Teaming with a Cheetah Girl

Ballas joins the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars, where he's paired with Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan. In their first week, they score a 26 out of 30 – at the time, the highest score ever earned during the first week. They set another record in the fourth week, when Bryan becomes the first contestant to earn a perfect score that early in the show. But a shock strikes the competition on Oct. 30, when the duo is eliminated. "He's such a responsible person that he just feels like he failed me," Bryan tells TV Guide. "And I'm like, 'Dude, you didn't!'"

May

Winning DWTS with Kristi

Ballas once again helps his partner set a DWTS record when he and Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi earn a score of 27 during the first week of competition. They continue to top the leader board for eight of the 10 weeks, and take the Dancing title. "It was such an honor to have Kristi as a partner," Ballas says on Live with Regis and Kelly.

September 09

Mark & Derek Make a Band

Almost Amy – the blues-rock band Ballas started with best friend Derek Hough and friends Emily Grace, Harry Sullivan and Sam Marder – signs with Hollywood Records. "IT'S OFFICIAL!" the band wrote on its MySpace page. "We signed our deal today around 4:30 here in L.A." The group eventually changes its name to the Ballas Hough Band and releases its debut album, BHB, in March 2009.

May 19

King of the Dance floor

Ballas helps 17-year-old Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson nab Season 8's mirror ball trophy in what is the closest finale in DWTS history. Triumphing over frontrunner Gilles Marini by less than 1% of votes, their win comes as a shock. "The first trophy was amazing, but this one we owe to the fans because they really kept us here week after week," Ballas says. "We are so grateful for that."