On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Jordan Chiles, the 24-year-old Olympic gymnast, and her professional dance partner Ezra Sosa, 32, delivered a performance that left the ABC Studios audience breathless — and judges speechless. Their Argentine Tango, performed during the Dancing With The Stars Season 33 semifinalsBurbank, California, earned a staggering 57 out of 60 points, including the first perfect 10 of Chiles’ life — in any sport, on any stage. The score, the highest of the semifinals round, wasn’t just a number. It was a release. A redemption. A little girl who once dreamed of perfection in the gym finally heard the words she never thought she’d hear: “Ten.”
From Gymnastics Floor to Dance Floor
Jordan Chiles didn’t just walk onto the DWTS floor as a celebrity contestant. She carried the weight of a career defined by near-misses. At the 2020 Tokyo OlympicsTokyo, she helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team win bronze, but never received a perfect 10. Not in qualifications. Not in finals. Not even in practice. "I’ve spent my whole life chasing that number," Chiles told PEOPLE magazine in an exclusive interview the next day. "I thought I’d never get it. And then, tonight…" Her voice cracked. She didn’t need to finish.Her partner, Ezra Sosa, a seasoned pro with five seasons under his belt, didn’t just choreograph the routine — he became her emotional anchor. "He didn’t just lead me," Chiles said backstage. "He held me when I was afraid to leap." Their tango was a study in controlled fire — sharp hips, sudden stops, eyes locked, every movement dripping with intention. When the final note faded, judge Carrie Ann Inaba didn’t just raise her 10. She stood up.
The Judges’ Reaction: More Than Numbers
Judge Derek Hough, a six-time champion and former elite athlete himself, leaned into the camera at 0:01:39 and said, "Jordan, listen. I know what it’s like to chase perfection. The scores, the rankings — they’re not just about technique. They’re about heart." His words weren’t flattery. They were recognition.Chiles’ second dance — a Viennese waltz earlier in the night — had already earned 27 points. The tango? 30. Combined, 57. No other semifinalist hit 55. Even Robert Herjavec, the 62-year-old billionaire entrepreneur and former DWTS contestant, couldn’t match it. His waltz to Prince’s "Breakfast Can Wait" drew solid marks — 52 — but lacked the raw vulnerability Chiles poured into every step.
Host Julianne Hough, a two-time DWTS champion, found Chiles in tears after the performance. "You want to share anything?" Hough asked gently. Chiles, still catching her breath, replied: "Honestly… that little girl in me? She should be so proud." It wasn’t just about dancing. It was about healing.
Voting, Charity, and the Final Countdown
The live broadcast cut to a stark reminder at 0:03:55: "If you’ve been voting all season — don’t stop now." Voting closed at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on November 19, 2025, via the DWTS app, ABC.com, and SMS. With 10 million votes tallied by midnight, Chiles and Sosa led by a 12% margin over their closest competitor.Chiles isn’t dancing just for the Mirrorball. She’s dancing for the Women’s Sports Foundation. A $250,000 donation awaits the winners — money that could fund scholarships, youth programs, and mental health resources for young female athletes. "I’ve seen what happens when girls stop believing they’re enough," Chiles said in the PEOPLE magazine interview. "This isn’t just about me winning. It’s about giving them a reason to keep going."
The Road to the Finale
The Dancing With The Stars Season 33 finaleABC Studios, Burbank, California is set for November 26, 2025, at 8:00 PM Eastern. Two other couples remain: Herjavec and Carson, and a surprise breakout pair — TikTok star Layla Rodriguez and pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy. But momentum is with Chiles and Sosa. They’ve earned the highest score of the season. They’ve made the judges cry. They’ve made a nation of girls who’ve never been told they’re perfect… believe they might be.What’s remarkable isn’t just the 57/60. It’s that in a world obsessed with winning, Chiles didn’t just win — she transformed. She turned a dance floor into a therapy room. A scoreboard into a mirror. And for the first time in her life, she looked at herself — not as an Olympian, not as a contender — but as someone who finally, truly, deserved every single point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was this perfect 10 so meaningful for Jordan Chiles?
Jordan Chiles never received a perfect 10 in her entire gymnastics career — not in the Olympics, not in NCAA competitions, not even in practice. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, she helped Team USA win bronze, but scoring in gymnastics rarely reaches 10.0 due to strict deductions. On DWTS, the 10 is attainable, and for Chiles, this marked the first time she was judged flawless in any discipline. She called it the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Who are the other finalists in DWTS Season 33?
Alongside Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, the other finalists are businessman Robert Herjavec with professional dancer Whitney Carson, and TikTok personality Layla Rodriguez with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy. Herjavec and Carson scored 52/60 in the semifinals, while Rodriguez and Chmerkovskiy earned 54/60 — making Chiles and Sosa the clear frontrunners heading into the finale.
How does DWTS scoring work, and why is 57/60 so rare?
Each of the three judges awards 1–10 points per dance, meaning a maximum of 30 points per routine. With two dances in the semifinals, the top possible score is 60. A 57/60 is a 95% score — the highest of the season. Only 12 couples in DWTS history have broken 55 in the semifinals. Chiles and Sosa’s 57 is the highest since Season 29, when NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. scored 58.
What charity is Jordan Chiles dancing for, and why does it matter?
Chiles is competing for the Women’s Sports Foundation, which funds girls’ sports programs, fights gender inequality in athletics, and provides mental health resources for young athletes. A $250,000 donation would support 10–15 regional youth initiatives. Her advocacy stems from her own experience: after the Olympics, she spoke publicly about the pressure to be perfect — and how that nearly broke her.
Did Jordan Chiles cry during the performance?
She didn’t cry during the dance — but moments after, backstage, host Julianne Hough found her in tears. "I’ve never seen her like this," Hough told viewers. Chiles later explained it wasn’t about winning — it was about being seen. "For years, I thought I had to be flawless to be worthy. Tonight, I just danced. And that was enough."
What’s next for Jordan Chiles after DWTS?
Chiles has expressed interest in returning to competitive gymnastics in exhibition events and potentially launching a nonprofit focused on athlete mental health. She’s also in talks with Disney+ about a documentary series on "The Cost of Perfection" — a project inspired by her DWTS journey. For now, she’s focused on the finale. But whatever comes next, she’s no longer chasing perfection. She’s teaching others how to let go of it.
