Dancing With The Stars: 10 Best Disney Night Dances!
It’s the most magical time of the year, because it’s almost Disney Night on Dancing With The Stars!
October 17th will mark the show’s 11th Disney Night (if you count last season’s Disney+ Night, having aired exclusively on the streaming service), where couples will own the ballroom Belle and Beast style as they dance to Disney classics.
But I want to give you a little pixie dust early with the 10 best Disney Night dances on the show.
10. Cody Simpson and Witney Carson – The Lion King (Season 18)
Cody Simpson and Witney Carson may not have lasted long in the competition in Season 18, but they left a mark – or, paw prints, rather – on the dance floor thanks to their Disney Night Samba.
I’ll admit, this routine has been a favorite of mine since the moment it aired. Carson always finds ways to make her choreography unique, like the moment they both break out into a roar as Simba and Nala amid your classic Samba choreo, and the fun, little breakdown in the middle of the dance.
9. Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess – Snow White – Waltz (Season 30)
I can only imagine Sharna Burgess was thinking “someday my prince will come” during Week 4 of Season 30… who knew she was already dancing with him!
Dressed as Snow White and her Prince, Burgess and celebrity partner Brian Austin Green waltzed to “Someday My Prince Will Come,” a performance that aged incredibly well considering the pair just recently got engaged!
8. Nastia Liukin and Derek Hough – Frozen – Jazz (Season )
Nastia Liukin and Derek Hough are probably one of Hough’s most memorable partnerships from the show, and I, for one, have never forgotten their Disney Night Jazz routine that was anything but frozen.
Liukin and Hough assumed the characters of Anna and Hans as they not only danced to “Love Is An Open Door,” but lip synced the entire song. While typically a no-no for dancers, and a decision that didn’t sit well with the judges, I’ve always thought the lip syncing added an extra fun element to the already fun dance.
7. Nancy Kerrigan and Artem Chigvintsev – Enchanted – Jazz (Season 24)
Nancy Kerrigan and pro partner Artem Chigvintsev may not have won the mirrorball in Season 24, but they easily won our hearts with their enchanting Jazz to “That’s How You Know” from Enchanted.
Kerrigan encompassed the character of Giselle, playful as she danced alongside Chigvintsev in an adorable and fun routine that broke away from the overdone films and songs of Disney Nights.
6. Riker Lynch and Allison Holker – Pirates of the Caribbean – Paso Doble (Season 20)
Riker Lynch remained the underdog of Season 20 with partner Allison Holker, who are probably best remembered for their swashbuckling Disney Night Paso Doble.
Lynch perfected the character of Jack Sparrow while also accomplishing those strong movements and stances of a Paso, winning over the judges and earning a near-perfect score. He may have wobbled a little as he spun Holker on the floor, but it’s only fitting for his Jack Sparrow impersonation.
5. Charlie White and Sharna Burgess – Mary Poppins – Jazz (Season 18)
Charlie White and Sharna Burgess were a memorable partnership from a memorable season that saw White’s Olympic ice dancing partner Meryl Davis take home the mirrorball.
White and Burgess made a practically perfect Mary Poppins and Bert for a Jazz that was, well… there’s no better word for it than Supercalifragiclisticexpialidocious. The routine even gained the attention of Dick Van Dyke himself, and was performed again by the couple during the Season 18 finale as a tribute to the film’s 50th anniversary that year.
4. Simone Biles and Sasha Farber – Moana – Contemporary (Season 24)
Moana became quickly known for its epic soundtrack, and during Disney Night in Season 24, the ballroom was treated to Moana herself, Auli’i Cravalho, who performed “How Far I’ll Go” live as Simone Biles and Sasha Farber performed a Contemporary.
Dressed as Moana and Maui themselves, Farber’s beautiful choreography paired with Biles’ gymnast expertise made for a magical Moana moment on the dance floor.
3. Jordan Fisher and Lindsey Arnold – Moana – Foxtrot (Season 25)
We all knew Disney Night in Season 25 was going to be awesome when Disney Channel alum Jordan Fisher joined the cast with partner Lindsay Arnold. Although ballroom was different territory for the triple threat, known for his musical theater dance style in Teen Beach Movie, Fisher proved early on he was the season’s frontrunner.
Their Disney Week Foxtrot to “You’re Welcome” from Moana was made extra special because the couple danced to Fisher’s own version of the song. That paired with Arnold’s unique choreography, it made for another memorable Moana-themed dance from the show.
2. JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson – Cinderella – Viennese Waltz (Season 30)
JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson were an iconic pairing for several reasons in Season 30. Not only were they the show’s very first same-sex partnership, but they all but claimed the mirrorball with their flawless performances week after week.
Their Disney Night performance saw a role reversal, not only in who led and who followed, but in the pair’s costumes. Siwa memorably dressed as the Prince Charming to Johnson’s Cinderella as they Viennese Waltzed around the ballroom to “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes.”
1. Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas – The Simpsons – Jazz (Season 31)
For Season 31’s Disney+ Night, the couples were tasked with dances themed around shows and movies you’d find on the streaming service, so the audience was met with not-so-typical Disney Night themes like The Muppets, Hocus Pocus, and yes, The Simpsons.
It’s been a year since this dance and I’m still floored by it. This dance alone deserved the win, okay? Between Mark Ballas’ choreography, Charli D’Amelio’s execution, and the incredible costumes, their Jazz to The Simpsons theme song is by far the best dance to hit Disney Night yet.
