Coming off the 2024 Paris Olympics are many of the USA’s top gymnasts. And many of them seem to not like taking a well-deserved break either! Swapping their leotards for sequins and sparkles, some of the most decorated gymnasts, including names like Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik, are getting ready to give it their all on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS).
As the stars tango, foxtrot, and the cha-cha their way into glory, the 2024 season of DWTS is already creating a buzz. And why wouldn’t it? Apart from the show being back in all its glory, they are coming back with a star-studded ensemble. The contestants for 2024 include names like Dwight Howard, Eric Roberts, Danny Amendola, and Chandler Kinney, amongst others. As the world moves toward the glitz of 2024, it is the perfect time to take a sneak into history!
Learn about the gymnasts who participated in Dancing With The Stars
While Stephen Nedoroscik leads by example, history speaks of gymnasts who have not only made their mark at the Olympics but also twirled their way across the DWTS stage. One of the first names that comes to mind has to be the gymnastics G.O.A.T., Simone Biles. Biles partnered with Sasha Farber in DWTS season 24. The now eleven-time Olympic medalist was a fan favorite throughout the season. The real twist came when, despite receiving two perfect scores, Biles was eliminated. But the list definitely doesn’t end there!
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Artistic – Gymnastics Training – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 3, 2021. Simone Biles of the United States and Sunisa Lee of the United States during training. REUTERS/Mike BlakeAnother name to have left a mark on the dance floor is Suni Lee. Following Biles’ footsteps, Lee also went on to partner with Sasha Farber on the 30th run of the show. The six-time Olympic medalist made it all the way to the semifinals. But unfortunately, she ended up finishing fifth. However, unlike most other contestants, DWTS was a way of finding herself for Suni Lee.
Let’s not forget the iconicity of Laurie Hernandez on the dance floor. In season 23, Laurie went on to shock the world. Coming from the 2016 Olympic success, she went on to partner with Val Chmerkovskiy. The two went on to blow the judges away and even scored eight perfect 10s! And to make it more noteworthy, Laurie Hernandez did the same when she was 16, making her the youngest DWTS champion ever. Her standout performance was a sizzling Argentine tango to “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago.
The 2008 Olympic all-around champion is another name from the gymnastics community to make it to the dance floor. Nastia Liukin paired up with Derek Hough for season 20. Liukin, unlike Laurie, had a bit of a rough journey towards the end of the competition. Nastia Liukin made it all the way to the semi-finals but was eliminated after a dance-off, placing fourth. Despite the rocky roads, Liukin’s performance to this day remains one to remember.
Of course, we can’t mention gymnasts on DWTS without talking about Shawn Johnson. Shawn was the youngest DWTS champion when she won the Mirrorball Trophy in season 8. She was seventeen! Liukin had partnered with Mark Ballas. This wasn’t the only time Shawn was on DWTS! She returned for the all-star season in 2012, and while she didn’t take home the trophy that time, she still danced her heart out with Derek Hough, finishing second. Shawn Jhonson reminds me of one of DWTS’s all-time favorites.
Last but certainly not least is Aly Raisman. Aly is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who competed in season 16. Much like Shawn, Aly went on to pair up with Mark Ballas. The duo finished fourth. The biggest reason for the medal slipping was that the judges felt she struggled with showing emotion in her performances. The great thrills of the past are simply iconic, but the new roster of contestants brings equally thrilling elements in 2024!
Stephen Nedoroscik is making history as the first male gymnast on DWTS
2024 is the year of Nedoroscik. After capturing headlines at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Stephen is yet again flooding the papers. He is sending waves across the athletics world as the first male gymnast to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy. Partnering with pro dancer Rylee Arnold, Stephen, satisfying the anticipations of many, went on to create a splash with his performance to Adam Lambert’s version of “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
The gymnast brought his pommel horse mettle to the dance floor. Their performance scored 21 out of 30, placing him fourth among the 13 couples. Despite his current standing in DWTS, Stephen Nedoroscik remains cool and collected. He even went on to say, “I mean, we were aiming for at least one seven, so we were, you know, so excited. Three sevens was like amazing for us. Of course, like, we didn’t win today, but that wasn’t the goal. The goal was to get one seven. We got three.” Reflecting his optimistic outlook, will the 2024 season of Dancing with the Stars see the gymnast take home the Mirrorball Trophy? Keep an eye on this space for further updates!
