“Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 was one of the most successful seasons to date, with record-breaking votes and increased viewership among younger audiences. It was an incredible show, and the finale produced some of the most memorable Freestyles ever! However, one couple was unable to show their Freestyle because they were eliminated in the semifinals. This was Whitney Leavitt and her professional dance partner, Mark Ballas.
Mark Ballas & Whitney Leavitt’s Freestyle Routine
Leavitt was impressive on the show, and she is a technically skilled and passionate dancer. Still, she and Ballas faced intense criticism during their time on the ABC dance competition. Their fans were heartbroken over what many felt was their early exit and were hopeful they would still get to see their Freestyle. That moment came when the pair appeared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. The pair delivered a powerful performance that told the story of the negativity they faced on DWTS.
Ballas shared his thoughts on Instagram after the show. He posted several photos of the dance and behind-the-scenes, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to do their Freestyle. “I want to thank this incredible team for all of their hard work, passion & relentlessness to help me bring this vision to life in under 72 hours,” he wrote in the caption.
He continued, “I had this concept brewing for a while, made mood boards filled with imagery & inspiration & I had been working on the music arrangement for 2 weeks. Just when it seemed like this idea was never going to have a life, we got the call from Call Her Daddy & ABC. The first call I made was to my dear friend & Executive Producer of this piece @ashleyedens and I asked her ‘is this impossible to do & are we totally nuts to try and pull this off in this amount of time?’ And she said ‘YES, it’s totally nuts.. let’s do it!’”
The post is filled with thanks to those who helped bring this dance to life. Fans have been excited to share their thoughts.
Carrie Ann Inaba Reacts To Mark Ballas’ Powerful Post
The post’s comment section has been flooded with messages from fans, professional dancers, and loved ones. Ballas and Leavitt have received overwhelming support, but one message stands out, and it is from DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
“This was absolute brilliance!! And you both delivered a powerful and much-needed message,” Inaba began her message. “You and Whitney are a creative match made in heaven and it was wonderful to see you – as a choreographer – never have to hold back in both your creativity and your performance. You gave Whitney the place to be her fullest self while leaping out into the unknown, and it was healing to watch. This was sheer brilliance for so many reasons.”
Inaba, who is also no stranger to hate, expressed her sadness for what Ballas and Leavitt faced this season. She even acknowledged that it is usually she who faces the backlash, including for “favoritism” toward Ballas and Leavitt.
“It broke my heart to read some of the comments. When people kept saying there was favoritism, I got very upset because that diminishes what you both had worked so hard for,” she wrote. “Maybe after this season and this powerful performance, the conversations we have about social media and the parasocial relationships people have will shift and evolve. Also, maybe the way the press covers these things can also be less salacious.”
Inaba ended her message by saying that even though the pair did not perform their Freestyle on the show, this was, in many ways, better. “It had a different kind of impact,” she wrote. “You do things your own way Mark, and I think this was the way it was meant to be.”
They were far the best