Peta Jane Murgatroyd (born 14 July 1986) is an Australian and American professional Latin dancer. She performed in the international tour of the dance production Burn the Floor, including its Broadway run. She is best known for her appearances on the American edition of Dancing with the Stars, which she and her partners have won twice.
Early life Murgatroyd was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but moved to Australia when she was 18 months old; as a result, she considers herself more of an Australian. She was raised in Perth, Western Australia, and started studying classical ballet at age 4. She trained for 12 years under former principal dancer of the Kirov Ballet, Madame Lubov Nikonorenko. An ankle injury at the age of 16 forced her to give up ballet. Murgatroyd then took up Latin dancing.
Career Within months of beginning ballroom training, Murgatroyd became the W.A. Amateur Latin State Champion in 2002 and won the title again in 2003. She placed second in the Great World City Championships. Success at other competitions followed quickly; she was a semi-finalist in the Lion City Championships in Singapore and was a finalist in the Australian Open Championships. She placed third in the world at the Blackpool Dance Festival Youth Under 21 Latin competitions in 2005.
In 2018, she starred alongside Robert Krantz in the heartwarming, faith-based movie Faith, Hope & Love. She played the owner of a dance studio who is paired with a widower of two girls, in an amateur dancing contest.
Business ventures
Peta is the founder of Peta Jane Beauty, a self-tanning brand launched in 2015.
Burn the Floor
Murgatroyd joined the cast of Burn the Floor in 2004, touring with them around the world for six years. When Burn the Floor landed on Broadway in August 2009, Murgatroyd was the lead female dancer.
Dancing with the Stars Murgatroyd joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars in 2011 as a member of the dance troupe in season 12. She became a regular member of the professional cast as of season 13.
Season Partner Place13Metta World Peace12th14Donald Driver1st15Gilles Marini6th16Sean Lowe17Brant Daugherty7th18James Maslow4th19Tommy Chong5th20Michael Sam10th22Nyle DiMarco1st24Nick Viall6th25Nick Lachey9th28Lamar Odom10th 29 Vernon Davis 11th31Jason Lewis16th32 Barry Williams 7th
Dancing with the Stars (Season 13)
In season 13, Murgatroyd competed on the show as a professional with basketball player Metta World Peace. Not only were they the first couple eliminated off the show, but also it marked Peta’s earliest exit in the competition.
Week # Dance/song Judges' score Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Krazy" 5 4 5 Eliminated
Dancing with the Stars (Season 14)
In 2012, Murgatroyd was again featured as a professional dancer competing on season 14 as the partner of football player Donald Driver. On 22 May, it was announced that the couple was the winner of the competition. She is the second professional to win after finishing last the prior season, after Kym Johnson.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)"777No elimination2Quickstep / "Stay the Night"888Safe3Rumba / "One Sweet Day"989Safe4Paso Doble / "Purple Haze"999Safe5Argentine Tango / "Sin Rumbo"1089Safe6Foxtrot / "The Way You Do the Things You Do"Motown Marathon / "Nowhere to Run"9Awarded979PointsSafe7Viennese Waltz / "La Donna è Mobile"Team Paso Doble – "O Fortuna"999899Safe8Tango / "Higher Ground"Jive / "Rip It Up"9109999Safe9Waltz / "Kissing You"Samba / "Mr. Big Stuff" 910 99 1010 Last to be Called Safe10 Argentine Tango / "They"Freestyle / "I Play Chicken with the Train"Cha-Cha-Cha / "Beggin'" 101010 91010 101010Winner
Dancing with the Stars (Season 15)
For season 15, Murgatroyd was partnered with actor and season 8 runner up Gilles Marini. They ended up in sixth place.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Foxtrot / "Call Me Irresponsible"888Safe2Jive / "Don't Stop Me Now"8.58.58.5Safe3Tango / "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"8.58.58.5Safe4Bollywood / "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)"109.5/1010Safe5Rumba / "I Will Always Love You"Team Freestyle / "Gangnam Style"1099.59109No elimination6Cha-Cha-Cha / "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"999.5Safe7Argentine Tango & Samba Fusion / "When I Get You Alone"Swing Marathon / "Do Your Thing"9.5Awarded9.559.5PointsNo elimination8Quickstep / "Danger Zone"Salsa / "Rebelión"9.59.51010109.5Eliminated
Dancing with the Stars (Season 16)
In 2013, Murgatroyd was again featured as a professional dancer competing on season 16 as the partner of The Bachelor star Sean Lowe. They landed in sixth place.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Foxtrot / "The Power of Love"766No elimination2Jive / "(Let's Get Movin') Into Action"767Safe3Cha-cha-cha / "YMCA"777Safe4Viennese Waltz / "I Won't Give Up"677Safe5Quickstep / "Go Get It"888Safe6Samba / "I Wish"Team Samba / "Superstition"787978Bottom Two7Rumba / "Hero"Rumba Dance Off / "Apologize"8Lost8This8EventSafe8Tango / "Hot n Cold"Jazz (Trio Challenge) / "Magic"777777Eliminated
Dancing with the Stars (Season 17)
For season 17, Murgatroyd was paired with Pretty Little Liars actor Brant Daugherty. They were the sixth couple eliminated on 4 November 2013.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Blurred Lines" 787No elimination2Rumba / "Underneath Your Clothes"878Safe3Quickstep / "Crazy in Love"999Safe4Salsa / "Shake Señora"777Last to be called safe5Contemporary / "Your Song"999Safe6Tango / "The Night Out"Switch-Up Challenge / Various9Awarded1039PointsNo elimination7Jive / "Tutti Frutti"Team Freestyle / "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)"910910910Safe8Foxtrot / "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"Dance Off / "I Found Someone"9Lost9The9EventEliminated
Dancing with the Stars (Season 18)
In 2014, Murgatroyd was again featured as a professional dancer competing on season 18 partnered with Big Time Rush member James Maslow. They made it to the finale but came in fourth place.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanGuest1Tonioli1Foxtrot / "Story of My Life"77—7No elimination2Salsa / "Follow the Leader"98—8Safe3Jive / "The Middle"9999Safe42Tango / "Dark Horse"9899No elimination5Contemporary / "Let It Go"10101010Safe6Quickstep / "You're the One That I Want"9899Safe7Samba / "Gasolina"Team Freestyle / "The Cup of Life"988891099Last to be called safe8Viennese Waltz / "6'2"Celebrity Dance Duel (Jive) / "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That"899101010910Last to be called safe9SemifinalsCha-cha-cha / "Love Never Felt So Good"Rumba / "Islands in the Stream"109109109109Safe10FinalsTango / "Adore You"Freestyle / "Original Don"910109—1010Eliminated 1The guest judges were Robin Roberts (Week 3), Julianne Hough (Week 4), Donny Osmond (Week 5), Redfoo (Week 6), Ricky Martin (Week 7), Abby Lee Miller (Week 8) and Kenny Ortega (Week 9).
2For this week only, as part of the "Partner Switch-Up" week, Maslow performed with Cheryl Burke instead of Murgatroyd; Murgatroyd danced a rumba with Olympic ice dancing champion Charlie White, scoring a 33 (7, 8, 9, 9).
Dancing with the Stars (Season 19)
For season 19, Murgatroyd paired with comedian and actor Tommy Chong. The couple made it to the semi-finals, but were then eliminated and finished in 5th place.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanJ. HoughTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Drop It Like It's Hot"7677Safe2Salsa / "Higher"7777Safe3Argentine Tango / "Por una Cabeza"810188Safe4Jive / "Jailhouse Rock"77277Safe53Mambo / "Pass the Dutchie"66456No Eimination6Foxtrot / "September"77577Safe7Quickstep / "That Old Black Magic"Team Freestyle / "Time Warp"78787878Last to be called safe8Paso Doble / "Ring of Fire"Rumba Dance-Off / "I'm Not the Only One"6Awarded737Extra6PointsLast to be called safe9Viennese Waltz / "Trouble"Trio Samba / "Talk Dirty"77877777Safe10Semi-finalsJazz / "Tainted Love"Rumba / "Tainted Love" (acoustic version)79787978Eliminated 1Week 3 score given by guest judge Kevin Hart in place of Goodman.
2The American public scored the dance in place of Goodman with the averaged score being counted alongside the three other judges.
3This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Chong performed with Emma Slater instead of Murgatroyd. Murgatroyd performed with Jonathan Bennett.
4Score given by guest judge Jessie J in place of Goodman.
5Score given by guest judge Pitbull in place of Goodman.
Dancing with the Stars (Season 20)
For season 20, Murgatroyd was partnered with football player Michael Sam. The couple was eliminated on Week 4 and finished in 10th place.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanJ. HoughTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Uptown Funk"6677No elimination2Foxtrot / "Working My Way Back to You"7777Safe3Salsa / "Celebrate"6666Safe4Rumba / "Not My Father's Son"7788Eliminated
Dancing with the Stars (Season 21)
On 19 August 2015, Good Morning America announced Murgatroyd would be one of the pro dancers on the upcoming season 21 of Dancing with the Stars. However, before the season premiered, Murgatroyd was forced to sit this season out due to an ongoing ankle injury. Murgatroyd told People magazine she had four torn ligaments and a floating piece of bone in her ankle which would require surgery and six to eight weeks of recovery time. Murgatroyd would have been partnered with singer Andy Grammer.
Murgatroyd returned to the show during the season 21 semifinals, performing a salsa trio with Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess. The group received a score of 30 for the dance.
Dancing with the Stars (Season 22)
Murgatroyd returned for season 22 and was partnered with deaf model and actor Nyle DiMarco. On 24 May 2016, Murgatroyd and DiMarco were crowned the season's champions.
Murgatroyd did not return for season 23 due to her pregnancy.
Week #Dance/songJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Cake by the Ocean"878No elimination2Rumba / "Stole the Show"767Safe3Tango / "Verge"889Safe4Samba / "Trashin' the Camp"88/919Safe52Viennese Waltz / "I Get to Love You"910/939No elimination6Quickstep / "Hey Pachuco"889Safe7Foxtrot / "Beautiful Day"Team Freestyle / "Super Bad", "Living in America" & "I Got You (I Feel Good)"10999910Safe8Paso Doble / "Victorious"Team-up Dance (Argentine Tango) / "Habanera"10109101094Safe9Semi-finalsTrio Jive / "Hit the Road Jack"Argentine Tango / "Unsteady" 910910910Safe10FinalsQuickstep / "S.O.B."Freestyle / "The Sound of Silence"Cha-cha-cha & Tango Fusion / "Summer"910109101091010Winner
1 Score given by guest judge Zendaya. 2 For this week only, as part of "America's Switch Up", DiMarco performed with Sharna Burgess instead of Murgatroyd. Murgatroyd performed with Doug Flutie. 3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.4 Due to Tonioli being the judge coaching DiMarco's team during the team-up dance, the viewers scored the dance in his place with the averaged score being counted alongside the remaining judges.
Dancing with the Stars (Season 24)
In February 2017, Murgatroyd and her fiancé Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced they would both return. She was partnered with The Bachelor star Nick Viall.
Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanJ. HoughTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Let Me Love You"6666No elimination2Foxtrot / "Love Me Now"7576Safe3Tango / "Poker Face"7676Last to be called safe4Rumba / "Shape of You"8787Safe5Jazz / "I've Got No Strings"9898Last to be called safe6Jive / "Fun, Fun, Fun"Team Freestyle / "Dancing Machine", "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" & "Best Song Ever"7878719178Safe7Argentine Tango / "Dangerous"Rumba Dance-Off / "I Will Always Love You"8No8Additional92Scores9GivenEliminated
1 Score given by guest judge Nick Carter2 Score given by guest judge Mandy Moore
Dancing with the Stars (Season 25)
Murgatroyd returned once again for season 25 and was paired with 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey.