Robert Irwin’s Latest Tribute Dance Was Inspired By A Routine His Big Sister Bindi Performed 10 Years Ago
10 years after she danced to “Footprints in the Sand” on Dancing with the Stars, Bindi Irwin watched her brother, Robert, dance to the same song.
Robert Irwin has honored his family several times throughout his run on Season 34 of DWTS. During “Dedication Night,” he brought his mother, Terri, onto the dance floor after performing a tear-jerking routine in tribute to her.
RELATED: “DANCING WITH THE STARS” SHARES HEART-TUGGING TRIBUTE TO CONTESTANTS WHO’VE PASSED AWAY
Then, during DWTS‘ 20th anniversary episode on November 11, Robert delivered another emotional routine. This time, he and his pro partner, Witney Carson, danced a Foxtrot set to the song “Footprints in the Sand.”
Robert danced in honor of his father, the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. Robert was only two years old when Steve died in 2006.
The dance was extra meaningful because it was inspired by a routine Bindi performed on DWTS during Season 21. She and her partner, Derek Hough, also danced to “Footprints in the Sand” and dedicated that dance to Steve.
To bring things full circle, Robert welcomed Bindi onto the dance floor at the end of his tribute dance. They held hands and moved toward the middle of the room, where videos of Steve, Terri, Bindi, and Robert played on the floor.
Overcome with emotion, Robert knelt to the ground, and Bindi and Witney rushed to comfort him.
Bindi Irwin Reacts To Brother Robert’s “Footprints In The Sand” Dance
Following Robert’s dance, Bindi posted a video of her old “Footprints in the Sand” routine that inspired it. She shared how touched she was that Robert and Witney pulled elements from her dance to pay tribute to Steve on DWTS again
“Incredibly honoured that Robert and Witney danced to ‘Footprints In The Sand’, a song that I dedicated to Dad 10 years ago during my time on Dancing With The Stars. This dance healed part of my heart and I hoped it would do the same for Robert. Enormous gratitude to Derek and Witney for giving us both the indescribable gift of dancing through grief and finding so much love and peace,” Bindi wrote.
Bindi directly addressed Robert at the end of her post, saying, “I know with all my heart that Dad is beaming with pride because of the wonderful man you are today.”
Revisit Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough’s “Footprints in the Sand” tribute dance from Season 21 of DWTS in the clip below. Bindi won her season of the show…so perhaps Robert will be the next dancing champion in the family!