Witney Carson isn’t ready to give up the Mirrorball just yet.
After winning last season of “Dancing with the Stars” with Robert Irwin, the longtime pro is heading into Season 35 with a new partner, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” personality Guillermo Rodriguez — and she’s already setting her sights on another victory.
Witney Carson Confident She Can Win Another Mirrorball Trophy on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Now, Witney Carson made it clear she’s not shying away from the pressure of returning to “Dancing With the Stars” as a reigning champion.
When asked whether she’s aiming to take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy for a second consecutive season, Carson didn’t hesitate.
“Yep, I am,” she said confidently.
The pro dancer revealed that she’s already warned her new celebrity partner, Rodriguez, about just how competitive she can be.
“I already told him, and he was like, ‘Witney, don’t be greedy,’” Carson recalled with a laugh. “And I was like, ‘OK, trying not to, but I’m so competitive.’”
Carson then doubled down on her championship ambitions, making it clear that repeating last season’s success is well within her sights.
“I know I can win again,” she said.
Witney Carson Praises Guillermo Rodriguez’s Work Ethic Ahead of ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Premiere
Carson said she was thrilled when she learned Rodriguez would be her partner for “Dancing with the Stars” Season 35, especially after seeing the excitement and buzz surrounding his casting announcement.
Now that rehearsals are underway, the pro dancer says Rodriguez is already making an impression.
“He is so sweet. He’s wanting to work so hard, which is great, and I’m actually seeing him become better, which is really rewarding for me as a teacher, too,” she said.
According to Carson, Rodriguez’s enthusiasm and willingness to embrace every challenge have been among his most surprising qualities.
“He is just, like, down for anything, down for it all,” Carson said. “Which is really fun when you get a partner like that because you say something and they just try it and they have no inhibitions.”
That fearless attitude has already led to some entertaining moments in the rehearsal studio.
“We had some good laughs about some of the things I had him try,” she said, adding that Rodriguez is “so naturally funny.”
“I think that he’s, like, adorable,” Carson continued. “I know that’s a weird word to describe a grown man, but he, like, actually is adorable.”
Rodriguez is stepping into a partnership that follows Carson’s championship-winning season with Robert Irwin. Reflecting on that successful run, Carson revealed she sensed early on that they had the potential to go all the way.
Looking back, Carson believes that breakthrough performance established the momentum that carried them throughout the season.
“That first dance really set the tone for everything that followed,” she said.
Witney Carson Calls ‘DWTS: The Next Pro’ a ‘Job of a Lifetime’
Carson’s most recent “Dancing with the Stars” chapter has allowed her to experience the franchise from a whole new perspective.
The longtime pro joined as a mentor, guest judge, and co-host for “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro,” a competition series in which talented dancers compete for the chance to earn a coveted professional spot on the flagship show.
For Carson, watching contestants chase the same dream she once had was both inspiring and emotional.
“It’s really inspiring, and it’s really amazing to see people work so hard to get this job of a lifetime because it really is,” she said. “It really can change someone’s entire life.”
Carson said she and the other judges didn’t take the responsibility lightly, noting that “every episode, every elimination was very much thought out.”
Witney Carson Opens Up About Welcoming Baby No. 3 with Husband Carson McAllister
Away from the ballroom, Carson is preparing for another major milestone as she and husband Carson McAllister get ready to welcome their third child.
The dancer said she is excited for the next chapter and has embraced the whirlwind pace that comes with balancing family life and a demanding career.
“It’s always chaotic and it’s always crazy, but we really, we kind of thrive in the chaos,” she said. “So we’re just kind of embracing it, and we just thought, why not just add another kid to the chaos? We’re already crazy enough.”
Her two sons are just as eager to meet their newest sibling, though the household remains divided over one important question.
“One of them wants a baby brother, and one of them wants a baby sister,” Carson said. “So we’re a little bit divided in the house right now.”
Witney Carson Reveals Why Family Road Trips Inspired Her New Chevron Partnership
Carson’s growing family also played a role in her recent partnership with Chevron.
With frequent travel becoming a regular part of their lives, she said road trips have become more than just a way to get from point A to point B. Instead, they’re an important part of the family’s adventures.
“When we’re on a road trip, it’s more like it’s part of the adventure for us,” she said.
Carson partnered with Chevron to promote Chevron with Techron® and the company’s fuel rewards program, helping drivers fuel their end-of-summer road trips. The collaboration has even led to some playful conversations at home with her husband, Carson McAllister, a mechanical engineer and lifelong car enthusiast.
“Now it’s like, ‘I won’t go anywhere except for Chevron,’ and I’m educating him on fuel now,” Carson said.
Beyond convenience, Carson said the real value of those road trips is the uninterrupted time they give her family to reconnect and step away from the demands of everyday life.
“When we do get that time to put our phones down and put our laptops down, it’s really, really important to us,” she said.
With another baby on the way and another “Dancing with the Stars” season beginning, Carson’s life isn’t getting any less hectic — but she says she’s more than ready to embrace it.
“We kind of thrive in the chaos,” she said.
