Mark Alexander Ballas Jr. (born May 24, 1986) is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, musician, and actor. Since 2007, he has appeared as a pro on the ABC reality competition program Dancing with the Stars, winning the series three times. He earned a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for his work on the show.
Early Life Mark Alexander Ballas Jr. was born on May 24, 1986, in Houston, Texas. He is the only child of professional ballroom dancers Corky Ballas and Shirley Ballas (); his father is an American of Greek ancestry, and his mother is British with predominantly English ancestry and distant Irish and Cape Coloured heritage. His paternal grandfather, George Ballas, was the inventor of the Weed Eater lawn-trimming device.Wozny, Nancy. "H-Town's Own Dance Man: Mark Ballas opens up on the naive miracle of Bristol Palin & his John Mayer ways", CultureMap Houston, December 13, 2010. WebCitation archive.
Ballas attended Rosemead Preparatory School in South London. At the age of 11, he earned a full-time slot at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, as well as earning a full scholarship. In 2005, he was awarded "Performer of the Year".
Career
Competitive dancing Ballas won championships at The British Open to the World, The US Open to the World, and The International Open to the World. With his former partner Julianne Hough, he won the Junior Latin American Dance Championship and the gold medal at the Junior Olympics.
Acting
As an actor, Ballas played the lead role of Tony in the musical Copacabana and was the lead dancer in the UK national tour of the Spanish musical Maria de Buenos Aires. He was also the understudy for the role of Ritchie Valens in the UK national tour of Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story. Ballas played an extra in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as part of the Hufflepuff House. In October 2008, Ballas made a guest appearance on the season premiere of Samantha Who.
On September 6, 2016, it was announced that Ballas would be the final actor to portray the role of Frankie Valli in the Broadway cast of Jersey Boys before it closes in 2017. On May 26, 2018, it was announced that he would play the role of the Teen Angel in the 2018 Toronto revival of Grease in a limited engagement from June 7–10. From September 11, 2018, to November 18, 2018, Ballas portrayed Charlie Price in the musical Kinky Boots on Broadway. In July 2022, he appeared as Harry in the Hollywood Bowl production of the same show.
Reality TV
Dancing with the Stars On the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars, Ballas was partnered with Cheetah Girls star Sabrina Bryan. On October 30, 2007, the pair was voted off the show. They have been the only couple invited back for an exhibition dance.
Ballas's partner for season 6 of Dancing with the Stars was Olympic Gold Medal-winning figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. They won the season.
On August 25, 2008, ABC announced the cast of the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, with Ballas paired with reality television star Kim Kardashian. They were the third couple eliminated, finishing in eleventh place, on September 30, 2008.
For the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars, Ballas was paired with Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast Shawn Johnson, winning that season's competition on May 19, 2009.
He was partnered with actress Melissa Joan Hart for the show's ninth season. They were voted off in week six and came in 9th place.
For season 10, Ballas was partnered with actress Shannen Doherty. They were the first couple eliminated, on March 30, 2010. Despite that, Shannen & Mark hold a higher average than a few celebrities who lasted longer than they did.
For season 11, Ballas was partnered with Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaska governor and U.S. Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. They made it to the finale and finished in third place.
For season 12, Ballas was partnered with Disney Channel star Chelsea Kane. They made it to the finals where they finished in third place. For his choreography with Kane, specifically the Jive ("I Write Sins Not Tragedies"), Viennese Waltz ("Hedwig's Theme") and Waltz ("My Love") dances, Ballas was nominated for that year's Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography.
For season 13, Ballas was partnered with reality star Kristin Cavallari where they were the 3rd couple eliminated finishing in 10th place. In spite of this, they retained a higher average than a few couples that easily outlasted them, including Nancy Grace & Tristan MacManus, the quarter-finalists of the season.
For season 14, he was partnered with Classical Singer Katherine Jenkins. They made it to the finale where they finished as the runners-up, losing to Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd.
For season 15, he returned with season 11 partner, Bristol Palin before being eliminated in week 4. In week 7, he danced with his former partner Shawn Johnson because her partner, Derek Hough suffered a neck injury.
He was paired with two-time Olympic champion Aly Raisman for season 16. Since season 16 had four couples reach the finals for the first time, Aly and Mark were able to become finalists. On May 21, however, they were eliminated at the beginning of the show landing them in fourth place.
For season 17, he was paired with singer Christina Milian. They were the 4th couple eliminated despite receiving the first 10 of the season.
For season 18, he partnered with Full House actress Candace Cameron Bure. The couple made it to the finals and ended in third place.
For season 19, he partnered with Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson and finished in 2nd place behind Alfonso Ribeiro.
For season 20, he was paired with star of The Hunger Games film series Willow Shields. The couple was shockingly eliminated in week 7, finishing in seventh place despite receiving high scores throughout the season.
For season 21, he was partnered with actress Alexa PenaVega. They were shockingly eliminated in week 9 (despite having a perfect night) and finished the competition in 6th place.
For season 22, he was paired with UFC mixed martial artist Paige VanZant. Ballas and VanZant made it to the finals of the show and finished in second place. Ballas was not part of the season 23 & 24 cast.
Ballas returned as a professional dancer for season 25, and was paired with violinist Lindsey Stirling. Ballas and Stirling made it to the finals and finished in second place.
Ballas returned to the show for season 31. He was partnered with social media personality and dancer Charli D'Amelio. They won the competition, making this Ballas' third win on the show and his first win since Season 8.
Ballas returned to the show for season 34 after a two year break. He was partnered with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt. Despite receiving the highest cumulative points in the season at the time, Ballas and Leavitt were eliminated during the semifinals on November 18, 2025, finishing in sixth place.
Ballas was paired for season 35 with Love Island UK season 5 and fellow season four Traitors US alum Maura Higgins.
Celebrity partners Season Partner Place Average5 Sabrina Bryan 7th 27.06 Kristi Yamaguchi 1st 28.337 Kim Kardashian 11th 18.08 Shawn Johnson 1st 26.949 Melissa Joan Hart 9th 21.1710 Shannen Doherty 11th 19.011 Bristol Palin3rd 22.5912 Chelsea Kane3rd 26.1313 Kristin Cavallari 10th 21.6714 Katherine Jenkins2nd 27.8715 Bristol Palin 9th 21.016 Alexandra Raisman 4th 26.7117 Christina Milian 9th 25.018 Candace Cameron Bure3rd 25.47*19 Sadie Robertson2nd 26.72*20 Willow Shields 7th 25.50*21 Alexa PenaVega 6th 25.7522 Paige VanZant2nd 27.1325 Lindsey Stirling2nd 27.0631 Charli D'Amelio 1st 28.29*34 Whitney Leavitt 6th 26.88*35Maura Higgins TBDTBD
Performance Record Season 5 with celebrity partner Sabrina Bryan (average: 27.0); placed 7th Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResult989InabaGoodmanTonioli2Quickstep / "They're Red Hot"989Safe3Jive / "Shake, Rattle and Roll"999Safe4Paso Doble / "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)"101010Safe5Rumba / "Me and Mrs. Jones"9910Safe6Foxtrot / "I'm a Woman"988Eliminated
Season 6 with celebrity partner Kristi Yamaguchi (average: 28.33); placed 1st Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Foxtrot / "The More I See You"999No Elimination2Mambo / "Hey Baby"999Safe3Tango / "Rio"999Safe4Paso Doble / "Blue Monday"10910Safe5Rumba / "Say"91010Safe6Jive / "Rip It Up"101010Safe7Viennese Waltz / "I'm with You"Cha-Cha-Cha / "Don't Stop the Music"91088910Safe8Quarter-FinalsQuickstep / "Billy A Dick"Samba / "Volare"98109109 Safe9Semi-finalsTango / "Midnight Tango"Jive / "Nutbush City Limits"109991010 Safe10FinalsCha-Cha-Cha / "Dancing on the Ceiling"Freestyle / "Workin' Day and Night"Jive / "Rip It Up"101010101010101010Won
Season 7 with celebrity partner Kim Kardashian (average: 18.0); placed 11th Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Foxtrot / "The Pink Panther Theme"676Last To Be Called Safe1Mambo / "Baby Got Back"666Safe2Rumba / "You Give Me Something"665Eliminated
Season 8 with celebrity partner Shawn Johnson (average: 26.94); placed 1st Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Waltz / "It is You (I Have Loved)"887No Elimination2Salsa / "Las Muchachas"888Safe3Foxtrot / "More Than This"999Safe4Lindy Hop / "Ready Teddy"889Safe5Viennese Waltz / "Ordinary Day"989Safe6Rumba / "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room"899Safe7Cha-Cha-Cha / "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"9910Safe8Samba / "Get Down on It"Team Mambo / "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"1088899 Safe9Quarter-FinalsQuickstep / "Friend Like Me"Paso Doble / "Gotta Get thru This"91099910 Safe10Semi-finalsArgentine Tango / "Asi Se Baila El Tango"Jive / "Reet Petite"109108109Safe11FinalsPaso Doble / "So What"Freestyle / "Do Your Thing"Cha-Cha-Cha / "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"9101091010101010Won
Season 9 with celebrity partner Melissa Joan Hart (average: 21.17); placed 9th Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Viennese Waltz / "The Time of My Life"Cha-Cha-Cha Relay / "Centerfold"6Awarded666PointsSafe2Jive / "Long Tall Sally"7616Safe3Samba / "Turn Me On"667Safe4Charleston / "Charleston"9910Safe5Argentine Tango / "Tango Barbaro"887Safe6Waltz / "Only One Road"Mambo Marathon / "Ran Kan Kan"7Awarded746PointsEliminated1Score from stand-in guest judge Baz Luhrmann
Season 10 with celebrity partner Shannen Doherty (average: 19.0); placed 11th Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Viennese Waltz / "The Killing Moon"666No Elimination2Jive / "Shake a Tail Feather"767Eliminated
Season 11 with celebrity partner Bristol Palin (average: 22.59); placed 3rd Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)"666Safe2Quickstep / "You Can't Hurry Love"787Safe3Foxtrot / "Just the Way You Are"667Last To Be Called Safe4Rumba / "Umbrella"6/46/56/5Last To Be Called Safe5Jive / "(Theme From) The Monkees"666Safe6Tango / "According To You" Rock 'n Roll / "La Grange"8 Awarded7 58 PointsSafe7Viennese Waltz / "Trouble" Team Cha-Cha-Cha / "Workin' Day and Night"9/8 88 88 8Safe8Quarter-FinalsArgentine Tango / "Buttons"Samba / "Mas Que Nada"878888Safe9Semi-finalsPaso Doble / "Gimme More"Waltz / "Mary Goes To Jesus"989999Last To Be Called Safe10FinalsJive / "Move"Freestyle / "Cell Block Tango"Tango / "According to You"Cha-Cha-Cha / "Raise Your Glass"9889999998893rd place
Season 12 with celebrity partner: Chelsea Kane (average: 26.13); placed 3rd