5 "Dancing With The Stars" Winners Who Had Zero Prior Dancing Experience!

Season 34 of "Dancing With The Stars" concluded its run earlier this week. Ever since the show made its debut in 2005, we have seen different celebrities get paired with professional dancers and learn some of the toughest dancing routines in a short span of time. We watch them practice for hours, perfecting every move to put on the best performances for the judges. While some of these celebrities have some type of dancing background, many join the show as completely new dancers -- and win! Here are 5 Mirrorball Trophhy winners who had minimal to zero dancing experience!

1. Robert Irwin (Season 34)

Robert Irwin and his dance partner Witney Carson are the most recent champions. While the beloved wildlife conservationist and son of the iconic Steve Irwin has unlimited knowledge when it comes to animals and the environment, he was completely new to the dancing world. Prior to the show, Irwin had never danced professionally nor taken any dancing classes. However, with his charm and his quick learning abilities, he won the hearts of voters all over the United States. Season 34 was also filled with many heartfelt moments, as Irwin dedicated many of his performances to his mom Terri Irwin and his late father. Safe to say, his dad would be beyond proud of his multitalented son!  

2. Emmitt James Smith III (Season 3)

While a champion on the football field, Emmitt James Smith III lacked dancing experience when he competed on Season 3 of the show with partner Cheryl Burke. However, with his masculine and athletic energy paired with Burke’s gracefulness and patience, the duo constantly achieved high scores every week and ultimately won the Mirrorball! Trophy Smith was admired for becoming a talented dancer in a matter of a few weeks and for showing that dancing can also be manly! 

3. Hélio Castroneves (Season 5)

Brazilian auto racer Hélio Castroneves traded in helmets and go-karts for dancing shoes and fancy suits when he competed on Season 5 of the show. He was partnered with professional dancer Julianne Hough and the duo dominated the stage every week. Prior to the show, Castroneves had no dancing experience. He prepared for his season by watching and studying episodes of the 4th season along with instruction videos, and his dedication paid off! Castroneves and Hough took home the Mirrorball Trophy that season. Impressive for a man who learned how to dance through a screen before competing! 

4. J.R. Martinez (Season 13)

J.R. Martinez -- actor, U.S. Army veteran, and motivational speaker -- was able to add "dancer" to his long list of achievements in 2011 when he won Season 13 with dancing partner Karina Smirnoff. Martinez joined the competition without any dancing experience. However, with the support of Smirnoff, his dancing skills improved every week, and ultimately they were crowned the Mirrorball champions. During Martinez’s time in the show, he honored his military background and dedicated his routine to Tim McGraw’s "If You're Reading This" to the brave men and women who have fought for our country. Season 13 was also the first time Smirnoff won, showing that teamwork makes the dream work! 

5. Bindi Irwin (Season 21)

Looks like natural dancing ability runs in the family. Ten years before Robert Irwin took home the Mirrorball trophy, his big sister Bindi Irwin won Season 21 with partner Derek Hough. Like her brother, she also lacked dancing experience. However, she was disciplined and devoted, and her hard work paid off. Many of her performances were also dedicated to her late father. She and Hough also held the record for achieving the most perfect scores (which was later broken by Jordan Fisher in Season 25). She’s living proof that you don’t have to grow up dancing to master the sport!