Dancing With The Stars has some of the most dedicated fans in the game. With a unique formatting that features both celebrities and professional dancers, many come for their favorite celebrity in the competition, but ultimately end up becoming a fan of the show, due to the relationships between the dancers. Even some of the biggest DWTS fans don’t know all of the details of the show, here’s 10 secret relationships you may not have known about.
‘Dancing With The Stars’ Relationships You May Have Not Known About
1. Alan Bersten Dated Hayley Erbert
In 2013, both Bersten and Erbert were a part of the reality competition show, So You Think You Can Dance. The pair allegedly dated from 2013 to 2014 according to fans on Reddit. Bersten was also romantically linked with Season 27 partner, model Alexis Ren.
2. Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov Met When They Were Younger
This married couple began dating when Karagach was 16 years old and Pashkov was 22 years old. The pair was placed together by their dance coaches in January 2009 and has since primarily competed with each other. They tied the knot on July 18, 2014 and welcomed their first child Nikita on May 30, 2023.
3. Troupe Member Hailey Bills is Jenna Johnson’s Niece
Although not a romantic relationship, many weren’t aware how Hailey Bills had joined Dancing With The Stars. Bills is the niece of professional dancer Jenna Johnson. She also used to dance with fellow professional Rylee Arnold. Bills appeared with her aunt on Dancing With The Stars Junior.
4. Britt Stewart Married Her DWTS Partner Daniel Durant
In 2022, Britt Stewart was paired with Coda actor Daniel Durant. The pair got to know each other while on the show, and eventually began dating after their time on the series ended. They tied the knot on August 23, 2025.
Artem Chigvinstev first met Carrie Ann Inaba while he competed on So You Think You Can Dance Season one. The couple began dating in 2006 and lasted roughly two and a half years. When they split, Inaba simply said “Artem and I broke up in the beginning of November. As much as our relationship was really good, [we weren’t] ‘the one’ for the other. It was very sad to let go of something that was so good on so many levels.”
Professional dancers Emma Slater and Sasha Farber dated on and off from 2011, until 2016 when they got engaged live on the show. The pair was married from 2018 to 2024, until Slater filed for divorce in February 2023. Their divorce was finalized in 2024.
7. Rylee Arnold’s Sister Was on The Show
One of the more known relationships on DWTS is Rylee Arnold’s link to the show. Ahead of her time, her sister, Lindsay Arnold paved the way. Lindsay joined the show in 2012, earning one Mirrorball in Season 25. She ultimately left the show after Season 30. Rylee appeared with her sister Lindsay on Dancing With The Stars Junior.
8. Derek Hough Dated Partner Shannon Elizabeth
Back when Hough was a professional dancer on the series, he found himself a partner on and off the dance floor. In 2008, he was paired with American Pie actress Shannon Elizabeth. The pair dated for about a year. Now, Hough is married to former DWTS troupe member Hayley Erbert.
Shannon Elizabeth & Derek Hough – Tango Dancing With The Stars Season 6 Week 7 April 28, 2008 Song: “Tanguedia II” by Astor Piazzolla Score: 27 #dancingwiththestars#dwts
One of the earliest and most famous couples to come from DWTS is none other than Robert Herjavec and Kym Johnson. The couple was paired together on the show in 2015 and began dating in May 2015. The pair wed on July 31, 2016 and are still married to the present day.
10. Both Maks, Val Chmerkovskiy Found Love on DWTS
The Chmerkovskiy brothers both found love on DWTS. Maks met Peta Murgatroyd on Broadway in 2009 and eventually began dating in 2012. They both joined DWTS in 2011 when they were only friends. Val, on the other hand, met Jenna Johnson on DWTS. They tied the knot in 2019. Both couples are married to this day, and they have children.
Did you know any of these secret relationships? Did you learn anything new? Let us know on X!
Words by:
Corey Cesare Corey Cesare is Talent Recap's Managing Editor and featured YouTube Host. She has a love of all things pop culture and an unhealthy obsession with celebrities. Corey earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Cinema/Screen Studies from the State University of New York at Oswego in 2021. She spends her spare time shooting astro, nature, and portrait photography, and coming up with movie ideas that she hopes to make into a film someday.
