23. Anna Trebunskaya
One the nicest and most patient dancers. So yeah, that counts for something!
22. Sasha Farber
We won't lie, we originally liked Sasha more as the annual Halloween prankster/most featured troupe member. But over time, we've seen the error of our thinking and apologize to the Aussie who has placed third in two seasons (with partners Tonya Harding and Ally Brooke) and is proving to be a real threat with Justina Machado this season.
21. Allison Holker
While we love that she always pushed the boundaries and rules of DWTS , her style was ultimately better suited for So You Think You Can Dance --and her Tik Tok account because we can't get enough of Allison and husband tWitch Boss' dance moves and love story.
20. Keo Motsepe
Real-talk, Keo had been partnered with the bottom of the barrel when it came to celebs with the ability to, you know, dance early in his DWTS career.
He wasn't really given a chance to shine until his sixth outing, coming in third place with Harry Potter's Evanna Lynch. But whatever, he's a prince (seriously) and we're not, so he's doing just fine.
19. Edyta Sliwinska
A consistent dancer and she and Alec are definitely one of the hottest couples to come out of DWTS, for sure. So a win for them and a win for eyeballs everywhere.
18. Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey transitioned from SYTYCD to DWTS seamlessly, and was a favorite on both. Bubbly and fun, with a penchant for creative choreography, we were sad to see her go.
17. Emma Slater
She won season 24 with Rashad Jennings and she's the pro we'd most like to grab a drink with. She seems fun!
16. Kym Johnson
The charming Aussie has two wins under her belt. But her biggest victory? Finding love with season 20 partner Robert Herjavec. They were too cute for words.
15. Louis Van Amstel
Louis could have chemistry with a brick wall. He's just a delight. Seriously, who else could've handled Paula Deen's Paula Deen-ness so well? However, he went 0-for-10 during his time on the show, a stat that cannot be ignored.
14. Alan Berstein
Talk about a slow-burn.
After years as a trusted troupe member (and memorably filling in for an injured Mark Ballas in season 22 with just one day's notice!), Alan was called up to the big show. After three seasons of slowly climbing up the leaderboard, he found success with The Bachelorette's Hannah Brown in season 28. And the reigning champ might just keep his streak going with Disney star Skai Jackson as the pair proved to be the early frontrunners in the opening week.
13. Lindsay Arnold
While she was initially a little more reserved and shy than the rest of the dancers, flying as under the radar as someone donned in that many sequins can, Lindsay emerged as a pro to be reckoned with. After coming in second in season 24, she returned to take the mirrorball trophy with Jordan Fischer the following round and the duo are still one of the best to ever compete in the ballroom.
12. Sharna Burgess
Sharna has always blown us away with her choreography, showing off her creativity and emotional connection with each of her celeb partners. After 11 seasons, she finally notched her first win in season 27, earning top scores with Bobby Bones. (Plus, she was also tapped to be a judge on the Australian version of the show.)
11. Peta Murgatroyd
Listen, Peta deserved a mirrorball for just how far she was able to go with Tommy Chong, basically carrying him on her back like a backpack. The two-time champ is one of the show's most consistent performers and her freestyle dance with Nyle DiMarco in the season 22 finals is one of DWTS' all-time great performances. (Yes, they won. Duh.)
10. Tony Dovolani
Our mom's favorite. We would've been retroactively grounded if we ranked him lower.
9. Artem Chigvintsev
Talk about a breakout star! After serving one year as a troupe member, Artem made his debut as a pro in season 19, quickly becoming a fan-fave. Just look at the outrage when he wasn't selected as a pro in seasons 21 and 28.
But his true moment to shine came in season 25, when he was paired with Total Bellas star Nikki Bella. While they came in 7th place, the pair would later go on to reconnect in 2019. Now, they are the proud parents of Matteo, who was born in July 2020, and are currently engaged.
While he hasn't come close to reaching a final, his star power just can't be denied, with the Russian dancer even getting his own special reveal as a pro on Good Morning America ahead of season 29.
8. Karina Smirnoff
We think Karina is one of the show's best dancers ever, which is why it's rather unfortunate she'd been paired with some celebs in her final seasons who just had no rhythm (Sorry, Randy Couture and Dougie Flutie, but you know it's true). Like, none. Still, Karina was awesome and deserved better in the end.
7. Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Honestly, he was probably one of the most watchable pros…and the most outspoken/unpredictable, too. We still hold out hope each season that Maks will be back, even if we are slightly afraid of what could happen when he does.
6. Cheryl Burke
After winning seasons two and three, Cheryl competed in the next 16 seasons without a win. A rough patch like that is sure to shake any pro, so Cheryl took a four-season break and her exit was kind of a big deal.
And her return in season 23 was equally as dramatic as she was paired with Ryan Lochte, fresh off of his scandal during the Rio Olympics. Still, she's yet to make it to a final, but she is married to one of our childhood crushes—Boy Meets World's Matthew Lawrence—so, you know, there's that.
5. Val Chmerkovskiy
Controversial to put the little bro ahead of the big bro? Whatever, we stand by this, as Val has proven himself to be one of DWTS' core pros. Let's look at the facts: His pairing with Rumer Willis will go down as one of the show's best ever, he has two wins and really, he should have a third because he and partner Normani were robbed in season 24. We said what we said.
4. Witney Carson
Small but mighty, Witney is a powerhouse competitor in the ballroom. She won her second season as a pro (paired with Alfonso Ribeiro) and was the runner-up in seasons 27 and 28.
3. Julianne Hough
After becoming DWTS' first major breakout star, Julianne was a pretty huge loss for the show early on (she won two times before calling it quits). Still, we always got a thrill when she would leave the judges' table to perform. You just can't take your eyes off of her.
2. Mark Ballas
The fan-fave competed in 17 (!) consecutive seasons, netted two mirroball wins and gifted us with some of the most inventive dances (and costumes) the ballroom has ever seen. We miss you, Mark!
1. Derek Hough
Let's face it, Derek is basically the face (or feet) of DWTS. With a record six wins and multiple Emmys, his passion is unparalleled and his choreography is top-notch.
And following in his sister's dance steps, he seamlessly made the transition to the judges' table in season 29. Tens across the board!