The ballroom had never seen energy quite like this. Bindi Irwin, just 17 at the time, stepped onto the Dancing With the Stars stage with a smile as wide as her late father’s legacy. Her debut jive wasn’t just a dance — it was a tribute. To the roar of Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock,” she kicked, flicked, and spun her way into the hearts of millions while honoring the Crocodile Hunter himself, Steve Irwin.
Wearing her family’s signature khakis, Bindi began the number with a playful nod to her roots before tearing them away to reveal a sparkling green dress. From the first beat, her energy was unstoppable, and the crowd fed off every move. The judges, too, were swept away — some even wiping away tears as they watched the young Australian channel her father’s spirit with every step.
The tribute was more than symbolic. Steve Irwin, who was tragically killed by a stingray in 2006, was Bindi’s hero, her guiding force. “I think that the real reason I’m doing this is to make him proud, and everyone back at home in Australia proud,” she told the judges afterward, her voice trembling but steady. In that moment, it felt as if the Crocodile Hunter himself was smiling down from above.
Bindi’s performance didn’t just move the audience emotionally — it earned her top marks. With straight eights from all three judges, she tied Backstreet Boy Nick Carter for the lead on the very first night of competition. For a teenager who admitted she had never even worn heels before rehearsals, the victory was a remarkable achievement. “They said, ‘We’re going to put you in these heels,’ and I instantly fell down,” she laughed to Entertainment Tonight.
Her partner, seasoned pro Derek Hough, called the experience unforgettable. “She continuously reminds me of the magic in this life with her infectious genuine powerful energy,” he wrote on Instagram after the show. Bindi returned the love, thanking Hough for helping her transform her nerves into a performance that celebrated joy, family, and resilience.
But this wasn’t just about winning over judges. For fans watching around the world, Bindi’s debut was a reminder of how deeply the Irwin family’s story resonates. From her childhood series Bindi: The Jungle Girl to her conservation work alongside her mother and brother, she has long carried the torch of her father’s mission. That night in Los Angeles, she carried it onto the dance floor.
The dance ended with cheers, standing ovations, and tears — a celebration not just of a performance, but of a bond between a daughter and her father that even death could not break. With her dazzling debut, Bindi Irwin proved that her father’s legacy isn’t just alive in zoos and conservation parks — it’s alive in her every step, her every smile, and now, her every dance.
For one night, the Crocodile Hunter danced again.
