Dancing With The Stars Pros And Their Real-Life Partners

A steady stream of celebrities have come and gone through "Dancing With The Stars" since the show made its debut way back in 2005. This lengthy and ever-expanding list has included actors, singers, NFL players, Olympic athletes, radio deejays, and more, ranging from trash TV king Jerry Springer to cancer-stricken sitcom star Valerie Harper — both among the "DWTS" legends who have sadly died.

Through it all, the constant has always been the show's professional dancers, who guide the stars through the choreographed routines that they perform together on camera. The pro dancers not only demonstrate their own skills, but must also function as teachers and mentors to their celebrity partners, preparing them to strut their stuff in front of millions of viewers. Over the years, these viewers have gotten to know the dancers, many of whom have used their platform on the show to become celebrities in their own right. In that regard, fans have gotten to learn about their personal lives, including details about their significant others. The truth about these "Dancing With the Stars" couples is that each of their personal love stories are entirely unique. To find out more, read on for a look at some "Dancing With the Stars" pros and their real-life partners.

After joining the show in its second season, Tony Dovolani appeared in 21 seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," nabbing the Mirrorball Trophy in 2015 alongside dance partner Melissa Rycroft. His relationship with wife Lina, however, predates "DWTS" by several years. The two first met in 1998. It didn't take Dovolani long to realize that he'd just been introduced to his future spouse. "I met her on a blind date and proposed to her four hours after I met her," Dovolani recalled in an interview with People. "I got off an exit and bought a ring. You can tell I'm spontaneous!" Lina, however, is apparently not quite so impetuous, and didn't agree to walk down the aisle until the following year. "We got married in November 1999 and have been happy ever since," he added.

The two are parents to three children, and their relationship has kept going strong. "She is the most amazing person I have ever met in my life," Dovolani gushed, crediting her for caring for their children and home so that he can focus on his career. "If I didn't have her, I don't think I would be where I am today," he mused. "Marrying her is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life."

Professional dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd first met in 2009, when both appeared in the Broadway ballroom-themed musical "Burn the Floor." Later that same year, Chmerkovskiy joined "Dancing with the Stars," with Murgatroyd following suit in 2011 as a troupe dancer before being upgraded to one of the pros.

In 2012, the two began dating, but things didn't work out; they split up after just 10 months. However, in January 2015, they were spotted together after they'd reconciled. The second time proved to be the charm; by the end of that year they were engaged. In January 2017, the couple welcomed a baby boy, Shai Aleksander Chmerkovskiy. "This is, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to us!" the duo said in a statement to Us Weekly. They tied the knot that July, and went on to welcome two more children. "Thank you for flirting with me way back in 2012 and putting the moves on me to get us three children, a dog, and a beautiful life," Murgatroyd wrote in a 2024 Instagram post, celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary.

Chmerkovskiy exited "DWTS" in 2017 while his wife stuck around until 2024, announcing she was leaving shortly after giving birth to their third child, son Milan. In 2022, Murgatroyd revealed that she suffered multiple miscarriages prior to the birth of Milan, an experience that proved devastating for them. "I try to do my best in supporting Peta," Chmerkovskiy told People. "I'm a changed man because of this experience." Beyond their association with "DWTS," the spouses co-host their own YouTube series, "The Maks and Peta Show."

Alec Mazo and Edyta Śliwińska were among the original pro dancers to appear in the very first season of "Dancing With the Stars." While neither are still with the show, they remain part of the "DWTS" legacy, and will always hold a place in the hearts of fans.

Their love story actually predates the show — the two were already in a relationship when they were cast in "Dancing With the Stars." Both were still dancing on the show when they got married in 2007. The couple — who are parents of two children — went on to form their own company, Dancing Pros Inc., which they ran from 2006 until 2012. These days, Mazo works in finance as an investment portfolio manager with DGA Capital Management.

The reason they decided to exit "Dancing With the Stars" was because they both felt the experience had grown stale. "We had 15 seasons between us, and it was a great experience, but it became very repetitive," Mazo said in an interview with Jake's Take. "We were not interested in staying on the show just [to] remain popular and stay in the limelight, we really wanted to do something for our future that was inspiring," Śliwińska added. Meanwhile, the two remain happily married among the "Dancing With the Stars" couples who are still together.

Mark Ballas made his "Dancing With the Stars" debut in 2007 and remained with the show until bowing out in 2023. "I've done 20 seasons now," Ballas told fans during a 2023 Las Vegas performance (via X), announcing he was leaving the show that had been his home since his early 20s. "This is going to be my last dance," he added.

For most of his years on the show, Ballas was in a relationship with BC Jean. Jean is a songwriter who penned "If I Were a Boy" (which became a big hit for iconic superstar Beyoncé), and first met Ballas in 2012. "We met at a singer-songwriter night at a mutual friend's house," Jean told Riff magazine. "It was kind of like a fun party night where singers and musicians would get up and perform." They exchanged numbers, kept in touch, and eventually began dating. The two made it official in December 2016, tying the knot during a wedding ceremony that played out over the course of three days. When the time came for their first dance as spouses, Ballas choreographed a dance that brought out the best in his non-dancer wife. "No one had ever seen BC move like that. But she crushed it," Ballas told People. The pair became parents in 2023 with the arrival of their son, Banksi Wylde Ballas. The couple aren't just spouses and parents, they're also a musical duo. Under the name Alexander Jean, the pair have released several albums and perform together regularly.

"Dancing With the Stars" has certainly hosted its share of "showmances" over the years, with several examples of celebs who fell in love on the show. When looking back at the best real-life romances to come from the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom, it's tough to top that of pro dancer Kym Johnson and "Shark Tank" star Robert Herjavec, who were partnered for the show's 20th season in 2015. The first inkling that sparks were flying between the two came when they ended a dance with a kiss.

The couple may not have won the Mirrorball Trophy, but they eventually confirmed they were among the "Dancing With the Stars" partners who dated after the show. That led to the announcement of their engagement in February 2016. "We got to know each other on a friendship level... That developed into something else," Johnson told People of how their love came to blossom. The engagement was not a long one; the two exchanged vows just a few months later. In the spring of 2018, the couple welcomed twins Hudson and Haven.

As a "Dancing With the Stars" pro, Sharna Burgess had reportedly been involved in showmances with rumors she dated two of her celebrity dance partners: professional bull rider Bonner Bolton and soap star Pierson Fodé. In 2020, her business manager set her up on a blind date with another one of his clients, "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum Brian Austin Green. Green wasn't seeking a serious relationship, having just split up with wife Megan Fox, who wasn't entirely faithful during their marriage. However, when he met Burgess, he was bowled over. "On our first date, we just completely lost track of time and the same thing happened the next time," he told People. "It became something noticeably different from anything I'd ever experienced before."

The truth about Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess is that they became inseparable ever since. After spending the next few months together, the actor decided to take their relationship to the next level — not by proposing, but by competing on "Dancing With the Stars." In fact, he revealed the real reason he joined "DWTS" was because of their romance, with the two becoming even closer as dance partners on the show. While they didn't take home the Mirrorball trophy, in February 2022 they announced they were expecting a baby; they welcomed son Zane Walker Green in June 2022, and got engaged in September 2023. During a 2025 podcast, Burgess revealed that their eventual wedding was still at least two years away, simply because their respective schedules were so busy.

When Lindsay Arnold joined "Dancing With the Stars" as a pro dancer in 2013, she was just 18. After that first season, she was downgraded to troupe dancer before returning as a pro in 2015. Throughout it all, she was in a relationship with Samuel Lightner Cusick. The former high school sweethearts were still an item when he popped the question in December 2014. They wed the following year in their hometown of Salt Lake City. "I'm so excited to dance through life with Sam," Arnold told People. "I could never have imagined that when I was 16 years old I would have met the man I would marry and who would be my partner — yesterday, today, and tomorrow!"

Along the way, the couple became parents of two children (a third is set to arrive in spring 2026). She stepped away from the show in 2021 in order to focus on her children. "A lot of my priorities and where I wanted to spend my time... it just shifted," she told People of how becoming a mom colored her decision. "My mindset shifted. Time goes 10 times faster when you have kids, and I just know that this time is so precious and something that you don't get back."

Witney Carson was hired as a "Dancing With the Stars" troupe dancer in 2013 befroe eventually getting bumped up to pro. In 2016, while still dancing on the show, she married Carson McAllister, whom she'd been dating since they were in high school together. The wedding sealed what had been a long-distance relationship, with Carson working in Los Angeles while McAllister lived in Utah. "We've been in this limbo where he's in Utah and I'm in L.A. and we haven't been able to create a life together," Carson told People. "Now, we get to have a fresh start together. I'm excited. He's my best friend."

The couple welcomed two children in quick succession, the first born in 2021, the most recent arriving in 2023. The arrival of their second child led Carson to take a break from the show. "This was not a decision that we took lightly at all," Carson said when announcing her exit in a video she shared on TikTok. "We definitely thought and prayed about it for a while, but we will not be doing 'Dancing With the Stars' this season. As much as that pains me to say, I just feel very at peace with it."

Her departure was only temporary. In 2025, she revealed she was returning for the 33rd season. That turned out to be a solid decision when she and partner Robert Irwin danced off with the Mirrorball Trophy. "I'm so grateful for Robert, and I feel like I won already with him as my friend," she said on the show after their victory, as reported by ABC News.

Valentin Chmerkovskiy, a pro on "Dancing With the Stars" since Season 13, first met Jenna Johnson when she joined the show as a troupe dancer in 2014. That December, the two performed together in New York with "Sway: A Dance Trilogy," and began dating the following year. Their road to romance was a rocky one; they broke up, with Chmerkovskiy moving on with Amber Rose (who was competing on "DWTS" while partnered with Chmerkovskiy's brother, Maksim).

That relationship flamed out, and Chmerkovskiy and Johnson got back together, revealing their reconciliation on social media while vacationing together in Europe. In 2018, he popped the question, with Johnson announcing their engagement with photos of her fiancé down on one knee. They tied the knot in April the following year, with the ceremony held at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palo Verdes, California. "My life has changed because of [her,] and I find myself to be the best version of myself that I've ever been," Chmerkovskiy told People of his bride. "She's awesome."

In July 2022, they announced they were expecting their first child. They welcomed a son in January 2023, later revealing the newborn's name: Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy. When Chmerkovskiy won the Mirrorball Trophy in the 32nd season in 2023, he credited his wife for his victory. "This one's gonna go on my wife's cabinet just because, you know, I wouldn't have been able to have this without her," Chmerkovskiy told People. "We have a newborn, and she really held it down for the entire season."

Long before they joined "Dancing With the Stars" in season 28, Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov were partners, both on and off the dance floor. They began dancing together competitively in 2009, cutting a swath through ballroom competitions throughout the world before becoming "DWTS" pro dancers.

They got married in 2014, and decided to renew their vows more than a decade later in a lavish ceremony that was also attended by their daughter Daniella, born in 2023. "We've wanted a family ever since we've gotten married and we've been married for eight-and-a-half years, so we are more than ready to have a baby," Karagach told People.

Karagach revealed the secret to their successful marriage was to ensure they always set aside time for themselves, regardless of how busy their respective schedules were. "I think that also keeps the spark alive because if you're in a good place in your own body, then you're in a good place in your relationship. If you're not and you're looking for comfort in someone else, I mean that works too, but for us we're stronger when we're stronger by ourselves, and then we're stronger together," she explained when interviewed by People.

Emma Slater made her "Dancing With the Stars" debut as a troupe dancer in 2012, becoming a pro dancer the following year. Alan Bersten first came to "Dancing With the Stars" in 2015 as a member of the troupe in Season 20, before being bumped up to pro dancer in Season 25.

In April 2025, the two were performing together on the show's live tour. During a performance in Chicago, the two raised eyebrows when they shared a steamy kiss at the end of a dance number. They subsequently confirmed they were dating. "We're just enjoying life together. No pressure there, but we're just enjoying it," Bersten told E! News while insisting their budding new romance wouldn't interfere with their dancing duties on the show. "We're both professionals," he said. "So, we're going to keep it professional."

Having been performing on "Dancing With the Stars" for all those seasons, the two had known each other for a long time. However, any attraction they may have felt for each other during those years would have been quelled by Slater's marriage to fellow "DWTS" pro Sasha Farber. When Slater and Farber divorced in 2023, however, that apparently opened a door that had been closed — and these two danced together right through it. Time will tell if their relationship proves to be as successful as their fellow "Dancing With the Stars" couples.