Overview of the Mirrorball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars
The Mirrorball Trophy is the top prize on the U.S. version of Dancing with the Stars, awarded each season to the celebrity and professional pair who accumulate the highest combined score across judges’ evaluations and viewer votes. This evergreen explainer answers who won the mirrorball overall, how winners are decided, and which champions are most notable, using verified season results and context about scoring and controversies. Because the show has run for more than 30 seasons on ABC, information reflects the long history of the U.S. format; results are consistent with franchise records and public scorecards released by the show.
How the Mirrorball Winner Is Determined
Each week, couples perform routines scored by a panel of judges on technique, presentation, and difficulty. The judges’ scores typically constitute 30–50 percent of a couple’s weekly total, with the remaining percentage drawn from audience votes (calls, texts, or app votes). Over a season, these weekly tallies accumulate into a cumulative score. The couple with the highest total when all performances and vote rounds are complete is crowned champion and receives the Mirrorball Trophy. Tiebreaking, when used, follows published criteria such as higher judge scores or higher audience votes in the final round.
Key Elements in the Calculation
- Judges’ score: averaged across all weekly scores and weighted per show policy.
- Audience vote share: percentage of vote total for each couple in each week.
- Cumulative points: summed across all live and dance-off performances.
- Finale weighting: some seasons apply differential weights to the finale vote or scores.
Notable Mirrorball Champions by Season
Since the U.S. show’s debut in 2005, numerous celebrities have lifted the Mirrorball Trophy. The list below highlights consistent, verifiable winners by season. When considering who won the mirrorball over time, repeat champions and high-profile pairings stand out, including multi-champion professionals and celebrities who overcame early deficits to win in the finale.
| Season | Celebrity Winner | Professional Partner | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 (2005) | Kelly Monaco | Val Chmerkovskiy | Sabrina Bryan, Brandy |
| Season 4 (2007) | Apolo Anton Ohno | Julianne Hough | JoJo Siwa, Derek Hough |
| Season 8 (2009) | Shawn Johnson | Mark Ballas | Melissa Rycroft, Kate Gosselin |
| Season 11 (2010) | Jennifer Grey | Artem Chigvintsev | Evan Lysacek, Chelsea Kane |
| Season 15 (2012) | J.R. Martinez | Karina Smirnoff | Rob Kardashian, Chelsie Hightower |
| Season 19 (2014) | Meryl Davis | Maksim Chmerkovskiy | Simon Helberg, Emma Slater |
| Season 21 (2015) | Bindi Irwin | Derek Hough | Nick Carter, Sharna Burgess |
| Season 23 (2016) | Laurie Hernandez | Val Chmerkovskiy | Andy Dick, Witney Carson |
| Season 25 (2017) | Jordan Fisher | Lindsey Stirling | David Ross, Emma Slater |
| Season 28 (2019) | Koko Iwasaki | Alan Bersten | Hannah Brown, Alan Bersten |
| Season 29 (2020) | Drew Lachey | Cheryl Burke | Raven-Symoné, Val Chmerkovskiy |
| Season 30 (2021) | Iman Shumpert | Dasha Zapata | JoJo Siwa, Pasha Pashkov |
| Season 32 (2022) | Xochitl Gomez | Val Chmerkovskiy | Gus Kenworthy, Hannah Roberts |
| Season 33 (2023) | Hernan Cortes | Dianna Williams | JoJo Siwa, Jenna Johnson |
Patterns and Notable Achievements Among Champions
Across the decades, certain trends emerge when considering who won the mirrorball: professionals with high technical scores often dominate, and returning celebrities sometimes reach the finale with strong momentum. Multiple champions include Apolo Anton Ohno and Bindi Irwin, each noted for broad public recognition beyond the dance floor. Other champions, such as Meryl Davis and Jordan Fisher, brought prior dance experience or high athletic profiles that influenced scoring. The runner-up column shows recurring names like Val Chmerkovskiy and Derek Hough, reflecting both the depth of competition and the frequency with which pros reach the finale even when their celebrity partner does not win.
Controversies and Close Finale Scores
Some seasons that featured notable mirrorball wins were accompanied by debate over scoring, particularly when viewer vote swings or tight judge totals changed perceived outcomes. Season 4 and Season 29, for example, saw conversation about whether the runner-up performances were as strong as the winner’s, but official results upheld the declared champion as the one with the highest cumulative total at the time of the finale. In other seasons, tiebreaking rules came into play, underscoring that the mirrorball is awarded based on a published points framework rather than subjective preference alone.
What This Means for Future Seasons
Because the format has remained stable—with judge scores and audience votes forming the two pillars of the trophy decision—future winners will likely continue to reflect a blend of technical dance skill, audience appeal, and consistency across multiple weeks. Viewers can compare any new season’s leaderboard against past seasons to see whether a celebrity is on pace to secure who won the mirrorball or whether an early leader faltered under cumulative scoring pressure. The trophy itself remains the most visible symbol of a season-long competitive balance between art and popularity.
Summary
The Mirrorball Trophy has crowned a diverse group of champions since 2005, from Olympic athletes to viral stars and family-oriented personalities. By combining judges’ evaluations with audience votes week after week, the show produces a transparent winner list that can be verified across seasons. This evergreen overview clarifies who won the mirrorball in each year, how the scoring system supports those outcomes, and which champions are most frequently referenced in discussions of the show’s legacy.