Liukin’s experience also serves to show how DWTS strips the protective bubble of an athlete’s past away. Her perfectionist nature had to step back on DWTS. On DWTS, she encountered new obstacles, such as Hough’s injury, which compelled her to dance with Sasha Farber on some routines. The Season 20 finale opening dance highlighted her versatility, as she danced with the cast with the same poise that characterized her gymnastics career.

But DWTS was not interested in her previous struggles or victories—it required her to prove herself all over again, just like all the other contestants.

A Legacy of Olympic Gymnastics on DWTS: From Shawn Johnson to Suni Lee

Liukin wasn’t the initial gymnast to encounter DWTS’s unbiased stage, nor was she the last. The program has a storied history of hosting Olympic gymnasts, every one bringing his or her flair as they deal with the same obstacles. Several gymnasts have competed throughout the years, with mixed success. Shawn Johnson, Liukin’s 2008 Olympic teammate, took Season 8 in 2009 with pro-Mark Ballas, the first gymnast to win the mirror ball trophy.

Johnson was back for the All-Stars season in 2012, finishing second, demonstrating her dance floor skills. Her competitiveness characterized her training, in contrast to Liukin’s more laid-back style. However, she also had to learn to accommodate DWTS’s demanding regimen, as evidenced in a YouTube montage of her routines.