Mark Ballas retired from DWTS in 2023. But he couldn’t stay away from the ballroom. The fan-favorite returned two years later to compete with Whitney Leavitt in Season 34. They were sent home in the semifinals despite their high scores. Now, he has broken his silence about returning to the ABC reality competition for Season 35. Keep reading for all the details.
Mark Ballas Breaks Silence On Returning For Season 35
Season 35 of DWTS doesn’t premiere until September. ABC just announced a two-night premiere, which hasn’t happened in years. Pencil in Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, 2026, on your calendar for the big event. The network has already revealed several celebrity contestants ahead of the new season.
Summer House‘s Ciara Miller, Love Island UK alum Maura Higgins, Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson, and Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez are the four celebrities named so far. But what a lot of fans are waiting for are the names of the pro dancers competing alongside the celebrities.
Mark Ballas opened up to Us Weekly about returning for Season 35. He said that he’s “open” to it, but his schedule is a little busy right now. He’s starring in Chicago on Broadway through August 16. He previously joined Whitney Leavitt in the musical during her run as Roxie Hart earlier this year.
While DWTS doesn’t premiere until September, the pros and their partners begin practicing weeks earlier. “I’m open. I mean, it just depends. The show has their system that they go through, and they’re deeply in the casting process right now,” Mark Ballas said about returning for Season 35.
His Advice For Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro Winner
A new pro dancer will take the stage when DWTS returns this fall. Mark Ballas and his mother, Shirley Ballas, serve as judges on Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro. Twelve talented ballroom dancers compete for a chance to join Season 35 as a pro and possibly take home the Mirrorball Trophy.
Mark Ballas has won three Mirrorball Trophies in his many years with the show. He shared advice for The Next Pro winner. “It’s really cute until week six, and then it gets serious. So I would hope that the winner is preparing, because you’re fired out of a cannon. There’s a lot coming at you,” he told USA Today.
Even if he doesn’t return as a pro, Mark Ballas hopes to continue teaching and training dancers. “I enjoy teaching. I enjoy giving anything I can to the new generation to help. Some of the younger pros know that I’m always a phone call away and I’m always down to help and in whatever capacity I can,” he said.
The beloved DWTS dancer added, “So if that means being a judge one day, absolutely. Whatever the show wants to do. We’ll see what comes along in the future. I really enjoyed that side of it.”
ABC won’t reveal the Season 35 pro dancers until closer to the premiere date. Tell us in the comments if you want Mark Ballas to return.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
