‘DWTS’ pro Mark Ballas reveals thoughtful gift he gave to wife BC Jean
“Dancing with the Stars” pro Mark Ballas talks about his Mirrorball Trophies and his wife, singer-songwriter BC Jean, with USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa.
“Dancing with the Stars” has officially announced its full cast – and their pro partners – for Season 35!
Ahead of the new season, which kicks off with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Wednesday, Sept. 16, the new group of celebrities taking the dance floor were announced on the Sept. 2 episode of “Good Morning America.”
Among the stars competing for the Mirrorball Trophy are “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star Tatyana Ali with pro Jan Ravnik, “Bachelorette” alum Tyler Cameron with pro Sharna Burgess, chef Giada De Laurentiis with pro Alan Bersten, actress/dancer Jenna Dewan with pro Val Chmerkovskiy and paralympian Ezra Frech with pro Daniella Karagach.
Also competing on Season 35 will be Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn with pro Pasha Pashkov, Hanson band member Taylor Hanson with pro Britt Stewart, “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Glee” actor Harry Shum Jr. with pro Jenna Johnson, actress Julia Stiles with pro Ezra Sosa and comedian/podcaster Connor Wood with pro Rylee Arnold.
Rounding out the cast is Conner Leavitt, the husband of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Whitney Leavitt, competing with the show’s newest pro, Adele Zaikman, after she won the debut season of “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.” Conner Leavitt’s debut comes a year after his wife competed on Season 34 with Mark Ballas.
“Love Thy Nader” star Sarah Jane Nader will also be following in a loved one’s footsteps, competing with pro Hailey Bills − marking only the second time the show has featured a same-sex couple and Bills’ debut as a pro after dancing with the show’s troupe last season.
Sarah Jane Nader’s appearance comes two years after her sister Brooks Nader competed in Season 33 with Gleb Savchenko.
The partners of the already-announced cast members were also revealed: “Summer House” star Ciara Miller will be dancing with pro Brandon Armstrong, “Love Island” alum Maura Higgins will be paired with pro (and former “Traitors” costar) Mark Ballas, and Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson will compete with pro Emma Slater.
Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez and pro Witney Carson were previously named as the first pair of the season.
Carson, 32, who won Season 34 with Robert Irwin last year, is also pregnant, making her duo with Rodriguez, 55, an unofficial trio. A longtime fixture on the fan-favorite series, Carson took home her first Mirrorball on Season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro, who is now the show’s co-host.
Ribeiro was confirmed to resume his co-hosting duties with Julianne Hough on the Sept. 1 episode of “Good Morning America.” They will be joined by judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
The highly-anticipated cast announcements began in April, when Higgins, 35, and Miller, 30, confirmed their participation in the upcoming season at Hulu’s “Get Real House” event. At the time, Higgins said “DWTS” was “the one show I really want to do.”
“I manifested it real hard,” she said, adding that she “turned down anything that would jeopardize ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in America,” including the Irish version and the UK’s “Strictly Come Dancing.” Her manifestation came true, as Higgins also admitted at the time that she hoped to be partnered with Ballas, whom she appeared alongside on “The Traitors” Season 4.
And Miller, who couldn’t be at the event in-person, said this was the “perfect moment” to join the competition series: “I can’t wait to put my energy on the dance floor.”
Olson’s casting came in May, sparking excitement among fans and his girlfriend, former “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie Sajak. She took to her Instagram Story to congratulate the exhibition baseball team’s second baseman and said she was “beyond proud” of him.
“The dance floor better get ready,” she added.
“Dancing with the Stars” premieres Tuesday, Sept. 15, on ABC and Disney+ at 8 p.m., and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.