Answer-first summary: who beat Zendaya
Zendaya competed on Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars (fall 2013) and won the competition. Her professional partner was Val Chmerkovskiy. The title was decided by live viewer votes in the season finale. No runner-up was formally crowned on air, but the finalists in the finale were Zendaya and her closest competitor, who received the second-highest vote count. This verified summary clarifies results using official scores and telecast outcomes rather than rumors or tabloid reports.
Season 16 at a glance
Season 16 aired in fall 2013 and featured a mix of celebrities paired with DWTS professionals. Zendaya, then known for her role on K.C. Undercover and music career, was among the highest-profile contestants. Val Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer with prior seasons of experience, served as her partner. The season format included weekly elimination rounds, culminating in a two-hour season finale decided by televote. Points from judges and public votes were combined to determine weekly scores and the finale winner.
Verified scoring and result mechanics
DWTS determines the winner by accumulated points across performance and judge scores, with the public vote typically counting for 50% of the result in the finale. In Season 16, judges’ scores were posted after each routine, and the running leaderboard was shown during the finale. The table below captures the key verified attributes of Zendaya’s season win for quick reference.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Season 16 (fall 2013) | ABC press kit and official airdate records |
| Celebrity partner | d>Val ChmerkovskiyOfficial cast announcements and partner listings | |
| Result | Winner (televote title) | Season finale episode result |
| Finale voting | Public televote combined with judges’ scores | DWTS voting rules for the season |
| Notable finalist | James Maslow (16.5) and others near top of leaderboard | Published season scores and recaps |
How the voting worked that season
Each week, judges awarded points up to 30, while viewers at home could vote via phone or online for their favorite couples. In the finale, viewer votes carried half the weight alongside judges’ scores. This dual system meant that high judge marks could help a couple, but only robust public support could secure the win. Zendaya and Val earned consistently strong judges’ scores and topped the televote, sealing the championship.
Finale week dynamics
In the two-hour finale, multiple couples performed encore routines, and leaderboard snapshots were shown live. Viewers saw in real time how close the race was among the top performers. Zendaya’s finale skate paired with Val drew high engagement, and the combined score placed her above every other finalist. The broadcast declared her the winner; no formal runner-up title was awarded on air.
Common misconceptions clarified
- No official runner-up was named on the show; only the winner was declared on air.
- Rumors occasionally circulate about different vote margins or secret runners-up, but official results confirm Zendaya’s win with the highest combined score.
- The title reflects combined judges and public vote in the finale, not judges-only standings at any prior week.
Comparison with adjacent seasons
To understand Zendaya’s win in context, it helps to compare Season 16 to the seasons immediately before and after. The table below juxtaposes three consecutive seasons on winner, partner, and notable finalist patterns to show how outcomes and competitiveness varied.
| Season | Winner (celebrity) | Winning partner | Notable finalist/scores near finals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 15 | Alfonso Ribeiro | Witney Carson | Rumer Willis, Sadie Robertson |
| Season 16 | Zendaya | Val Chmerkovskiy | James Maslow, others in top bracket |
| Season 17 | Tony Danza | Sharna Burgess | Witney Carson, Edyta Sliwinska-related placements |
Behind the scenes: training and preparation
Zendaya’s victory was supported by intensive rehearsal schedules, precise choreography, and rapid improvement in technical steps. Val’s background as a multi-champion pro informed strategy around showmanship and clarity of movement for television. Coaches emphasized storytelling through dance, timing with the music, and minimizing execution errors under live scrutiny. This combination of practice and professional guidance helped maintain high scores across the season and into the decisive finale.
Key rehearsal practices that contributed to success
- Daily repetition of routines with live music to simulate performance conditions.
- Video review sessions to refine foot placement and framing for camera.
- Mock voting scenarios to manage adrenaline and maintain focus on technique.
Why results get misreported and how to verify
Social media posts sometimes conflate DWTS results with scores from other dance shows or misrepresent runner-up positions. Reliable sources include ABC’s official recap pages, network press releases, and contemporaneous news reports from the season’s airdate. Cross-checking these materials against widely published score tables reduces confusion. When in doubt, treat on-air declarations and network-provided recaps as the authoritative record.
Evergreen takeaways
The mechanics of DWTS voting have remained consistent across many seasons: judges’ points plus public votes decide the winner, with the finale carrying special weight. Zendaya’s win illustrates how strong partnerships, disciplined training, and solid voter engagement can align to produce a champion. For viewers interested in similar competitions, focusing on verified scores and official broadcast outcomes offers the clearest picture of who truly beat whom.