“Dancing With the Stars” is getting a spin-off as the show hunts for its next pro dancer. Ballroom legends Shirley and Mark Ballas will serve as judges as hopeful dancers compete for the spot. Reigning champion Robert Irwin will host.
Shirley Ballas previously shared how excited she was to work alongside her son again. While she described the opportunity as a “dream come true,” she also reportedly struggled with nervous feelings ahead of the show.
Now, Mark Ballas is describing how he soothed his mother’s anxiety.
Mark Ballas Gushes Over His Mother’s Abilities
Shirley Ballas is no stranger to the judges’ table. Since 2017, she’s been the head judge on the British show, “Strictly Come Dancing.” But she’s still pretty new to American audiences. Thankfully, her son Mark is an expert in this area.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s a no-brainer,'” Mark Ballas shared with Parade when his mother asked for advice. “She called me. She’s like, ‘I don’t know if this is for me.’ Because she loves to teach. She loves her craft. That’s one thing I’ll say about my mom. No one is more clued in on the fundamentals and mechanics and the craft of Latin American ballroom dancing. She is just the best. And at 65, she’ll probably outdance all of us until she can’t move.”
Mark Ballas respects his mother’s talents as a dancer, but also recognizes her other unique characteristics. At the end of the day, he just encouraged her to be herself onscreen.
“The cool thing about my mom [is she] comes from a small area outside of Liverpool called the Wirral,” the 39-year-old shared. “She’s come from some hard knocks. She had to defy a lot of odds to get to where she is in her field. And I love that about her. I was like, ‘Just be you. Just go for it. Talk about the thing you love, which is dancing.’”
Although Mark loves his mother’s kindness and compassion, he knows exactly what she can bring to the judges’ table.
“It’s tough love,” he told Parade. “Don’t get me wrong, she’s very direct. And that’s because of her upbringing, the area she’s from. But that’s what makes it work. If you want to succeed, sometimes we need that tough love.”
Shirley Ballas Came to See Her Son Star on Broadway
From now until May 3, Mark Ballas is starring as Billy Flynn in “Chicago” on Broadway. Of course, Shirley Ballas couldn’t let the opportunity pass to see her son on stage. She and her mother flew to New York to see Mark and his co-star, Whitney Leavitt, in action.
“Mum and Nanny are beyond proud @markballas@chicagomusical 🥹 … congratulations on an outstanding performance,” the ballroom icon shared on Instagram. “Witnessing you get back on that Broadway stage brought me to tears and seeing Nanny smiling throughout was just the best. We’re truly blessed and are ready to watch you shine all again tonight. We love you, Mark. 🫶🏼 x”
In the comments, Shirley noted that her own mother was usually the one who took Mark to dance and theater lessons in his youth. She especially loved that his grandmother had the chance to see him perform on Broadway.
“Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” comes to ABC on Monday, July 13, 2026. “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 will premiere on the network this fall.
