Dancing with the Stars
Season 12
Promotional poster, featuring pro dancers Cheryl Burke and Dmitry Chaplin
Hosted by	Tom Bergeron Brooke Burke
Judges	Carrie Ann Inaba Len Goodman Bruno Tonioli
Celebrity winner	Hines Ward
Professional winner	Kym Johnson
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	19
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	March 21 (2011-03-21) – May 24, 2011 (2011-05-24)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 11 Next → Season 13

Season twelve of Dancing with the Stars premiered on March 21, 2011, on the ABC network.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward and Kym Johnson were the winners of the competition, while actress Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy finished second, and Disney star Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas finished third.

Cast

Couples

This season featured eleven celebrity contestants. The cast was revealed on February 28, 2011, during The Bachelor,^[1] and the professional partners were revealed on March 2.^[2] Hip-hop artist Romeo, who had been slated to appear on season 2 before he had to withdraw due to an injury, was one of the contestants to compete this season.^[3] This was also the first season to feature a dance troupe, which consisted of six dancers: Oksana Dmytrenko, Tristan MacManus,^[4] Peta Murgatroyd, Kiki Nyemchek, Nicole Volynets, and Ted Volynets.^[5]

Future appearances

Kirstie Alley returned for the All-Stars season, where she was again paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Host and judges

Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Len Goodman returned to the show as judges, while Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke returned as co-hosts.^[1]

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

The couples danced either the cha-cha-cha or foxtrot. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 2: First Elimination

The couples danced either the jive or quickstep. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 3: Personal Story Week

The couples performed one unlearned dance. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 4: Classical Week

The couples performed one unlearned dance. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 5: American Week

The couples performed one unlearned dance. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 6: Guilty Pleasure Week

The couples performed one unlearned dance. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 7: Ballroom Greats Week

Individual judges scores in the chart below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Donnie Burns, Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.

The six couples were divided into two teams to perform a cha-cha-cha team dance, and each couple also performed one unlearned dance. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 8: Instant Choreography Week

Each couple performed two dances. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 9: Semifinals

Each couple performed two unlearned dances, plus competed in a "winner takes all" cha-cha-cha dance relay. Two couples faced off against each other, with the winners from each match competing against each other for fifteen bonus points. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 10: Finals

On the first night, the three couples performed two dances: a redemption dance selected by one of the judges, which was a style they had already performed earlier in the competition, and their freestyle routine. On the second night, each couple performed their favorite dance. 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
• Week 7: One unlearned dance & team dance
• Week 8: One unlearned dance & instant dance
• Week 9 (Semifinals): Two unlearned dances & cha-cha-cha dance-off
• Week 10 (Finals, Night 1): Judge's choice dance & freestyle
• Week 10 (Finals, Night 2): Favorite dance of the season

Ratings

Dancing with the Stars tied with Modern Family, a sitcom which also airs on ABC, for the season's No. 5 spot in the age 18–49 demographic of viewers, and placed at No. 3 on the rankings of the overall season.^[6]