Mark Ballas has a cautious answer for anyone wondering whether he could become a permanent Dancing With the Stars judge. “I don’t know. I’m not sure. I’d have to see,” he said when asked about taking a seat on the main show’s panel.
The 40-year-old discussed his future in a November 11 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He believes his years coaching celebrities and creating routines would allow him to offer contestants useful advice, although any appointment would be the production’s decision.
Ballas has won three Mirrorball Trophies, partnering with Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson and Charli D’Amelio. This season, he is competing with Maura Higgins while juggling another creative commitment, making an album with his wife, singer BC Jean.
Fatherhood has given him another reason to keep performing. His son, Banksi, turned three this month, and Ballas described the excitement of watching his little boy recognize him on television doing the work he has devoted his life to.
Ballas Gives His View of the Current Panel
Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli currently judge the competition. Ballas described that lineup as “pretty set,” explaining that he was unaware of the show’s intentions for the panel.
He has already tried the job as a guest. During season 33, he joined the judges for Dedication Night in October 2024, an experience he remembered enjoying. His approach to choosing future projects remains rooted in his creative interests, availability and whether the show wants him involved.
Choreographing and teaching still hold his attention. Ballas singled out the moment a celebrity partner completes a routine to music for the first time as a particularly satisfying part of the week, after rehearsals spent testing movements and making corrections.
Judging Alongside His Mother on The Next Pro
Ballas and his mother, Shirley Ballas, judged Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, which premiered July 13. Hosted by Robert Irwin, the spinoff brought together 12 dancers competing for a professional position on the main series, according to ABC.
The assignment required him to assess more than dance technique. He was looking for the broader qualities needed to become a professional partner on television, where teaching and adapting to a celebrity’s abilities are part of the job. Asked about returning, he said he had received no confirmation of a second season and would consider the schedule’s effect on his family.
Shirley’s work on Strictly Come Dancing would complicate a permanent American appointment of her own. Ballas acknowledged the travel involved in judging both programs, while noting that Len Goodman and Tonioli had previously managed those competing commitments.
Maura Higgins Shared Her DWTS Ambition on The Traitors
Higgins told Ballas she wanted to try DWTS while they were filming The Traitors. He recalled enjoying their time in the castle together and being surprised that the experience eventually led to them becoming dance partners.
His previous partnership with Whitney Leavitt extended to Broadway earlier this year. They appeared together in Chicago, with Ballas playing Billy Flynn opposite Leavitt’s Roxie Hart. Leavitt already had auditions arranged when they performed “Cell Block Tango” on television, and Ballas had previously discussed joining the musical.
Higgins and Ballas now face two new routines in the November 17 semifinals: a Viennese waltz to Hozier’s “Shrike” and a samba to Luciano Perrone’s “Samba Vocalizado.” The episode airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with streaming on Hulu the following day.
BC Jean Is His Dream Celebrity Partner
Ballas would enjoy competing alongside Jean, with whom he performs as Alexander Jean. He joked that their next record might become successful enough for her to enter as a celebrity contestant, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Jean has already accompanied him in the ballroom as a vocalist. She stepped in to sing “Black Velvet” when Travis Garland’s America’s Got Talent commitments created a scheduling conflict, then returned for a song from The Lost Boys on Halloween Night. Ballas described hearing her voice while dancing as comforting and familiar.
Their album is approximately halfway finished after work that began around their son’s birth. Rehearsals have taken priority during the competition, but Ballas plans to revisit the music after a short break. The couple have written enough material to keep changing the track list as they decide which songs belong on the record.
