Season fourteen of Dancing with the Stars premiered on March 19, 2012, on the ABC network.
Starting the week of April 16, and for the next two weeks after that, the bottom two couples competed in a dance duel. Both couples performed at the same time, at which point the judges decided who would be eliminated that week.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd won the competition over British classical singer Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas, who finished second, and Cuban-American Telenovela star William Levy and Cheryl Burke, who finished third.
This season introduced "Ballroom Battles" where Cheryl Burke, Mark Ballas, Louis van Amstel, Lacey Schwimmer, Karina Smirnoff, and Tony Dovolani trained a pair of amateur dancers to compete against other amateur couples. The teams of Burke, Dovolani, and van Amstel competed in the final stage by performing a jive. Burke's team were named the champions by the judges with Dovolani's and van Amstel's teams taking second and third places respectively.
Contents
Cast
Couples
This season featured twelve celebrity contestants. Two new professionals were added to the dance troupe: Henry Byalikov and Emma Slater. They joined Sharna Burgess, Kiki Nyemchek, Oksana Dmytrenko, and Sasha Farber.
Host and judges
Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke Charvet returned as co-hosts, while Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli returned as judges. The Harold Wheeler orchestra and singers provided the music throughout the season.
Scoring chart
The highest score each week is indicated in bold green with a dagger (†), while the lowest score each week is indicated in italicized red with a double-dagger (‡).
Color key:
Notes
Weekly scores
Individual judges' scores in the charts below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.
Week 1: First Dances
Couples performed either the cha-cha-cha or foxtrot, and are listed in the order they performed.
Week 2: First Elimination
Couples performed either the jive or quickstep, and are listed in the order they performed.
Week 3: Most Memorable Year Week
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Week 4: Rock Week
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Week 5: Latin Week
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Judges' votes to save
Carrie Ann: Jaleel & Kym
Len: Jaleel & Kym
Bruno: Jaleel & Kym
Week 6: Motown Week
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Judges' votes to save
Carrie Ann: Gladys & Tristan
Len: Roshon & Chelsie
Bruno: Roshon & Chelsie
Week 7: Classical Week
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Judges' votes to rescue
Carrie Ann: Roshon & Chelsie
Len: Roshon & Chelsie
Bruno: Roshon & Chelsie
Week 8: Trio Week
All six couples chose one professional who was either previously eliminated or participated in the dance troupe to perform with them in their Latin routine. Two couples were eliminated at the end of the night. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Week 9: Semifinals
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Week 10: Finals
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
Night 1
Night 2
Dance chart
The couples performed the following each week:
Week 1: One unlearned dance (cha-cha-cha or foxtrot)
Week 2: One unlearned dance (jive or quickstep)
Week 3: One unlearned dance
Week 4: One unlearned dance
Week 5: One unlearned dance
Week 6: One unlearned dance & Motown marathon
Week 7: One unlearned dance & team dance
Week 8: Two unlearned dances
Week 9 (Semifinals): Two unlearned dances
Week 10 (Finals, Night 1): Judge's choice dance & freestyle
Week 10 (Finals, Night 2): 24-hour challenge