It was one of those rare Dancing with the Stars moments that transcended the stage and touched something far deeper. Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, known for her fearless performances, delivered something entirely different on the Dedication Night. This time, her performance showed her vulnerability, as she danced to John Mayer’s ‘Daughters’. And she did it with someone who has been a constant source of strength throughout her journey – Her father, Timothy Chiles. 

Following her performance, the Olympic gold medalist had a chat with Sadie Murray from Extra TV. And when Murray asked Chiles about how she felt sharing a stage with her father, the gymnast said, “Honestly, having my dad in my dance just means the world. I feel like every little girl always wants to have that father-daughter dance, and that’s what we gave tonight. So, it was truly about just the meaning of the connection, the love that we have for each other.” 

Her father joined her on the stage at the peak of the performance. It created a deeply emotional father-daughter moment that left both the audience and judges visibly moved. This was absolutely different from the first week of DWTS, when the judges had a lot to complain about. But this time, her Viennese Waltz told a different story. The judges scored her performance with a 32 out of 40, pushing her forward to week 6. 

Jordan Chiles continued to reflect on her dance with her father, “And that, just like my dad said, ‘You know, hopefully, a dad can, you know, call his daughter, or a daughter can call her father, and just hopefully get that connection back.’ It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it. 

Chiles further shared how her father played the most important role in building her career as a professional gymnast.

Jordan Chiles’ father paved a way for her career in gymnastics

Well, he was the one who ensured Chiles got into the sport. When the Extra TV representative pointed that out, Chiles stated, “He was one of the people that kind of was like, ‘Hey, her energy is out of this world. How can we keep it on the cool side and make sure she’s still, you know, with education and everything.’” Back then, her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was getting out of control. But her father suggested gymnastics as her escapade. She continued, “So, I always say gymnastics saved my life.” 

That’s when Murray claimed that her father also saved her life in that case. And Chiles admitted, “Yes. A 100%.” Her ADHD was so bad that she couldn’t even complete her conversations with people without moving. And when she channelized her energy in the gymnasium, things got a lot better. She even proceeded to win a gold in the Olympics, a gold in the World Championships, and three golds in the NCAA Championships. 

From guiding her toward gymnastics to standing beside her under the spotlight, Timothy Chiles has been his daughter’s anchor, and their performance was a heartfelt celebration of that unbreakable bond. And for Jordan Chiles, that Viennese Waltz was more than a dance. It was a tribute to the man who changed her life.