Tonight on “Dancing with the Stars,” audiences will watch Mark Ballas and his partner Whitney Leavitt take on a Foxtrot routine as the competition builds momentum. After weeks of tension, praise, and speculation, the duo seems poised to deliver a polished ballroom moment. Ballas, a seasoned pro returning this season, pairs technical prowess with performance flair. Leavitt, though newer to the ballroom format, has shown surprising adaptability. Watch the couple’s Foxtrot to “Room Where It Happens” from Hamilton below.
WATCH: Ballas & Leavitt Perform “Hamilton” with Judge Scores
The two dazzle the judges receiving a total score of 25 out of 30. Carrie Ann gives out her first 9 of the season to Ballas and Leavitt. Leavitt candidly highlights her daughter is in the audience for the first time this season tonight.
Shirley Ballas Defends Mark’s Samba Amid Criticism
Although tonight’s performance is a Foxtrot, reactions to Ballas and Leavitt’s Week 3 Samba continue to echo through fan spaces. During that Samba, performed to “Shake Ya Ass,” critics questioned stylistic choices, execution, and interpretation. In response, Ballas’s mother, judge Shirley Ballas, stepped into the conversation to defend her son’s artistry.
She emphasized that Samba is often misunderstood by general viewers who don’t appreciate its nuanced rhythm and technique, cautioning against hasty judgments. Shirley argued that the performance might not have translated cleanly to casual viewers but that the intention and technical foundations underlying Ballas and Leavitt’s routine deserved credit.
Her defense also framed the criticism in a broader context: in competitive dance, risks and stylistic choices always invite opinion. By publicly supporting Mark, Shirley reaffirmed confidence in Leavitt as a partner and in her son’s decisions, reminding fans that not all artistic risks should be reduced to binary success or failure.
Fans Speculate: Was Mark in the Original “Hamilton” Cast?
Beyond choreography and judging, Ballas has stirred buzz of a different kind. “Dancing with the Stars” fans have speculated that he secretly appeared in the original cast of the Broadway hit “Hamilton.” An article in Parade compiled examples of this theory, noting fans’ fascination with whether Ballas’s performance demeanor or stage presence echoed roles one would expect from someone familiar with “Hamilton’s” original choreography or staging.
While there is no documented evidence that Ballas performed in “Hamilton,” the rumors persist partly because fans perceive traces of musical theater grounding in his movement, transitions, and charisma. That said, Ballas’s actual background includes years of dance, television, and live performance—but not confirmed credits in “Hamilton.” The speculation underscores how closely dance viewers observe their favorites and how performance impressions can spark mythmaking in fandom.
