‘DWTS’ Pros Pay Tribute to Judge Len Goodman 2 Years After His Death

The Dancing With the Stars family will never forget their experience working with Len Goodman.

Exactly two years after the unforgettable judge died at the age of 78, many professional dancers from ABC’s reality show couldn’t help but gush over a man who made a positive impact on their lives.

“He was the one who gave me a very big welcome into Dancing With the Stars,” Pasha Pashkov exclusively shared with Us Weekly at Hulu’s inaugural Get Real house on Tuesday, April 22. “He gave me the confidence. One time, I heard him compliment the choreography, and that just gave me such peace of mind and confidence because it came from him. It meant so much.”

Just as Dancing With the Stars continues with season 34 — featuring Robert Irwin — coming this fall, several pro dancers are ensuring Goodman’s memory also lives on.

Keep reading to see some of the cast’s personal tributes to a judge who forever danced into their hearts.

Britt Stewart 

“I’ll just say that he was loved for a reason, and it doesn’t matter what your connection was with the show,” Stewart shared with Us. “Whether you were a viewer, a pro dancer, a celebrity, part of the crew — it doesn’t matter your connection. There is a place in your heart for Len, and I think it’s beautiful that his memory will live on within us forever.”

Ezra Sosa

“Our respect for him goes beyond what you see on camera and the legacy that he just made for all of us,” Sosa explained to Us. “He literally brought legitimacy to the show, which was probably a really hard thing for him to do, and we cannot believe that we shared a season together. It’s heartbreaking that he’s gone. It really is such a huge loss for us.”

Rylee Arnold

“He is a legend in the dance world and the Dancing With the Stars world,” Arnold told Us. “He completely brought the professionalism and class to Dancing With the Stars. He was such a vital coach and judge on that show. Truly, just such an inspiration in my life. I looked up to him my whole entire life, and he was a legend since I entered into the dance world. He’s just so awesome and he will always, always be missed.”

Pasha Pashkov

“The first time I met Len, I was probably around 12 or 13 years old in England when he was judging the most prestigious dance competition in the world. He was already an established judge, and I was just a junior learning how to dance,” Pashkov recalled to Us. “So for me, he was someone I looked up to and someone’s opinion who I looked up to. It was very interesting how our lives ended up being in such a way that he ended up being in the TV world and we later joined the same show. Our path continued to intertwine.”

Daniella Karagach

“[Len] was authentic to himself,” Karagach shared with Us. “He didn’t care what other people thought. He just did him, and that’s why he’s so respected. He’s just the most beautiful dancer and was just the most beautiful soul. He was very respected in the ballroom world and the TV world as well.”