Dancing with the Stars (American season 26)


Season twenty-six of Dancing with the Stars, titled Dancing with the Stars: Athletes, premiered on April 30, 2018, on the ABC network. The four-week season, the shortest ever, features a cast of current and former athletes. This is the first season where more than one couple is eliminated each week.
On May 21, 2018, Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson were announced the winners, marking the first win for Johnson. Rippon is the first openly gay winner. NFL player Josh Norman, with Sharna Burgess, and former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, with Sasha Farber, were both announced as runners-up.

Cast

Couples

The professional dancers were announced on April 12, 2018. The eight professionals returning from last season are Lindsay Arnold, Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Witney Carson, Artem Chigvintsev, Keo Motsepe, Gleb Savchenko, and Emma Slater. The two remaining professional dancers were both in the troupe last season, and have previously been professional dancers on the show: Sasha Farber and Jenna Johnson. The five professionals from last season that are not returning are Cheryl Burke, Mark Ballas, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd, and Valentin Chmerkovskiy.
The cast was announced on April 13 on Good Morning America.
CelebrityNotability Professional partnerStatus
Olympic snowboarderEliminated 1st
on April 30, 2018
Former MLB outfielderEliminated 1st
on April 30, 2018
Former NBA centerEliminated 3rd
on May 7, 2018
Notre Dame women's basketball playerEliminated 3rd
on May 7, 2018
Former Olympic softball pitcherEliminated 5th
on May 14, 2018
Olympic lugerEliminated 5th
on May 14, 2018
Olympic figure skaterAlan BerstenEliminated 5th
on May 14, 2018
Former Olympic figure skaterRunner-up
on May 21, 2018
NFL cornerbackRunner-up
on May 21, 2018
Olympic figure skaterWinner
on May 21, 2018

Hosts and judges

and Erin Andrews returned as hosts, while Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli returned as judges. On May 7, season 24 champion Rashad Jennings returned as a guest judge. On May 14, season 24 runner-up David Ross returned as a guest judge.

Dance troupe

The dance troupe for season 26 consists of season 25 troupe members Artur Adamski, Brandon Armstrong, Hayley Erbert, and Britt Stewart. Additionally, professional dancer Morgan Larson, who performed on the Dancing with the Stars: Light Up the Night tour, joined the troupe for season 26.

Scoring charts

Average chart

This table only counts dances scored on a 30-point scale.
Rank by
average		PlaceCoupleTotal
points		Number
of dances		Average
11Adam & Jenna166627.7
22Josh & Sharna155625.8
24Mirai & Alan103425.8
42Tonya & Sasha151625.2
57Arike & Gleb71323.7
64Chris & Witney94423.5
74Jennie & Keo88422.0
87Kareem & Lindsay60320.0
99Jamie & Artem19119.0
109Johnny & Emma18118.0

Highest and lowest scoring performances

The best and worst performances in each dance according to the judges' 30-point scale are as follows:
DanceHighest scored dancerHighest scoreLowest scored dancerLowest score
SalsaMirai Nagasu23Kareem Abdul-Jabbar19
Cha-cha-chaAdam Rippon
Josh Norman		24Kareem Abdul-Jabbar17
FoxtrotMirai Nagasu
Josh Norman		27Johnny Damon18
Viennese waltzTonya Harding26Jamie Anderson19
Paso dobleJosh Norman23——
QuickstepAdam Rippon28Tonya Harding24
Team dancesJennie Finch Daigle
Mirai Nagasu
Arike Ogunbowale
Adam Rippon		27Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Tonya Harding
Chris Mazdzer
Josh Norman		24
RumbaTonya Harding24——
ContemporaryAdam Rippon29Josh Norman27
JazzAdam Rippon30——
FreestyleTonya Harding
Josh Norman		30Adam Rippon28

Couples' highest and lowest scoring dances

Scores are based upon a potential 30-point maximum.
CoupleHighest scoring danceLowest scoring dance
Adam & JennaJazz Cha-cha-cha
Josh & SharnaFreestyle Paso doble
Tonya & SashaFreestyle Foxtrot
Jennie & KeoFoxtrot & Viennese waltz Cha-cha-cha
Chris & WitneyViennese waltz Salsa
Mirai & AlanFoxtrot Salsa
Kareem & LindsaySalsa Cha-cha-cha
Arike & GlebFoxtrot Salsa
Jamie & ArtemViennese waltz —
Johnny & EmmaFoxtrot —

Weekly scores

Individual judges' scores in the charts below are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.

Week 1: First Dances

The couples danced the cha-cha-cha, foxtrot, salsa or Viennese waltz.
For the first time in the show's history, viewers were able to vote for the couples live online so that the results of the vote could be used to determine the first two eliminees that same evening.
;Running order
CoupleScoresDanceMusicResult
Chris & Witney21 Salsa"Mr. Put It Down"—Ricky Martin feat. PitbullSafe
Kareem & Lindsay17 Cha-cha-cha"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"—Stevie WonderSafe
Jennie & Keo21 Foxtrot"All-American Girl"—Carrie UnderwoodSafe
Jamie & Artem19 Viennese waltz"Feeling Good"—Avicii feat. Audra MaeEliminated
Mirai & Alan23 Salsa"No Excuses"—Meghan TrainorSafe
Arike & Gleb20 Salsa"Them Girls"—Whitney MyerSafe
Adam & Jenna24 Cha-cha-cha"Sissy That Walk"—RuPaulSafe
Johnny & Emma18 Foxtrot"Centerfield"—John FogertyEliminated
Tonya & Sasha23 Foxtrot"When You Believe"—Whitney Houston & Mariah CareyLast to be called safe
Josh & Sharna24 Cha-cha-cha"Finesse"—Bruno MarsSafe

Week 2: Team Dance Week

Individual judges' scores in the charts below are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Rashad Jennings, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.
The couples performed one unlearned dance and a team dance celebrating an iconic decade in sports. Paso doble and quickstep are introduced.
;Running order

Week 3: MVP Night (Semifinals)

Individual judges' scores in the charts below are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, David Ross, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.
The couples performed one unlearned dance dedicated to the "MVP" in their lives, and participated in "ballroom battle" dance-offs for extra points. Former contestants were brought in to mentor the couples for the ballroom battles. Nastia Liukin mentored Jennie & Keo and Tonya & Sasha. Meryl Davis, season 18 champion, mentored Adam & Jenna and Mirai & Alan. Von Miller mentored Chris & Witney and Josh & Sharna. Contemporary, jive and rumba are introduced.
;Running order
CoupleScoresDanceMusicResult
Mirai & Alan35 Quickstep"BO$$"—Fifth HarmonyEliminated
Jennie & Keo29 Viennese waltz"The Rest of Our Life"—Tim McGraw & Faith HillEliminated
Chris & Witney33 Foxtrot"I Got Rhythm"—Ray ChewEliminated
Tonya & Sasha33 Rumba"See You Again"—Tyler WardSafe
Adam & Jenna39 Contemporary"O"—ColdplaySafe
Josh & Sharna36 Contemporary"Stand by Me"—BootstrapsLast to be called safe

Week 4: Finals

The final three couples performed one unlearned dance inspired by their journey on the show and a freestyle. Jazz is introduced.
;Running order
CoupleScoresDanceMusicResult
Tonya & Sasha26 Viennese waltz"The Time of My Life"—David CookRunner-up
Tonya & Sasha30 Freestyle"I Will Survive "— The Pussycat DollsRunner-up
Josh & Sharna27 Foxtrot"Conqueror"—Empire cast feat. Estelle & Jussie SmollettRunner-Up
Josh & Sharna30 Freestyle"Walk on Water"—Thirty Seconds to MarsRunner-Up
Adam & Jenna30 Jazz"Anything You Can Do"—Bernadette Peters & Tom WopatWinners
Adam & Jenna28 Freestyle"Scooby Doo Pa Pa"—DJ KassWinners

Dance chart

The celebrities and professional partners danced one of these routines for each corresponding week: