Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars was certainly memorable. It featured the show’s first drag contestant, Shangela, from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Pro Gleb Savchenko partnered Shangela.
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice tried to shake her groove thing. If you blinked, you probably missed her. Actress Selma Blair, who has multiple sclerosis, had to leave the competition due to health concerns. She was amazing.
Longtime judge Len Goodman announced that he was retiring at the end of the season. I actually cried. After 26 seasons, two-time mirror ball champ Cheryl Burke also decided to exit the ballroom.
TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and returning pro Mark Ballas claimed mirrorball glory. Bachelorette star Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy came in second place.
Actor Daniel Durant, who starred in the movie CODA, is deaf. He danced with pro Britt Stewart. Judge Derek Hough was impressed with Daniel’s dancing. “With Daniel [Durant], it’s wild to see what he’s able to accomplish,” Derek stated. “And you know, his musicality is amazing, it’s mind-boggling.”
Daniel and Britt were sent home during the semi-finals. I always loved watching them dance. They had sizzling chemistry.
Now Page Six is reporting that the duo is dating. Daniel made it Insta official when he posted a photo hugging Britt. “My Valentine. Happy Valentine’s Day!” he wrote with a heart emoji.
Britt shared her own Valentine’s Day post on Instagram. It showed the couple dancing to Montell Fish’s “Fall in Love With You.”
The couple’s DWTS family gave them some love in the comments. Witney Carson wrote, “Is this a soft launch??? love you both!!” Selma wrote, “I love this so so much” with heart emojis.
Charli posted, “cuties.” Teresa’s Season 31 partner, Pasha Pashkov, added, “Happy Valentine’s Day you lovebirds!!!”
We don’t know if their romance blossomed during the show or while they were on the DWTS tour. Ahead of Season 31, Britt learned American Sign Language so that she could communicate with Daniel.
In September 2022, Daniel told US Weekly, “She knows how to sign, she’s learning how to sign. Before, my interpreter … he’d be there interpreting for us at practice, and now he fades away during practice and it’s nice. She understands me,” he added.
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“She’s such a brilliant woman and she shows me her skills and it’s amazing. And she looked at me and I feel like I knew she could teach me,” Daniel said.
During a live Q&A in December 2022, sparks were flying. A fan asked Daniel to use his speaking voice. He was reluctant, so Britt stepped in. “I love your voice, and I said this the last time, that I love your laugh, and my name, it just sounds perfect,” she said.
Later on, during the session, Daniel shared his nickname for Britt. “If we’re texting, I call her B-shine. Because that’s like the sign, it’s the shine from my heart,” he explained. That is so sweet!
DWTS has a history of couples falling in love in the ballroom. Nikki Bella met pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev on the show. They recently said “I Do.” Pros Jenna Johnson and Val are married. Val’s brother, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, tied the knot with pro Peta Murgatroyd.
I’m always rooting for love. Maybe Britt and Daniel will go the distance.
TELL US- ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT DANIEL AND BRITT ARE DATING? WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE DWTS COUPLE? ARE YOU SAD THAT LEN RETIRED?
[Photo Credit: ABC/Andrew Eccles]