Call Her Daddy

Dancing with the Stars: Whitney & Mark's Final Dance

November 27, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Whitney Leavitt viewed her elimination from *Dancing with the Stars* as a "huge breakup" and was emotionally unprepared for the abrupt end of the intense experience. 
  • Whitney Leavitt acknowledged that her prior persona as the 'villain' on *Secret Lives of Mormon Wives* led her to expect negative public reception on *Dancing with the Stars*. 
  • Mark Ballas explained his return to *Dancing with the Stars* after a break was motivated by wanting to be an active father and feeling his body had recovered sufficiently from past injuries. 
  • Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas experienced severe, hateful online commentary related to their *Dancing with the Stars* run, which they felt was disproportionate to a dance competition. 
  • Whitney believes the negative narrative surrounding her—being called 'arrogant' for being ambitious—is rooted in misogyny, suggesting a man exhibiting the same drive would have been praised. 
  • Despite the negative experience, Whitney teased booking her first movie and announced that a dance performed with Mark on *Dancing with the Stars* will be brought to life soon. 

Segments

Post-Elimination Feelings
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(00:05:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Leavitt described the Dancing with the Stars elimination as feeling like a “huge breakup” due to the intense daily vulnerability.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt experienced a roller coaster of gratitude and sadness following her elimination from Dancing with the Stars. She noted the constant camera presence and vulnerable nature of the competition made the end feel like a significant personal separation. She admitted she did not expect to advance as far as she did in the competition.
Reality TV Persona and Hate
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(00:07:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Leavitt is accustomed to online hate, which she attributes to her portrayal in Secret Lives of Mormon Wives seasons one and two.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt stated she is used to receiving hate, which influenced her low expectations for fan support on Dancing with the Stars. She felt her persona as the ‘quote unquote villain’ from the previous reality show would carry over to the dance competition. She acknowledged making petty decisions in earlier seasons that contributed to her media image.
Joining Dancing with the Stars
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(00:08:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Leavitt considered being cast on Dancing with the Stars an “unobtainable dream” despite having a modern dance degree.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt has always loved dancing and viewed being on Dancing with the Stars as a delusional, unobtainable goal until the opportunity arose. She confirmed her dance background is a modern dance degree from Brigham Young University, which is very different from partner dancing. She had not been dancing rigorously since having her three children.
Shift in Fan Perception
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(00:14:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The negative shift in fan perception for Whitney Leavitt seemed to occur around week five after a minor on-stage mistake.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt felt the public sentiment turned against her after a small moment where she and Mark were out of sync during a dance around week five. This moment led to an ‘uproar’ online, causing the narrative to go ‘south.’ This negative attention was compounded by the release of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season three the week before the semifinals.
Secret Lives Return Motivation
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(00:15:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Leavitt was candid that her primary motivation for returning to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives for season three was securing an audition for Dancing with the Stars.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt was honest with castmates, like Taylor, that her intention for returning to Secret Lives was to audition for Dancing with the Stars, which she felt was a business opportunity. She felt this honesty was preferable to being fake, especially since rebuilding friendships after season two felt unreciprocated. She believes she received a fair edit in season three.
Mom Talk Camaraderie Shift
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(00:17:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Leavitt initially loved the camaraderie of creating entertaining content with Mom Talk but felt the group dynamic shifted away from that shared passion.
  • Summary: Whitney Leavitt valued the entertainment production aspect of Mom Talk but felt the group’s focus changed, leaving her unsure how to navigate the relationship. She hopes all the women use the reality show experience to venture into other opportunities, noting Macy’s book and Taylor’s Bachelorette role. She is currently closest with Demi, Layla, and surprisingly, Michaela.
Mark Ballas’s Return to DWTS
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(00:30:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Mark Ballas returned to Dancing with the Stars for the current season after taking a break due to injuries and prioritizing starting a family with his wife.
  • Summary: Mark Ballas had previously considered retiring after season 31 due to accumulated injuries, including lower back issues, and a personal tragedy involving a pregnancy loss during that season. After the birth of his son, Banksy, he diligently worked on his physical recovery and felt his body was ready to compete again. He reached out to producers stating he felt he had ‘a couple more in the tank.’
Whitney as a Partner
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(00:34:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Mark Ballas praised Whitney Leavitt’s innate ‘dynamic performer’ quality, which he cannot teach, noting her significant improvement in technique over the season.
  • Summary: Mark Ballas noted that he and Whitney Leavitt connected quickly and enjoyed roasting each other, but the hardest challenge they faced was the online hate they received together. He emphasized that Whitney’s performance quality was evident from the start, even if her technique required intense coaching. He pointed out the massive improvement between their first and second cha-chas.
Dance Experience Controversy
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(00:36:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Mark Ballas argued that having contestants with prior dance experience is normal for Dancing with the Stars, citing numerous past examples.
  • Summary: Mark Ballas stated that in 34 seasons, it is rare to find a season without someone possessing dance experience, as contestants are often drawn from the entertainment industry. He listed past strong dancers like Mario Lopez, Nicole Scherzinger, and Charlie D’Amelio as examples. He believes the focus should be on bridging technique with innate performance quality, which takes time.
Ticket Giveaway Backlash
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(00:41:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Mark Ballas admitted the ticket giveaway controversy was an innocent oversight made during the high-pressure marathon week, taking accountability for not checking context.
  • Summary: Mark Ballas stated the giveaway was intended as a casual, fun gesture for fans during the intense marathon week when they were preparing three dances. He acknowledged that in hindsight, he should have checked the context of such a promotion, especially given his long tenure on the show. Whitney Leavitt agreed they were overwhelmed with choreography preparation at the time.
Elimination Reasoning
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(00:52:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney and Mark believe their high score (58/60) elimination was likely influenced by the organized online effort to vote for everyone except them.
  • Summary: Despite scoring 58 out of 60, Whitney Leavitt speculated that the backlash from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives may have swayed votes against them. Mark Ballas noted that the organized effort to vote for everyone but their pair was a new ’loophole’ he observed in the voting dynamic. Whitney felt the pressure of this organized opposition affected her morale leading into the final dance.
Reading Extreme Online Hate
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(00:57:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney shared an example of extreme, violent hate mail received after a dance, highlighting the relentless nature of online attacks.
  • Summary: Whitney read a direct message calling her a derogatory term and wishing her to ‘burn in hell’ following one of her performances. She noted that these messages were relentless and stemmed from commentary over a dance show. The host emphasized that art is subjective, but this level of hatred is unhealthy and abnormal.
Misogyny in Entertainment Criticism
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(00:58:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney and the host analyzed how ambition in women, especially in entertainment, is often framed negatively as ‘opportunistic’ or ‘arrogant,’ whereas the same trait in men is praised as ‘ambitious.’
  • Summary: Whitney felt guilt, wondering if her partnership contributed to the hate directed at Mark, but the discussion pivoted to gendered criticism. Supporters noted that Whitney being ‘centered and sure of herself’ rubbed people the wrong way, suggesting she would have been better received if she were more demure. Whitney concluded that if she were a man, her drive would likely have been accepted.
Coping with Cast Camaraderie
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(01:03:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The Dancing with the Stars cast, particularly the professional dancers, shared camaraderie over navigating the unprecedented level of online hatred this season.
  • Summary: Whitney confirmed that the hate was heightened for her and Mark specifically, but other cast members were also experiencing it. The professional dancers, who have long-standing relationships, discussed strategies for navigating the intense online environment. They agreed that criticism should stop at critiquing the dance, not escalating beyond that.
Mark’s Future on DWTS
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(01:04:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Mark expressed his continued love for Dancing with the Stars and creating on the show, indicating he is open to returning despite the difficult season.
  • Summary: Speculation existed online that Mark might not return to the show due to the experience. Mark stated he loves the show and creating for it, noting he has returned for guest judging and dancing roles previously. He needs time to recover from the season but plans to have a conversation with executive producer Rob about future involvement.
Whitney’s Message to Haters
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(01:05:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney stated her initial reaction to haters was ‘fuck you,’ but pivoted to urging viewers to consider the real-world mental health impact of their comments and to create a positive domino effect online.
  • Summary: Whitney admitted that her honest reaction to those who celebrated her elimination was to tell them to ‘fuck you,’ especially considering the toll it took on her mental health while being with her children. She argued that reality TV has become ’too real,’ turning entertainment into something akin to a tragedy for the participants. She implored listeners to strive to be the positive domino effect rather than contributing to the cycle of hate.
Whitney’s Career Teases
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(01:08:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney announced she booked her first movie and teased that a specific Dancing with the Stars dance with Mark will be brought to life soon.
  • Summary: Amid speculation about her next steps, Whitney revealed she booked her first movie, which she will announce officially on Monday. Furthermore, she teased that a dance performed with Mark on Dancing with the Stars will be coming to life, addressing fan disappointment over not seeing their freestyle dance.