Dancing With The Stars professionals Derek Hough and Mark Ballas made history with a same-sex tango during the show’s recent season 33 finale, reports OK!. Their performance to Libertango by Tango Bardo has since become one of the most-watched finale dances. Despite previously competing against each other every week on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, Derek now sits on the judging panel. However, their friendship dates back to childhood, having attended the same college and even formed a pop group together.

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Derek also famously dated Cheryl around the time they worked together on her music video Parachute in 2010. Speaking at a BBC Worldwide Dancing With The Stars event, Derek told Mail Online: “We dated for a while. Absolutely we are still friends, we are still very close.”

Dancing With The Stars professionals Derek Hough and Mark Ballas made history with a same-sex tango during the show's recent season 33 finale
Dancing With The Stars professionals Derek Hough and Mark Ballas made history with a same-sex tango during the show’s recent season 33 finale ( 
Image:
Disney)

But all eyes have been on Mark and Derek since their iconic Tango performance. Before taking to the dancefloor, Derek said: “Tonight, my buddy Mark Ballas and I are going to be bringing you a little ballroom history by dancing an Argentine Tango the way it was originally intended with two male dancers.”

Mark added: “Most people would think the Argentine Tango is a very sexy, intimate, embracing moment between a man and a woman but this is going to be a dance between two males. There’s going to be more masculine energy there.”

Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas with her son Mark Ballas
Strictly Come Dancing’s very own judge, Shirley Ballas, couldn’t contain her excitement as she took to Instagram to praise her son’s stunning Argentine Tango ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Strictly Come Dancing’s very own judge, Shirley Ballas, couldn’t contain her excitement as she took to Instagram to praise her son’s stunning Argentine Tango on Dancing with the Stars. With a following of 352,000, Shirley gushed: “Super proud of my boys,” tagging the talented duo Mark and Derek.

She added: “Huge congratulations on this phenomenal Argentine Tango. I’ve never seen anything so special in all my time. I can’t stop watching… enjoy. X @dancingwiththestars.”

The post quickly became a hub for fans’ admiration, with comments flooding in to echo Shirley’s sentiments. One admirer remarked: “So special to see it danced by two men as it was originally. Stunning performance.”

Dancing With The Stars pros Derek Hough and Mark Ballas teamed up with a same-sex tango for the show's recent season 33 finale.
All eyes have been on Mark and Derek since their iconic Tango performance ( 
Image:
Disney)

Another chimed in with: “Absolutely beautiful. So powerful,” and yet another said: “Derek and Mark were absolutely mesmerizing! Two phenomenal dancers lit up the floor and became one burning inferno.”

Some UK fans expressed their desire to witness such a spectacle closer to home on Strictly, with one suggesting: “Please can you get them to come perform on Strictly! ! ” and another eagerly agreeing: “Can they come here to perform on our strictly. What a performance!”

This isn’t the first time same-sex pairings have made waves on the dance floor; Jojo Siwa and Jenna Johnson previously made DWTS history as the first female couple, while Nyle DiMarco and Keo Motsepe performed together back in 2016.