If you were watching TV back in 2009, you probably remember the tiny powerhouse with the permanent smile and the Olympic gold medal around her neck. Shawn Johnson was the "it girl" of gymnastics, fresh off her Beijing success. But when she traded the chalk for sequins, everyone had the same question: did Shawn Johnson win Dancing with the Stars? The short answer is yes. She won. But the long answer is a bit more complicated because she actually competed twice, and that second run still sparks heated debates in Reddit threads and dance forums today.
The Night Shawn Johnson Won the Mirrorball
It was Season 8. The year was 2009. Shawn was just 17 years old, making her the youngest contestant to ever compete—and eventually win—at that point in the show's history. She was paired with Mark Ballas, and honestly, they were a match made in heaven. Mark is known for being a bit of a "mad scientist" with his choreography, and Shawn had the athletic discipline to pull off literally anything he threw at her.
The finale was intense. It wasn't a blowout victory by any means. In fact, it was the closest finale the show had ever seen. She was up against Gilles Marini, the French actor who was basically the "perfect" technical dancer.
When Tom Bergeron announced the winner, Shawn had beaten Gilles by less than one percent of the vote. One percent! It was a total nail-biter. She walked away with the Mirrorball Trophy, proving that gymnastics and ballroom dance have a lot more in common than people realize.
The All-Stars Heartbreak (Season 15)
Fast forward to 2012. ABC decided to bring back the "best of the best" for an All-Stars season. Naturally, Shawn was invited back. This time, she wasn't with Mark; she was paired with Derek Hough.
If you know anything about Dancing with the Stars, you know Derek Hough is the G.O.A.T. pairing. Together, they were "The Incredibles." They were pulling off stunts that shouldn't have been legal on a dance floor.
But did Shawn Johnson win Dancing with the Stars the second time around?
Nope. She came in second.
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She lost to Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani. It was a huge upset for a lot of fans. Shawn and Derek were the frontrunners for almost the entire season. They even got a perfect score for a freestyle that featured the "Fierce Five" Olympic gymnastics team. But a controversial Quickstep in the finals—where they broke a few "traditional" ballroom rules—cost them some points with the judges, particularly Len Goodman.
Why Her Wins (and Losses) Still Matter
Looking back, Shawn’s journey on the show changed the way people viewed athletes on the dance floor. Before her, there was this idea that gymnasts might be too "stiff" or "robotic." Shawn showed that you could take that power and turn it into grace.
Since her time on the show, we've seen a parade of Olympians like Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, and Suni Lee follow in her footsteps. But Shawn was really the one who set the gold standard.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of casual fans think she won twice because she was so dominant. Others forget she won at all because her All-Stars season with Derek Hough was so much more "viral" in the early days of social media clips.
Actually, Shawn has even joked in interviews later on about how different the two experiences were. In Season 8, she was a kid just trying to figure out how to wear heels. By Season 15, she was a seasoned pro who was treating the competition like the Olympics.
Quick Facts About Her Run
- Season 8 Partner: Mark Ballas (Result: 1st Place)
- Season 15 Partner: Derek Hough (Result: 2nd Place)
- Youngest Winner: She held the record for years until Laurie Hernandez won at age 16.
- Recent Wins: Interestingly, Shawn just won another reality show, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, in late 2025. It seems she hasn't lost that competitive edge.
If you’re looking to relive the magic, you can usually find her iconic freestyle with the "Fierce Five" or her Season 8 finale dance on YouTube. They still hold up, even years later.
If you want to dive deeper into the scores or see how she compares to other Olympic winners on the show, you should check out the official Dancing with the Stars archives or even Shawn’s own YouTube channel where she occasionally breaks down her old routines.
Next Steps:
Go watch Shawn and Derek's "Knight Rider" Bhangra from Season 15. It is widely considered one of the best routines in the history of the show, regardless of the fact that she didn't win that specific season.