Whitney Leavitt shared a behind-the-scenes detail about her “Dancing with the Stars” partner Mark Ballas that many viewers may have missed during their standout Disney Night performance.
The “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star reshared an Instagram story from user hallekeeth that highlighted an impressive aspect of their foxtrot routine to “The Room Where It Happened” from “Hamilton.” The post revealed that Ballas personally remixed the song for their performance, showcasing his musical talents beyond choreography.
“@markballas the genius that you are I feel not a lot of people know he remixed this song. He’s insanely talented & Whitney and him compliment eachother PERFECTLY,” the Instagram story text read, according to the original post.
Broadway-Worthy Performance Earns High Praise
Leavitt and Ballas impressed the judges with their elegant foxtrot during Disney Night, which featured moves reminiscent of a Broadway production. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba delivered enthusiastic praise for the duo’s technical execution.
“There is traditional foxtrot and then there is Mark’s foxtrot. While I was watching, my lip was quivering. It was so good. The precision, the technicality, and the painting of that picture were incredible. Insane,” Inaba stated.
The performance earned the pair a score of 25 out of 30, with Inaba awarding her first 9 of the season to the duo.
In an interview with Extra TV, Ballas explained the pressure he felt to execute the “Hamilton” number perfectly. “Hamilton is so huge, and I’m a musical theater kid. I went to musical theater school. That’s where it all kind of started for me. I’m a massive Hamilton fan and I felt a sense of responsibility to like really get this one right for the Hamilton fans,” he explained.
Ballas emphasized that this performance marked their first production number with multiple moving parts, making it more complex than their previous dances. “This one had a lot of moving pieces. So there it was a lot. This week was a heavy lift and it was all about detail, nuance, and all that kind of stuff,” he said.
Musical Theater Background Shines Through
Ballas’ musical theater training proved valuable for the Hamilton performance. He revealed his Broadway experience to Extra TV, stating, “I was in Jersey Boys and Kinky Boots, so I would love to go back. If I would, Hamilton is on my list, so if Hamilton wants me out there. I’m ready.”
When the judges suggested the pair should perform on Broadway, both Leavitt and Ballas expressed enthusiasm about the possibility. Leavitt mentioned that her dream roles would be in “Chicago” or “Moulin Rouge,” according to her interview with Extra TV.
Despite their success, both performers admitted to experiencing pre-performance nerves. Leavitt confessed: “I’m waiting for that time to not feel as anxious, but every single time, every single time I tell ’em, like, I wanna throw up every, before, every, every single performance. So it doesn’t change.”
Ballas, despite being in his 21st season of “Dancing with the Stars”, acknowledged he still feels nervous before each performance.
The duo has been consistently delivering strong performances throughout Season 34, topping the scoreboard for three consecutive weeks.
Leavitt revealed during her Extra TV interview that she will dedicate her next performance to her husband during Dedication Week. “I am, yes. Yeah, I’m excited. Yeah. He’s been, he’s been stretching. He’s ready, he’s ready to get on this dance floor,” she said.
The Season 34 contestant pool has been narrowing, with host Alfonso Ribeiro announcing the show had surpassed 40 million votes. During the most recent eliminations, Hilaria Baldwin was sent home after landing in the bottom three alongside Andy Richter and Danielle Fishel.
