Something's in the sequins over on Dancing With the Stars this season.
The long-running show has produced its fair share of real-deal romances over the years, from temporary couplings that lost steam once there were no more sambas, to they-lived-happily-ever-after partnerships that probably wouldn't have happened if not for the ballroom.
But as DWTS' 33rd season draws to a close Nov. 26, it's hard to remember a previous installment that was so full of crackling chemistry and lovey-dovey vibes.
And that doesn't even include the pros who are married to each other, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson (who's in the finale with Joey Graziadei) and Pasha Pashkov and Daniela Karagach.
In fact, being part of an existing couple seems to be the only thing that stopped a star or a pro from being sucked into a romance narrative this season, be it real or just desperately hoped for.
The latest quest for what's now known as the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy kicked off in September with a romance already brewing between pro Gleb Savchenko and model Brooks Nader.
The pair didn't come right out and admit it, but nor did they bother to hide their attraction to one another during rehearsals, in front of the judges or during their little post-performance interviews while awaiting their scores. (Let alone on the floor: Rumba set to "Sexual Healing," anyone?)
"We’re just having fun, honestly, and you know, just living our life," Brooks told E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi after DWTS' Sept. 24 episode. Added Gleb, "Listen, when you rehearse together for such long hours and days, you create a certain chemistry. Especially, like, when we dance together, it’s there."
To which Brooks cheekily added, "We also are fond of each other."
But the show-fueled romance seemed to sputter after they were eliminated Oct. 15, Gleb eventually admitting that he'd sent some sort of fateful text and he and Brooks were no longer a thing.
"We haven't spoken," he told Too Fab Nov. 12. "I really actually do miss her because she's the vibe. She's a really cool person. And I had the best time. When you asked me if I had the best time on the season, absolutely. This is one of my best seasons."
Gleb and Brooks have since been spotted out together (he confirmed they'll be performing on the season finale, as eliminated couples usually return to do), but—true to form—he directed all inquiries about their relationship status to TikTok.
"Just follow me and follow Brooks," he told E! Nov. 18, "and it’s all there."
And they aren't the only ones dropping bread crumbs on social media.
Jenn Tran, who joined the ABC show fresh from her devastating breakup with Bachelorette-abetted fiancé Devin Strader, has at the very least found an extremely supportive friend in pro partner Sasha Farber.
And since he's divorced from fellow pro Emma Slater, whose run with Family Matters dad Reginald VelJohnson ended Oct. 8, viewers decided that Sasha was the guy for Jenn.
Learning about what she'd been through right before they met, "it sounds horrible," Sasha told E! after Jenn revealed she'd be exorcising her broken-engagement demons through dance. "And I’m here for her, and I’m going to support her. And I just met her, but I feel like I’m gonna be there for her all the time."
And by "all the time" he meant...
"We spent the past seven weeks attached at the hip," Jenn said following their bittersweet Oct. 29 elimination, having just earned their first 10 from judge Carrie Ann Inaba. "I can’t even imagine a life without Sasha at this point, and I didn’t even know him seven weeks ago."
Cozily, she didn't have to move on right away. Instead, she revealed that she was crashing at his place—and enjoying the company of his dogs—while she figured out her next step.
In the meantime, he's definitely her "BFF," Jenn noted on the Nov. 14 episode of the Sorry We're Cyrus podcast. But, she added, "If you say boyfriend, he’s going to freak out."
Whatever they're up to, it's been enough to irk her ex Devin, who on Nov. 9 replied to an Instagram comment shipping Jenn and Sasha with, "Sasha is a girls [sic] name."
Devin was promptly treated to a Russian lesson, Sasha posting to his Instagram Story Nov. 11, "The name Sasha is short for Alexander. You know who else had the name Alexander the Great!!! FYI."
Among other superlatives: "Whoever choreographed this opening is the hottest and most talented pro ever and should be still dancing in the semi finals," Jenn wrote Nov. 21 atop a reel featuring Sasha dancing with the ensemble.
She captioned the post, "Who said that that’s crazy." Sasha then commented, "Busted."
And he marked her 27th birthday Nov. 25 with quite the heartfelt tribute, calling Jenn not just "nothing but a joy to work with," but also someone who "made me realize that life is one big dance and we can dance through it together!"
It does take two to tango.
But all this are-they-or-aren't-they has not been enough for the fans, who've shipped Olympian Ilona Maher and pro partner Alan Bersten all the way to the finale.
"We see it all over. And honestly, keep doing it people. We love it," Ilona told E! after the Nov. 12 show regarding the hopes that the pair are lifting each other up off-camera as well. "If ship means relationship, we are the besties. I think him and I get along truly so well, and we have a lot of fun together."
The rugby player has made it clear that she's on the market and ready to meet Mr. Right, telling People in October that her ideal guy was "somebody who's really proud to see me shine and wants me to keep growing—someone who shows me off."
In a season full of super-supportive partnerships, theirs definitely stands out.
Meanwhile, the show has also produced double-date fodder in Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and pro partner Rylee Arnold, whose recently Instagram-official romance with USC football player Walker Lyons got a conference seal of approval from Stephen's longtime sweetheart Tess McCracken.
"The best ones are Big 10," Tess—who's been with fellow Penn State alum Stephen since before freshman year even began—commented on Rylee's post.
And to think, this season would have been memorable enough if it had just featured judge Derek Hough's waterfall-of-tears-inducing dance with wife Hayley Erbert, her first DWTS performance since undergoing emergency surgery to treat a burst blood vessel in her brain last December.
"For me, this dance is just a moment for us to be together again, on stage, doing what we love," Derek, his voice thick with emotion, said in a video recapping Hayley's journey before they took the floor. "The fact that we're able to dance together again is nothing short of a miracle."
No matter who is hoisting the mirror ball at the end of the night, Dancing With the Stars had more than one winning couple this season.
And check out who else has waltzed off the DWTS stage with a real-life romance, or at least a funny story about dating rumors:
Gleb Savchenko & Brooks Nader
The season 33 partners dated for about seven months between 2024 and spring 2025.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Emma Slater & Alan Bersten
In April 2025, the fellow DWTS pros kissed on the lips onstage on the final night of the series' 2025 tour during their show-closing duet dance, confirming months of romance rumors.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal, as their colleague Ezra Sosa wrote "FINALLY" in response to a fans' video of the pair's smooch.
Gabby Windey & Vinny Guadagnino
The former Bachelorette and the Jersey Shore star stoked dating rumors during their time competing against one another on season 31, thanks to their flirtations on social media and coy responses when asked about their possible romance.
"You get to know the other celebrities on Dancing with the Stars," Gabby told E! News in December 2022. "So, we formed a friendship right away and I feel like our senses of humor are really similar. I was so tunnel vision during the competition. I was like, 'I'm here to win' and I didn't have room for anything else. So, we live in different states, but we are having fun. We'll see."
Showmance or Real Deal: Forget GTL, this one was DOA. The pair never ended up officially dating and Gabby debuted her romance with comedian and TV writer Robby Hoffman in August 2023.
Britt Stewart & Daniel Durant
Months after placing fifth in the 31st season of the dance show, the couple confirmed their romance on Valentine's Day 2023. "My Valentine," the CODA actor captioned a selfie with the choreographer. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
Britt and Daniel then announced their engagement in December 2023.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Alek Skarlatos & Emma Slater
While she was partnered with Hayes Grier, the two hit it off during season 21's Switch Up week, with Alek calling her "so hot." After her elimination, Emma spilled that she and Alek had yet to go on a date, saying, "We'll see."
Showmance or Real Deal: Given Alek's tendency to blush and avoid answering questions about his feelings for Emma, telling E! News "no comment!" we think this crush was very real. But Emma danced away off the market following Skarlatos' 2015 run, so if it was real, it wasn't that real.
Sasha Farber & Jenn Tran
The dance pro and Bachelorette alum were romantically linked while competing together on DWTS' season 33 in 2024. However, their offscreen chemistry fizzled out by June 2025 shortly after Jenn returned to Miami to finish her master's degree.
Showmance or Real Deal: Unconfirmed.
Emma Slater & Sasha Farber
Which bring us to these two. After dating a little on and off since 2011, the pros got engaged live on the show in October 2016, and were married in March 2018. However, in Aug. 2022, E! News confirmed that after four years of marriage, Slater and Farber were going their separate ways.
Showmance or Real Deal? Despite the outcome, they were still the real deal and have remained close friends and cordial co-stars after their split.
"It's not a nightmare at all," Emma exclusively told E! News. "We support each other so much that I want the very best for Sasha. We support each other, very, very truly."
Val Chmerkovskiy & Jenna Johnson
Val and Jenna were dating in 2015, before she was promoted to pro dancer. They got engaged in June of 2018 before making it official and walking down the aisle in April of 2019. In July 2022, they announced they were expecting their first baby together. The two welcomed son Rome Valentin in January 2023.
"Life is awesome," Val told E! News in May 2023. Becoming a dad "definitely elevated my joy for life, my joy for my family, and every day I learn something new being a father."
Showmance or Real Deal? Real deal, y'all!
Chrishell Stause & Keo Motsepe
In December 2020, E! News learned the Selling Sunset star was dating the Dancing With the Stars pro after they had competed separately on season 29.
However, after two months of dating, E! News exclusively confirmed they had called it quits. At the time, a source close to the realtor said, "They had a fun time together but in the end, decided it would be best if they part ways. They are still friendly and cordial. It wasn't a messy breakup, just wasn't the right fit or right timing."
Chrishell has since found love with partner G Flip.
Showmance or Real Deal: We're calling Chrishell and Keo's romance the real deal.
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev
Platonic throughout their seventh-place-finishing 2017 run, the Total Bellas star and the former Dancing With the Stars pro found their way back to each other after her split from John Cena in 2018. Nikki confirmed her relationship with Artem in May 2019, and they got engaged later that year.
The WWE Hall of Famer learned she was expecting soon after their Paris engagement, with them welcoming son Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev in 2020.
Sadly, though, the pair are no longer partnering up. Nikki filed for divorce in September 2024, two weeks after Artem was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. Ultimately, the Napa County District Attorney's office announced they decided not to file charges against him "after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office."
Nikki and Artem settled their divorce in November 2024, with her rep noting the two also dropped their "the domestic violence restraining orders against each other in an effort to move on with their lives and effectively co-parent their son."
Showmance or Real Deal? Real deal.
Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten
Model Alexis and relatively new pro Alan flirted up a storm throughout season 27, and Ren had admitted on the show that she had a crush on him. At the time, a source even told E! News that they "really enjoy each other's company" and were "seeing where things go."
Showmance or Real Deal? All for the cameras, unfortunately. Multiple outlets reported their split in December 2018, blaming it on long-distance and demanding schedules.
Peta Murgatroyd & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
The professional dancers got engaged on Dec. 5, 2015 after dating since 2012. Maks proposed onstage at the SWAY: A Dance Trilogy event in Miami. Six months after welcoming their son Shai, the lovebirds exchanged vows during a lavish ceremony in July 2017. They then welcomed baby Rio in June 2023 and their third son Milan in July 2024.
Showmance or Real Deal: A match made in DWTS heaven!
Sabrina Bryan & Mark Ballas
The partners struck up a romance in season five, but broke up a few months after their shocking exit. Still, Sabrina and Mark remained friendly, with The Cheetah Girls star even returning to the ballroom to cheer for him the following season.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
James Maslow & Peta Murgatroyd
Funnily enough, the duo had gone out on several dates before he even signed up for the show. And while they denied any romance rumors during season 18, that didn't stop them from playing up their chemistry during performances.
Showmance or Real Deal: Total showmance.
Robert Herjavec & Kym Johnson
Soon after the Shark Tank star announced he was separating from his wife of 14 years Diane Plese, sources confirmed to E! News that he and Kym Johnson, his pro partner from season 20, were dating and "really happy together."
While Robert and Kym at first played coy about the nature of their relationship, that quickly stopped. They were engaged in February 2016, married by June 2016, and welcomed twins in April 2018.
Showmance or Real Deal: Very, very, very real.
Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff
Partnered in season three, Karina and Mario quickly struck up a romance, which went on for two years, before they called it off for good in 2008. "The relationship wasn't heading in the right direction," Smirnoff's rep said in a statement, after rumors of infidelity on Lopez's part.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Karina Smirnoff & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
The professional dancers got engaged in 2009 following just six months of dating, shortly after her split from Mario Lopez. Sadly, they called it off later that same year. But the duo remained friendly, even going on vacations together.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Daniella Karagach & Pasha Pashkov
Married since 2014, the pros announced the arrival of their daughter Nikita in May 2023.
Daniella shared the happy news by posting a photo and video of Pasha with Nikita to Instagram Stories. She wrote "daddy's girl" alongside the clip and "My Geminis" beside the picture.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal, baby!
Shannon Elizabeth & Derek Hough
After showing off their insane chemistry during the sixth season, the duo dated for nearly a year before announcing their 2009 breakup in the most cordial way ever: matching tweets! "Hi everyone, we wanted you all to know directly from us, that Shannon & I have decided to end our relationship as boyfriend & girlfriend...," Derek tweeted that August. Finished Shannon, "However, we love and care about each other very much and will remain friends and in each others lives."
Derek is now married to his dance partner Hayley Erbert.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Meryl Davis & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Though they dodged questions about their reported romance during season 18, a source told E! News that the eventual champs were just friends.
Showmance or Real Deal: This time, 'twas a showmance.
Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke
While they never technically dated, it didn't stop him from trying to woo his professional partner during season 10, even buying her gifts like a diamond necklace and a diamond ring, which she eventually gave back. "We had a fling," Cheryl later told Wendy Williams. "A little flirty fling. Like, a little flirt, flirt. That's it."
Showmance or Real Deal: Showmance!
Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
One of DWTS' most playful pairings, rumors continued about their relationship for all of season 10, and they weren't doing anything to stop them! Seriously, they staged an almost-kiss on a bed for one of their finale performances. Their banter continued eight cycles later when Erin signed on as the show's co-host.
Erin is now married to former NHL centre Jarret Stoll. They welcomed son Mack in July 2023.
Showmance or Real Deal: We're calling those Erin and Maks rumors a showmance.
Brant Daugherty & Peta Murgatroyd
While rumors ran rampant that the duo struck up a romance during season 17, the Pretty Little Liars star always denied that he was dating Peta.
Showmance or Real Deal: Showmance!