Dancing with the Stars (American season 9)

Couples

Scoring chart

• Each couple would perform two dances. The first was scored normally. The second, the relay dance, was different. Four couples each performed a 30-second routine to a specific dance back-to-back. The judges then ranked each of the four couples. The couple who came in first got 10 points for the relay dance, second place got 8 points, third place got 6 points, and fourth place got 4 points. Therefore, a team could have earned a maximum of 40 points in Week 1.
• Each couple performed two dances. The first was scored normally. The second, the marathon dance, was different. All nine couples performed a Mambo at the same time. One by one, the judges asked a couple to leave the floor. The first couple to leave received 2 points, the second couple got 3 points, the third couple got 4 points, the fourth couple got 5 points, the fifth couple got 6 points, the sixth couple got 7 points, the seventh couple got 8 points, the eighth couple got 9 points, and the last remaining couple got 10 points. Therefore, a team could have earned a maximum of 40 points in Week 6.

  Dance-off chart

Averages

Dance averages

Highest and lowest scoring performances

Weekly scores and songs

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Injuries and illnesses

• Tom DeLay was reported with having a possible stress fracture in his foot on September 15, 2009, just one week before the competition. The injury did not keep him out of the competition. However, on the October 5 episode, Tom Bergeron stated that the slight fracture had become a full fracture, and DeLay later reported that he had stress fractures in both feet, but that he was not going to continue the competition because of his doctor's advice. On the October 6 results episode, DeLay formally announced that he would not continue as a contestant. He then accepted Bergeron's invitation to dance the Texas/country two-step on the season finale, health permitting. Despite his withdrawal, Debi Mazar was still eliminated because she had the lowest number of votes.
• Mýa had to go to the hospital for stitches for a deep cut on September 20, 2009, after a glass shattered in her hand. This injury did not affect her performance.
• After the September 22 show, Debi Mazar was rushed to the hospital with a torn muscle in her neck and chest.
• During rehearsal on September 28, Lacey Schwimmer "severely strained" her hip flexors and abductors. Her injuries required three weeks of physical therapy. She continued to dance on the show during her treatments.
• After the October 19 show, Kelly Osbourne was rushed to the hospital with a foot injury sustained during her paso doble routine.
• Beginning with this season, the producers are imposing a maximum five-hour limit on rehearsals as an attempt to reduce injuries, which have been on the rise in recent seasons. Also, contestants must take 30-minute breaks after every two hours and they must take one day off a week. However, in an interview with TV Guide, Maksim Chmerkovskiy said "nobody really follows it".
• Prior to the October 19 show, Derek Hough was sidelined by a bout of flu. Maksim Chmerkovskiy stepped in to teach and dance with Derek's partner Joanna Krupa.
• Prior to the November 2 show, Lacey Schwimmer was also sidelined by illness. Anna Trebunskaya stepped in to teach and dance with Lacey's partner Mark Dacascos.
• Prior to the November 9 show, during week eight rehearsals, both Karina Smirnoff and Aaron Carter came down with the flu. Although this did not affect their ability to perform, they were eliminated that week.
• In an interview on the finale, Mýa said that she was dancing on a sprained ankle for five weeks.

  Dance chart

• Week 1 : Cha-cha-cha or foxtrot and salsa or Viennese waltz
• Week 1 : Salsa or Viennese waltz and cha-cha-cha or foxtrot
• Week 2: Jive, quickstep or tango
• Week 3: Rumba or samba
• Week 4: Bolero, charleston, lambada or two-step
• Week 5: Paso doble or Argentine tango and Hustle group dance
• Week 6: Jitterbug or waltz and Mambo marathon
• Week 7: One unlearned dance and team dances
• Week 8: Two unlearned dances
• Week 9: Two unlearned dances and redemption dance
• Week 10 : One unlearned dance, megamix & freestyle
• Week 10 : Favorite dance of the season

  Guests and tributes

Celebrity guests

Macy's Stars of Dance

• For the November 10th "Design a Dance" performance, viewers had voted in the weeks beforehand about what style dance they wanted, what song they wanted the dance to, what former celebrity they wanted to do the dance, and what professional they wanted to do the dance with the celebrity. Also, Dancing with the Stars held an online contest where viewers could submit their drawings for outfits for the performance. The viewers then also voted for a set of costumes picked by the show's designers. The winner was Zachary Fisher. His designs were turned into the outfits for Sabrina and Mark, and he won a trip to the show.

  Tributes