“I’ll Never Fοrget That Dance”: DWTS Judge Breaks Dοwn Remembering Bindi Irwin’s Tear-Soaked Tribute to Her Late Father

It has been nearly a decade since Bindi Irwin brought an entire nation — and a television studio — to tears with her hauntingly beautiful contemporary dance dedicated to her late father, wildlife legend Steve Irwin. Yet even now, one of the show’s longtime judges says he still can’t watch that performance without choking up.

“I will never forget Bindi’s contemporary dance,” the judge told Entertainment Now! in an emotional interview this week. “It was for Steve — and it brought tears to my eyes. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the ballroom that night.”

The judge, who has been part of Dancing with the Stars for over a decade, said the moment reminded him that the show can be more than glitter and choreography. “Every so often, you see something that goes beyond performance,” he continued. “You feel someone’s soul. That was Bindi.”

A Dance That Stopped the Room

The night was October 5, 2015 — the semi-final week of DWTS Season 21. Bindi, then just 17, stepped onto the floor with her partner Derek Hough to perform a contemporary routine set to “Footprints in the Sand.”

As the lights dimmed and the first notes swelled, a photo of Steve Irwin flashed across the screen. Bindi danced barefoot, arms open to the air, embodying both grief and gratitude. The final moment — when Derek reached for her and she broke down in tears — left even the toughest judges speechless.

“It was so raw,” the judge recalled. “You could feel Steve’s presence in the room. I lost it. I actually cried right there behind the desk.”

When the music faded, Carrie Ann Inaba was visibly weeping. Julianne Hough clutched her hand. Len Goodman, usually stoic, whispered, “That was beautiful.” The audience rose in unison, and Bindi, trembling, whispered to Derek, “For Dad.”

Remembering Steve Irwin’s Legacy

The judge said his reaction to the dance was inseparable from his memories of Steve Irwin’s death in 2006, when the famed Crocodile Hunter was fatally struck by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef.

“I cried so much when Steve Irwin got killed,” he admitted. “It was heartbreaking — I remember hoping it wasn’t true. He was larger than life, you know? Just pure energy. Watching Bindi dance for him felt like saying goodbye all over again.”

For many around the world, Steve’s death felt like the end of an era — a loss of joy and curiosity that defined his global appeal. “When Steve died, the whole world stopped for a moment,” the judge added. “And that night, Bindi brought him back — not with words, but through movement. That’s the power of dance.”

A Connection Across Generations

Bindi Irwin, now 27, has often said that performing on DWTS was her way of healing. “That dance was for my dad,” she shared in a 2015 interview after winning the Mirrorball Trophy. “It was the hardest week of my life — but also the most beautiful. I felt him with me.”

The judge believes that sense of presence resonated with viewers because of its authenticity. “Bindi wasn’t trying to impress anyone,” he said. “She was just telling her story. That honesty… you can’t choreograph that.”

He also drew a poignant comparison to another moment of loss that stunned the entertainment world.

“When Michael Jackson died, I couldn’t believe it either,” he said softly. “Certain people — Steve Irwin, MJ — they feel immortal when you’re growing up. Then one day they’re gone, and you realize how fragile everything is.”

The Emotional Ripple Beyond the Show

Inside the DWTS studio, that performance changed the atmosphere. Producers later revealed that the segment became one of the most replayed moments in the show’s history, generating millions of YouTube views within 24 hours.

Viewers from across the world — from Queensland to California — flooded social media with messages of support. “Bindi made the whole planet cry,” one fan wrote. Another said, “Steve Irwin’s legacy lives on through her heart.”

Even the show’s crew reportedly stood in silence as the music ended. “Camera operators were crying. The floor managers were crying,” a backstage source said. “It wasn’t just a TV moment — it was spiritual.”

Derek Hough’s Bond with Bindi

Derek Hough later revealed how personally the dance affected him. “I remember holding her at the end,” he said. “She just collapsed in my arms, sobbing. And I thought — this isn’t choreography anymore. This is grief, and love, and life itself.”

The judge who spoke this week said watching Derek’s reaction was what undid him completely. “He’s been through so much in his own life,” he explained. “To see him channel all that pain into helping Bindi heal — that’s why this show still matters.”

From Tears to Triumph

Bindi Irwin went on to win Season 21, dedicating her Mirrorball Trophy to her father. After the finale, she posted a photo of herself holding the trophy beside a framed picture of Steve. The caption read simply: “For you, Dad.”

The judge smiled when recalling that moment. “It’s rare that a dance competition makes history — but Bindi did. Not because of scores or steps, but because she made millions of people feel something real.”

He added that in an age of online snark and reality-TV cynicism, Bindi’s sincerity was like a breath of fresh air. “There was no act. No angle. Just love. That’s why people still talk about that dance ten years later.”

The Memory That Still Hurts

Even now, nearly a decade on, the judge says he avoids re-watching the full routine. “It still gets me,” he confessed. “It takes me right back to that night — the lights, the music, Bindi’s tears. Every time I see it, I think about Steve, about loss, and about how lucky we are to have known people who made us feel alive.”

He paused, then smiled. “Some performances entertain you. Some inspire you. But that one? That one stays with you forever.”

Legacy of Love

In the years since, Bindi Irwin has carried her father’s torch through conservation work and television projects alongside her husband Chandler Powell and their daughter Grace Warrior. The judge says he’s proud of how she’s grown into her own power. “Steve would be beaming,” he said. “She dances with the same heart he lived with.”

For millions who watched that unforgettable night, Bindi’s dance for Steve remains one of Dancing with the Stars’ most emotional moments — a reminder that grief and beauty can exist in the same breath.

“I’ve seen thousands of dances,” the judge reflected. “But that one… that one was for the ages.”