Mark Ballas was not quite ready to say goodbye to the ballroom — and is ready to vie for the mirrorball trophy with Whitney Leavitt on Dancing With the Stars season 34.
“I had some injury stuff clear up that was kind of slowing me down,” Mark, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 3, about his return to the show, noting that his body is “feeling good” after some “hardcore” physical therapy.
Mark took a hiatus from Dancing With the Stars after season 25, returning for season 31 in 2022 — which he won with TikTok’s Charli D’Amelio. While he confirmed his retirement in 2023, Mark now wants to show his passion to his son. (Mark and wife BC Jean welcomed son Banksi in 2023.)
“I also am a new dad and I really am excited for my son to see daddy do this,” Mark explained.
“I love the show and I’ve been able to perform on it a couple times since I stopped. I got to do the awesome tango with Derek [Hough], me and Charli did a victory lap. I got to guest judge last year. … I’m like, ‘I think I got a couple more in the tank.’ I want my son to watch me do this. Excited to be back.”
Whitney, for her part, may have shown off her dance moves online as part of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ MomTok group, but she’s yet to train in ballroom.
“That’s been very new,” she exclusively told Us. “I was humbled immediately. Honestly, I went in with so much confidence. I was like, ‘I’ve got this.’ And then Mark started teaching me the moves. I was like, ‘I don’t got this.’”
Whitney and Mark Disney/Andrew Eccles
Whitney gushed that Mark has already been “incredible” as a teacher during rehearsals. “It’s so funny because Mark will show me a step and immediately in my mind, I’ll think, ‘There’s just no way,’” she explained. “But he simplifies it to help me learn how to do it. So then when I do, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah.’ He just simplifies everything, which makes it go smooth and seamless.”
As they gear up to show off their dance moves to fans and judges alike, Mark noted that there’s going to be no special treatment from pal Derek, 40. (Derek, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli are confirmed to be taking the judges seat again for season 34.)
“The good thing is we’ve been doing this for so long, so he’s gonna give it to you how it is,” Mark quipped. “I’m ready for it. I’ve been dealing with it for 30 years.”
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Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC and Disney+ September 16 at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
