Top 10 Most Insane Lifts & Tricks on Dancing with the Stars
#10: Kellie Pickler & Derek Hough Freestyle
Season 16 of “Dancing with the Stars” was arguably the most competitive in the show’s history. A young Zendaya and country star Kellie Pickler were neck and neck in the finale, with Pickler’s win coming down to her freestyle performance with Derek Hough. The duo’s contemporary routine blended difficult tricks, balletic lines and touching raw emotion. Of several impressive lifts, the one that wowed the most had to be a spin with Pickler facing outwards, her feet on her partner’s shoulders with her chest parallel to the ground to reflect the vulnerability of the song. Flowing transitions in and out of this lift elevate it to an all-time great finale moment.
#9: Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold Freestyle
Out of all the professionals on “Dancing with the Stars”, fans could count on Lindsay Arnold to deliver showstopping lifts every week. For her finale freestyle with actor Jordan Fisher, she let her partner catch some air for a change. Jordan flips head-over-heels not once, but twice with the help of all of their backup dancers in a cheerleading-style stunt. While this isn’t the most difficult lift on the list, it’s a fittingly grand ending to a fast-paced freestyle that showcases Jordan’s larger-than-life dancing style. Rest assured, this won’t be Lindsay Arnold’s only appearance on this list.
#8: Calvin Johnson, Lindsay Arnold, & Witney Carson Trio Salsa
Choreographing a trio ballroom dance is a challenge on its own, but it’s downright wild to throw in a three-person spinning lift. NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson showed his strength and coordination in a festive salsa set to Daddy Yankee. The highlight was one of the toughest lifts ever seen on the show. Both pros were in backbends around Calvin’s shoulders and waist, and the speed of their spin? Dizzying. Johnson more than lived up to his nickname “Megatron,” completing this feat of strength without even using his hands. Instead, he spreads them out to each side with a huge and well-deserved smile on his face.
#7: Drew Scott & Emma Slater Jazz
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While some tricks mesmerize an audience with their grace, others leave the crowd breathless simply because they look super dangerous. This team’s jazz dance lift falls into the latter category, but it still makes a big impression. While dancing to a jazzy cover of Usher’s “Yeah,” Drew Scott from “Property Brothers” swung his pro Emma Slater around like nobody’s business. With each rotation, her head looked like it was inches from crashing into the floor, but we’re sure she was in good hands. After all, swinging a sledgehammer and swinging a professional ballroom dancer are basically the same thing, right?
#6: Noah Galloway & Sharna Burgess Freestyle
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Former soldier Noah Galloway had an inspiring run on “Dancing with the Stars”, showing America what he could accomplish even after losing his left arm and leg in the Iraq war. He displayed incredible grace and athleticism across the series, including several strength-based lifts. In his finale freestyle with partner Sharna Burgess, two backup dancers helped flip Burgess up into a suspended horizontal lift. Noah held her solidly as the others rolled away, creating a dramatic moment that matched the “Titanium” and “Fix You” medley. The most memorable tricks tie into the dancers’ storytelling, and this one represented Galloway’s entire uplifting season beautifully.
#5: Iman Shumpert & Daniella Karagach Jazz
The pros have to use their celebrity partner’s skills wisely. Daniella Karagach got the most out of NBA player Iman Shumpert’s height and strength with lifts that kept getting crazier every week. The pair’s semi-final jazz performance was wall-to-wall lifts, opening with a one-armed deadlift and continuing into a spinning one with multiple around-the-world tosses. The most show-stopping stunt of the entire season came at the end, when Karagach casually stood on Shumpert’s collarbones as if she were waiting for the bus. As always, Shumpert made lifting his partner look effortless, but when they both extended their arms to the side, the lift went from impressive to impossible-looking.
#4: Calvin Johnson & Lindsay Arnold Argentine Tango
You’ve heard of a double rainbow, but what about the ballroom dancing equivalent: the double windmill? Calvin Johnson and Lindsay Arnold’s Argentine Tango contains one of the series’ best tricks. This time, the NFL legend doesn’t rely on raw strength but rather grace, coordination, and musicality. Holding Arnold by the waist, he flips her into one cartwheel, and then a second that rolls over the backs of his shoulders. This buttery-smooth lift synchronizes perfectly with the musical phrase of “Hotel California” and makes for a perfectly hypnotic effect. We’ve watched this trick several times now, and still aren’t sure how the pair pulls it off.
#3: Lindsey Stirling & Mark Ballas Freestyle
There’s being multitalented, there’s flexing, and then there’s violinist Lindsey Stirling’s freestyle from the season 25 finale. This two-and-a-half minute performance is so full of tricks it feels like a full-length symphony. The first shock comes when the backup dancers part to reveal a mid-dance violin performance. Lindsey plays over her partner Mark’s shoulder while executing tango footwork and keeps the phrase going as she flips onto his shoulders. Her body control and pose while in the spin is impressive even without the added challenge of intonation, bowing and the half-dozen other things violinists have to think about to play a single note. Degree of difficulty: off the charts.
#2: Janel Parrish & Val Chmerkovskiy Freestyle
Lifts are peak drama, and no one delivered drama quite like actress Janel Parrish and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy during season 19. The pair brought sizzling chemistry every week, and it all culminated in one simple but jaw-dropping lift in night one of the finale. At the climax of a passionate contemporary dance, Chmerkovskiy bench-pressed Parrish from the floor and held her over his head. The lift showcases not only his strength but also her trust in him, which is just as remarkable, as she stays completely relaxed and poised from start to finish. So many elements make this lift more than just a trick. Chmerkovskiy’s smile as he catches her, the violin swell and the dismount almost-kiss put this one in the “Dancing with the Stars” history books.
#1: Shawn Johnson & Derek Hough Freestyle
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When Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson went on the show, some expected her to rely on acrobatics to rack up the points. Instead, Johnson leaned hard into ballroom mastery, becoming one of the most technically skilled celebs ever seen on the show. In the gymnast’s all-stars finale freestyle, however, the gloves came off. Shawn stood on her pro Derek’s shoulders and both of them fell forwards at once, like a giant human domino, all the way to the floor. The stunt is so smooth that by the time they finish their somersaults, you forget how terrifying it looked in the first few seconds. While it would be epic for a pair to top this lift, future contestants should probably leave the dangerous stunts to those who do it for a living. What do you think was the most impressive lift or trick on “Dancing with the Stars”? Let us know in the comments!
