “babe” in a TikTok video. After they were eliminated from the show, Jenn told Us Weekly, “Sometimes I crash on his couch. I’m also out of an apartment very soon, and he has five bedrooms in [his] place.” Sasha also said that she’d stay with him when they “had a lot of rehearsals.”
Sources confirmed they were dating to Us Weekly in December 2024. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Jenn shared a picture of Sasha kissing her, captioned, “The pics you gremlins have been waiting for.”
However, in early 2025, Jenn moved to Miami to continue her studies to become a physician assistant. She and Sasha reportedly broke up that June. Neither has been in a public relationship since.
5.
Season 3 contestant Mario Lopez and partner Karina Smirnoff reportedly began dating during their time in the ballroom.
They were in an on-and-off relationship from 2006–2008. Following their breakup, Karina’s reps told People, “The relationship wasn’t heading in the right direction.”
Mario told People, “Karina and I have the utmost respect for each other. She is a phenomenal and talented woman. I support her always and feel blessed to have her in my life.”
6.
Season 27 contestant Alexis Ren and partner Alan Bersten briefly dated during their time on the show in 2018.
On their Week 6 episode, Alexis told Alan, “We have chemistry, and so I just needed to point that out.” Additionally, in a video package, she said, “I am developing feelings for Alan. And I didn’t see this one coming. But it happened really quickly, though, so I think I’m still trying to process it.”
Alan said, “Sitting next to Alexis on the couch and her telling me how she feels, my emotions were all over the place. You know, it was a lot to take in… Alexis’s smile lights up the room. You know, she’s funny, she’s kind, she has a huge heart. I want to be 100 percent certain before I tell her how I’m feeling. I have a lot to think about.”
In the following week’s episode, Alan finally admitted his feelings to Alexis, telling her, “Last week, some things were said. I’m in a place where we worked so hard for this amazing journey together, and I’m afraid I will mess that up in some way. But I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s so easy to just hang out with you and have fun and not worry about everything else. I know that you put yourself out there last weekend, and I do have feelings for you. And I really feel like I am falling for you.”
She replied, “After I opened up last week, I felt a little bit embarrassed. But now that we had this talk this week, I feel really good that everything’s out in the open.” Then, they kissed.
However, in December 2018, a month after the season ended, a source confirmed their breakup to People, citing distance as the reason because she was working in Japan while he stayed in LA. On Instagram, Alexis replied to a comment about the breakup, writing, “feelings aren’t black and white and neither is life. We’re focused on our careers and growing as individuals. He’s an amazing person and I’m grateful he came into my life. He’s on his own journey and I respect that.”
Alexis hasn’t publicly dated anyone since ending her yearlong relationship with Noah Centineo in 2020, and Alan recently hard-launched his relationship with fellow DWTS pro Emma Slater. However, the former couple remained friends. In 2020, Alexis told Entertainment Tonight, “We definitely have been in contact, just saying good things. [Alan] just texted me on my birthday. … We’re super good friends, and everything’s good energy. So yeah, the best outcome possible.”
7.
Season 6 contestant Shannon Elizabeth and partner Derek Hough met on the show in 2008 and dated for about a year.
Shannon once denied engagement rumors, telling People, “There’s this whole weird rumor going around. One of them says that he proposed, and I said no, and the other says he proposed, and I said yes, and we’re getting married. Neither one is true… Luckily, he doesn’t care. We were laughing about it. It’s really funny.”
The couple announced their breakup on Twitter in August 2009. Derek tweeted, “Hi everyone, we wanted you all to know directly from us, that Shannon and I have decided to end our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. However, we love and care about each other very much and will remain friends and in each others lives.”
Shannon tweeted, “Thank you everyone for all your sweet words and encouragement — it really means a lot to me!”
8.
Season 30 contestant Brian Austin Green was already dating pro dancer Sharna Burgess when they were coupled up for the show.
Brian and Sharna met through their shared business manager. Having recently separated from Megan Fox, Brian wasn’t looking for a relationship, but meeting Sharna mid-pandemic changed everything. He told Entertainment Tonight, “I was really in a place of like, ‘I’m just doing what I’m doing.’ I’m building chicken coops and building little bonfires with the kids, and we’re just doing these things, and if somebody wants to come in and join this, they can. But the bar for me and who I let into that seemed so high at the time that it didn’t honestly seem like somebody could fill it. And then Sharna came along, and it was like, ‘Oh man. I can’t wait for my kids to meet her.’ And sure enough, it absolutely paid off. My kids love her, they love her to death.”
Sharna told People, “We met at a coffee shop, then had a few dates, and then we were locked in a house together. I was grateful for that because it allowed us to really take our time, and it was really awesome.”
During their first episode, he said, “I’m doing Dancing with the Stars because of my girlfriend Sharna.” She added, “I am unbelievably excited to share with him something I love so deeply.”
Brian and Sharna welcomed their son, Zane, in 2022. Brian popped the question at his surprise 50th birthday party the following year.
9.
Season 3 contestant Willa Ford and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy reportedly dated briefly.
Willa got engaged to her on-and-off boyfriend of four years, hockey player Mike Modano, shortly after the season ended. At the time, she told People, “Maks and I were definitely close, and we still are, but I kept saying that it’s going to be a shocker to everybody when they find out [about the engagement]. Every week I told people the truth – we were close, we hung out – but the show loved to fuel the relationship.”
However, in 2015, Maks told the Allegedly podcast that he “had relations” with one of his DWTS partners. He said, “Willa Ford, we dated for a little while — I’m gonna stick that in the fuck category.”
10.
Season 18 contestant James Maslow (from Big Time Rush) and partner Peta Murgatroyd went on a date before they were paired together for the show.
In a pre-taped segment from their first episode, Peta said, “I actually met James once before for dinner. We kind of hit it off… I thought he was a good-looking guy, and then he went away on tour for two weeks, and I didn’t see him until he walked into the studio.”
James added, “We’re keeping things professional right now. Would I take her on another date? Yeah, she’s a really cool girl. But right now we are both here for the same reason — we want to win.”
Confronting dating rumors later in the season, he told E! News, “We are dancing, which is very close to dating. In fact, it’s more sexual, I’d say, than your average date, because look at the salsa. You gotta be close. Having said that, we have a lot of fun together. So in all sincerity, we’re not officially dating or anything, but we spend every day together, and we enjoy it. So, who knows where it can go from there.”
James and Peta seemingly never actually went on more than one date, and she got back together with fellow pro dancer Maks Chmerkovskiy later that year. Peta and Maks got married in 2017, and James recently got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Caitlin Spears.
11.
Season 8 contestant Chuck Wicks and partner Julianne Hough were already a couple before competing together.
The two country singers met in 2008 — the same year Julianne released her country album — when they were on tour with Brad Paisley. At the time, she told People, “He’s just a great guy! He’s awesome and really, really talented. I’m having a great time getting to know him.”
Five months into the relationship, she told People, “The minute we met it was perfect. The first date we had, we both had that feeling like we were going to fall in love with each other.”
In early 2009, they competed on DWTS together, but about six months after the season ended, so did their relationship.
On a 2020 episode of his podcast Talk to Chuck, Chuck said, “Everyone thought we met on Dancing with the Stars. We didn’t, we met on tour. We were out touring with Brad Paisley. We were both loving life. We were on a high because both [of our] careers were going great. We bought a house together, we did all these things, and then out of nowhere, you find out that they are not the person that you thought they were. And you break up. And then everybody wants to know why… It wasn’t fine. Shit hit the fan. I’m not going to throw anybody under the bus, but… It wasn’t my fault.”
He continued, “When Julianne and I broke up…I was like, ‘When am I going to see her?’ Because I played the game. In the public eye, I was like, ‘Oh, man, it’s great.’ But actually, I didn’t really like her at the time. Now, I just don’t even care… I’ve seen her one time in 10 years.”
Julianne was most recently romantically linked to model Charlie Wilson in 2021, though she hasn’t been in a public relationship since separating from her husband, Brooks Laich, in 2020 (the divorce was finalized in 2022). Chuck married fellow country singer Kasi Williams in 2019.
12.
Season 25 contestant Nikki Bella and partner Artem Chigvintsev were married from 2022–2024.
During her time on the show, Nikki was engaged to John Cena. However, several months after calling things off, she reconnected with Artem over lunch. On an episode of her show Total Bellas, she said, “Today I’m meeting Artem for lunch, and Artem was my Dancing With the Stars pro. The last time I saw Artem, I was in a relationship for so long, so I’m just really excited to see him today.”
In January 2019, a source confirmed that Nikki and Artem were dating to People but said it was “nothing serious.” They continued to keep their relationship casual, even after attending a wedding together. On an April 2019 episode of The Bellas Podcast, she said, “I posted a lot [at the wedding] with Artem. We did really cute snaps. I was his date, right, we’re dating. But then everywhere it says, ‘Nikki Bella and boyfriend Artem’ — and I’m like, wait, boyfriend? Why are there labels? Why are they doing that? I feel like for women in my situation who date and have fun, who want to get our Carrie and Samantha on and showcase it on our platforms, people automatically assume that we’re official.”
After postponing the wedding several times, Nikki and Artem got married in Paris in 2022. However, two years later, Artem was arrested on suspicion of corporal injury to a spouse. His rep didn’t respond to People‘s request for comment at the time, and Nikki’s rep asked for privacy. Two weeks later, she filed for divorce. Artem’s charges were later dropped. Neither of them has been in a public relationship since their divorce.
13.
Season 10 contestant Chad Johnson (then Chad Ochocinco) and partner Cheryl Burke had a brief “fling” during their time on the show in 2010.
In 2011, Cheryl told Lifeline Live, “We had a little bit of a fling… We didn’t date. I wouldn’t call that dating. We maybe had a little bit of a fling. I wouldn’t take it to that word dating… He was never really available to me. I’ve had that pattern of dating unavailable men in my life, and it was hard to resist, obviously, but it was still something I knew from other relationships.”
On a 2024 episode of the Amy & T.J. podcast, Cheryl divulged that she actually had “showmances” with three of her former DWTS partners, but the only one she’d confirm was Chad. “One of them basically professed his love to me on Ellen DeGeneres,” she said, referencing their famously flirty joint Ellen appearance where they showed off the $10,000 ring he bought her as a thank-you gift. At the time, they denied dating rumors, but they kissed for the cameras.
14.
And finally, Season 5 contestant Sabrina Bryan and partner Mark Ballas were romantically linked during and after their time on the show in 2007.
After their Week 6 elimination, Sabrina told TV Guide, “We’re going out tomorrow. He’s taking me out for a surprise this weekend, and he won’t tell me what it is. He’s joking that it’s our first date because we’ve always hung out, millions of times, millions of dinners. But this is different.”
However, speaking to Cheryl Burke in 2024, Sabrina insinuated there was no real relationship between her and Mark. She said, “We were together all the time. We were really, really close. Again, I wouldn’t really consider it a relationship as much as it was a friendship. He would either pick me up, [or I’d] go pick up Mark and Derek. And we were the same age, too. It wasn’t like there was a giant age gap. We were into the same things. I would bring him down to Orange County to hang out with my friends on a day off… It was just this bond that you create, and this is a goal that you both want.”
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