los angeles — It was nearly 20 years ago when 21-year-old Mark Ballas was introduced as the newest pro on “Dancing with the Stars.” Now, he’s taking on a different role in this world as a judge on the new competition series, “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.”
“I think it’s a great way to understand what it takes to be a professional on Dancing with the Stars,” Ballas said.
ABC’s Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro stars Mark Ballas.
Disney/Martin de Boer
Ballas, his mother, celebrity dance champion Shirley Ballas, and rotating guest judges will select the next professional dancer to join the ballroom when “Dancing with the Stars” returns in the fall.
According to Palace, the competition goes beyond dance style and focuses on the backgrounds and diversity of the contestants.
“You really get to know their story, what inspires them, how long they’ve been dancing, what their dance style is, how educated they are in ballroom and Latin, and what else they bring to the table,” he said. “What’s so diverse about them?”
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One of the judges who will face off against the contestants is Shirley Ballas, whose experience her son praised.
“My mom won’t tell you, ‘Well, I don’t like that,'” he said. “She’ll tell you, ‘I don’t like that.’ And here’s why.” Because she’s so good at her field. She’s so knowledgeable about Latin American dance that she can give you simple, concise constructive feedback to the point where you can move forward.
According to Ballas, adaptability is another key characteristic of success in the competition.
“You have to be able to adapt,” he said. “And if you can’t and you go into a panic mode, that’s usually when the ship starts to sink.”
The new refereeing role adds to his already extensive CV. Ballas has won “Dancing with the Stars” with Celebrities four times, and is celebrating the show’s return to Emmy contention for best reality television series for the first time in 10 years. He also returns to Broadway to play Billy Flynn again in “Chicago,” his third starring role on Broadway.
Ballas said his passion for performing began in childhood.
“When I was a kid, theater was what got me into entertainment,” he said. “You know, I started going to theater school when I was a little kid. My nanny took me to the train every Saturday from the age of four to ten.”
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Having spent decades acting, singing and dancing, Ballas now adds judging to his list of credits with “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.” One benefit of the job, he said, is the ability to watch from the sidelines.
“It was nice to sit and not sweat for two hours every day,” Ballas said with a laugh. “So I enjoyed that.”
“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro” premieres tonight at 8pm ET/PT on ABC, with episodes available the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
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