Heavy/ABC/Disney+ The DWTS cast paid tribute to Len Goodman.
Len Goodman’s former co-stars paid tribute to him in the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom. The late choreographer, who served as head judge on the ABC celebrity ballroom competition from 2005 until 2022, was honored six months after his death with a star-studded dance sequence on the 32nd season of “Dancing With the Stars.”
DWTS host Alfonso Ribeiro previously teased the tear-jerker tribute. Following the season 32 cast announcement, he told The Messenger and other outlets that there would be a group dance in honor of the show’s late head judge. “We’re going to definitely do something to honor him,” Ribeiro said. “There won’t be a dry eye in the house. He was the best.”
And he wasn’t kidding.
Here’s what you need to know:
Len Goodman’s DWTS Colleagues Honored Him Through Dance
All of the season 32 DWTS pro dancers participated in the dance for Goodman, including Peta Murgatroyd, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater, Sasha Farber, and newcomer Rylee Arnold.
In addition, eight veteran pros returned to the ballroom to perform for the first time in years. The returnees were Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani, Kym Johnson-Herjavec, Edyta Śliwińska, Karina Smirnoff, Anna Trebunskaya, Louis van Amstel, and last year’s mirrorball champion, Mark Ballas. DWTS judge Derek Hough and co-host Julianne Hough also performed in the tribute.
The tribute started with a video montage as the pro dancers reflected on their years with Goodman. Throwback video footage featured Mark Ballas and Derek and Julianne Hough talking about knowing Goodman since childhood. Derek Hough broke down in tears as he reflected on spending time with the late head judge.
The group then performed a waltz to the Henry Mancini song “Moon River.” Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife Jenna Johnson choreographed the dance. The DWTS women wore white gowns and the men wore black tuxedos for the performance set to a moonlit backdrop.
The dance itself started with the Hough siblings on the floor as the other DWTS couples joined in for a beautifully choreographed waltz.
As the routine ended, Goodman’s voice was heard saying, “All good things must come to an end.” A camera panned to DWTS judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba as they wept and looked toward the chair that Goodman once sat in. Tonioli and Inaba both broke down and hugged, and the pro dancers were also in tears on the dance floor as a light shone on Goodman’s chair.
Len Goodman Has Been Honored in Another Way on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
“Dancing With the Staes” pros, past and present, rehearsed in the ballroom for days ahead of the tribute dance. Of preparing for the special dance, veteran dancer Śliwińska told TV Insider, “It’s going to be like a high school reunion. I haven’t seen some of these people for years. This is going to be a great way to honor Len.”
Ahead of the tribute, Johnson told People magazine the group would be performing a traditional waltz because Goodman didn’t like ”gimmicks.”
Smirnoff told the outlet the performance would be a “love letter” to Goodman.
And Maks Chmerkovskiy, who left DWTS in 2017, paid the ultimate tribute to the late head judge. “There’s no me without Len,” he said. “And that’s the reality. So whenever there’s an opportunity to pay respect, I think I would love to be a part of that.”
Goodman now has a permanent place in the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom. In September 2023, executive producer Conrad Green announced the debut of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in honor of Goodman, beginning with season 32.
“We wanted to make Len a permanent part of this show, to always remind people the importance he’s had to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and how much he meant to all of us,” Green told USA Today ahead of the DWTS premiere.
Green added that Goodman “loves this show and will always be there, looking down on us.”
On the DWTS premiere, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Juliane Hough announced the change and the camera panned to the revamped trophy sitting on the judges’ desk. Veteran judge Carrie Ann Inaba appeared emotional as she looked over at the trophy.
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Len Goodman Tribute Leaves Ballroom in Tears: Watch Full Video