Dancing with the Stars (American TV series) season 3

Season three of Dancing With the Stars premiered on September 12, 2006, on the ABC network.

For this season, the scoring system was changed. Fan vote only counted for 25% of the total score and scoring was now translated directly from percentages rather than into ordinals. The judges scores were added up, and each performer was given points based on the percentage of the total points distributed among all performers. (For example, a team received a score of 25. A total of 207 points were awarded to all nine performers. The team received 12.08% of that total, so that team earned 12.08 points. The couple happens to be Sara & Tony.) The fan vote was handled the same way, with the points based on how much of the total fan vote the star received. (So, in the same example, if the team earned 15% of the total fan vote, their grand total is 27.08 points.)

On November 15, Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke were crowned the champions, while actor Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff finished in second place, and actor Joey Lawrence and Edyta Śliwińska finished in third.

Couples
This season featured eleven celebrity contestants. On October 12, 2006, Sara Evans announced her withdrawal from the competition to be with her children after filing for divorce from her husband. In a "final appearance", a pre-taped interview with Evans about her decision was shown on October 17. Willa Ford stated on Headline News' Robin & Company that ABC had invited her to return to the competition, but she declined. At the end of the October 18 results show, it was revealed that there would be no elimination for the week due to Evans' departure. The scores from week 6 carried over to week 7. Emmitt Smith returned for the All-Stars season, where he was again paired with Cheryl Burke.
 * Future appearances

Hosts and judges
Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris returned as co-hosts, while Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli returned as judges.

Scoring chart
The highest score each week is indicated in with a dagger (†), while the lowest score each week is indicated in  with a double-dagger (‡).

Color key: • {{legend|gold|Winners}}

• {{legend|silver|Runners-up}}

• {{legend|tan|Third place}}

• {{legend|lightblue|Bottom two or three}}

• {{legend|lightgreen|Withdrew from competition}}

• {{legend|#f4c7b8|Eliminated}}
 * Notes

Weekly scores
Individual judges' scores in the charts below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.

Week 1
Each couple performed either the cha-cha-cha or the foxtrot. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 2
Each couple performed either the mambo or the quickstep. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 3
Each couple performed either the jive or the tango. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 4
Each couple performed either the paso doble or the waltz. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 5
Each couple performed either the rumba or the samba. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 6
Each couple performed one unlearned dance, plus a group disco dance. Due to Sara Evans' withdraw from the competition, there was no elimination at the end of the night. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 7
Each couple performed two unlearned dances. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 8: Halloween Week
Each couple performed two dances. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 9
Each couple performed two dances. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 10
Each couple performed three dances: the samba, their favorite dance of the season, and their freestyle routine. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Dance chart
The couples performed the following each week:
 * Week 1: One unlearned dance (cha-cha-cha or foxtrot)
 * Week 2: One unlearned dance (mambo or quickstep)
 * Week 3: One unlearned dance (jive or tango)
 * Week 4: One unlearned dance (paso doble or waltz)
 * Week 5: One unlearned dance (rumba or samba)
 * Week 6: One unlearned dance & disco group dance
 * Week 7: Two unlearned dances
 * Week 8: Two unlearned dances
 * Week 9: One unlearned dance & redemption dance
 * Week 10 (Night 1): Samba & favorite dance of the season
 * Week 10 (Night 2): Freestyle

Color key: • {{legend|lightblue|No scores received}}
 * Notes