Aly Raisman competed on Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars in 2013, partnering with professional dancer Mark Ballas. Fresh off her "Fierce Five" victory at the 2012 London Olympics, Raisman reached the finals and finished in fourth place. Her journey was defined by technical precision and significant emotional growth.
The Transition from Olympic Gold to the Ballroom Floor
In early 2013, the casting of Aly Raisman for Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) was a highly anticipated move for both the gymnastics and entertainment worlds. Following the massive success of Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics, Raisman was a household name. However, the transition from the rigid, perfection-oriented world of elite gymnastics to the fluid, expressive requirements of ballroom dance is notoriously difficult.
While gymnasts possess incredible core strength, flexibility, and discipline, they often struggle with the "softness" required in styles like the Rumba or the Viennese Waltz. In gymnastics, every muscle is typically tensed; in ballroom, tension can be the enemy of movement. Raisman entered the competition with the technical advantage of an athlete but the challenge of unlearning a lifetime of "stiff" posture to find the artistic "flow" the judges demanded.
As we look back from 2026, Raisman's stint on the show remains one of the most cited examples of how high-level athleticism interacts with the performing arts. She wasn't just a celebrity guest; she was a competitor who approached the ballroom with the same "Captain" mentality that led her gymnastics team to gold.
The Partnership: Team Raismanas
The pairing of Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas—dubbed "Team Raismanas" by fans—was a strategic masterstroke by the show's producers. Ballas was known for his innovative, often avant-garde choreography and his ability to push his partners toward complex, high-energy routines.
For Raisman, Ballas was more than just a teacher; he was a choreographer who understood how to highlight her power while forcing her out of her comfort zone. Throughout the season, their partnership was characterized by mutual respect and a grueling practice schedule. Raisman famously applied her Olympic training ethics to the dance studio, often requesting more hours of rehearsal than the show's standard schedule suggested. This work ethic allowed them to execute some of the most technically difficult lifts and transitions seen in Season 16.
Weekly Performance Breakdown and Scoring
Season 16 was one of the most competitive in the show's history, featuring contenders like Disney star Zendaya, country singer Kellie Pickler, and NFL star Jacoby Jones. Raisman held her own by consistently placing near the top of the leaderboard.
| Week | Dance Style | Song | Score | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha | "Live While We're Young" | 21/30 | Strong debut, but judges noted a lack of "hip action." |
| 2 | Quickstep | "Jumpin' Jack" | 24/30 | Showcased incredible speed and frame. |
| 3 | Contemporary | "Titanium" | 27/30 | Emotional breakthrough; high technical difficulty. |
| 4 | Viennese Waltz | "Give Me Love" | 27/30 | Improved fluidity and connection with Mark. |
| 5 | Samba | "Misery" | 25/30 | Included "Side-by-Side" challenge; shown as a contender. |
| 6 | Foxtrot | "Isn't She Lovely" | 27/30 | Dedicated to her grandfather; high emotional marks. |
| 7 | Salsa | "Echa Pa'lla (Manos Pa'rriba)" | 29/30 | Her highest score to date; high-energy and acrobatic. |
| 8 | Argentine Tango/Jive | "Bad"/"Big Noise" | 27/30 | Trio challenge week; technically proficient but demanding. |
| 9 | Rumba/Afro-Jazz | "When I Was Your Man" | 30/30 | Earned a perfect score for her Afro-Jazz routine. |
| 10 | Freestyle | "Icarus" | 30/30 | A masterpiece of power and storytelling. |
The Breakthrough: "Titanium" Contemporary
The third week of the competition is often when the "DWTS narrative" begins to take shape. For Aly, this was her Contemporary routine to David Guetta's "Titanium." Up to this point, judges Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba had critiqued her for being too technical and lacking emotional vulnerability. The Contemporary dance allowed Aly to utilize her gymnastics lines in a way that felt organic rather than forced. It was the first time the audience saw her "break" through the stoic Olympic exterior, a moment that solidified her as a fan favorite.
The Perfect Afro-Jazz
In the semi-finals (Week 9), Raisman and Ballas performed an Afro-Jazz routine that earned them a perfect 30/30. This was a pivotal moment because it required a level of rhythmic complexity that was entirely foreign to gymnastics training. By achieving perfection here, Raisman proved that she had successfully transitioned from an athlete following a floor routine to a dancer interpreting music.
The Finale and the Fourth-Place Finish
The Season 16 finale remains a point of discussion among Dancing with the Stars historians. Going into the final night, Raisman was statistically one of the strongest performers. Her Freestyle routine to "Icarus" by Step-Up was a tour de force, blending her world-class tumbling with intricate ballroom lifts. The routine earned a perfect score and was lauded by the judges as a "gold medal performance."
Despite her high scores and technical brilliance, Raisman was eliminated in the final round, finishing in fourth place. The top three spots went to Kellie Pickler (1st), Zendaya (2nd), and Jacoby Jones (3rd).
Why did she finish fourth?
Several factors likely contributed to Raisman’s fourth-place finish despite her high scores:
- Voter Demographics: At the time, Kellie Pickler had a massive country music fan base, and Zendaya had the Disney Channel youth vote.
- The "Gymnast Precedent": Before Aly, Shawn Johnson had won the show. Some viewers may have felt that gymnasts had an unfair advantage, leading them to vote for "underdogs" like Jacoby Jones, who showed more dramatic improvement from a lower starting point.
- The Narrative Arc: While Aly's technical growth was undeniable, Jacoby Jones's charismatic "showman" persona was highly effective for a reality TV format, which often prizes personality as much as footwork.
The Technicality of Her Performance
From a technical standpoint, Raisman’s performance on DWTS was a masterclass in posture and precision. Because of her training under coaches Mihai and Silvia Brestyan, she possessed a "power-based" style. In the ballroom, this translated to incredible stability in her spins and an ability to hold complex shapes longer than her competitors.
However, the "Brestyan's Leg" (a term in gymnastics for the powerful, slightly muscular leg shape developed by her training) was something the judges occasionally critiqued in terms of ballroom aesthetics. In Latin dances, the judges look for a specific "straight-leg" aesthetic during hip transitions. Raisman worked tirelessly to adjust her muscle memory to meet these aesthetic requirements, which is an overlooked difficulty of her season.
Comparing Aly Raisman to Other Olympic Dancers
As of 2026, we have seen numerous gymnasts compete on the show, making it possible to contextualize Aly's performance against her peers.
- Shawn Johnson (Season 8 & 15): Shawn won Season 8 and was the runner-up in the All-Stars season. She is often seen as the "gold standard" for gymnast-dancers.
- Nastia Liukin (Season 20): Known for her extreme flexibility and balletic lines, Nastia was technically superior in the ballroom but also finished fourth, mirroring Aly’s path.
- Laurie Hernandez (Season 23): Laurie won her season, largely due to her naturally expressive face and high-energy performance style that required less "emotional coaching" than Aly.
- Simone Biles (Season 24): Much like Aly, Simone was a powerhouse who faced critiques about being "too technical" and finished in fourth place.
The "fourth-place finish for the powerhouse gymnast" became a recurring theme on the show, suggesting that while judges love the technique, the voting public often gravitates toward a more traditional "journey of improvement" narrative.
Impact on Her Career and Public Image
Participating in Dancing with the Stars was a strategic move for Raisman's post-Olympic career. It allowed her to remain in the public eye during the "off-years" of the Olympic cycle and showcased a more relatable, human side of the "Final Boss" of the gymnastics floor.
The confidence she gained on the show was evident when she returned to elite competition for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Many commentators noted that her floor routine in Rio had an added layer of performance quality and "dance-ability" that was directly influenced by her time with Mark Ballas.
Common Questions About Aly Raisman’s DWTS Season
Who was Aly Raisman's partner on Dancing with the Stars?
Aly Raisman was partnered with Mark Ballas. Ballas is a two-time DWTS champion known for his complex choreography and creative themes. Their partnership was highly productive, resulting in several perfect scores and a trip to the Season 16 finals.
What place did Aly Raisman get on DWTS?
Aly Raisman finished in fourth place. Although she was a favorite to win based on technical scores, she was eliminated during the final episode, finishing behind Kellie Pickler, Zendaya, and Jacoby Jones.
What year was Aly Raisman on Dancing with the Stars?
Aly Raisman competed on the show in 2013 during Season 16. The season aired in the spring, following her successful run at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
Did Aly Raisman ever get a perfect score?
Yes, Aly Raisman received multiple perfect scores (30 out of 30) during her season. Most notably, her Afro-Jazz in the semi-finals and her Freestyle in the finale earned perfect marks from all three judges.
What was Aly Raisman's most famous dance?
Her Contemporary routine to "Titanium" and her Freestyle to "Icarus" are widely considered her most iconic performances. The "Titanium" routine is often cited as the moment she successfully transitioned from an athlete to a performer.
Final Perspective: A Legacy of Excellence
Aly Raisman’s time on Dancing with the Stars was more than just a celebrity cameo; it was a rigorous transition that challenged the boundaries of what an elite athlete can achieve in the arts. While she did not take home the Mirrorball Trophy, her fourth-place finish does not diminish the technical legacy she left on the show.
For viewers and aspiring athletes, her journey serves as a lesson in vulnerability and persistence. She proved that even a world champion has areas where they can grow, and her willingness to be "imperfect" in a new medium endeared her to millions. As we look back in 2026, Aly Raisman remains one of the most technically gifted stars to ever grace the ballroom, setting a bar for all Olympic athletes who followed in her footsteps.
If you are looking to revisit her journey, most of her performances are archived on official ABC platforms or through various digital archives of Season 16. Watching her "Icarus" freestyle remains a recommended starting point for understanding the sheer power and grace she brought to the competition.
