“Dancing with the Stars” executive producers Conrad Green and Deena Katz have opened up about the future of the competition show and its judging panel.
The duo spoke to TV Insider about the “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” judging panel and how it could impact the “DWTS” panel in the future.
Mirror ball champion Mark Ballas serves as a judge on the new spin-off alongside his mother Shirley Ballas, who serves as head judge on “Strictly Come Dancing.” Fans of her and “DWTS” might be seeing more of her in the future.
Could Shirley Ballas Join The Judging Panel On ‘DWTS’?
Shirley Ballas is known as “the Queen of Latin” and has taught some of the best in the business, so she would make a perfect candidate for “Dancing with the Stars” judging panel.
“She is a presence,” Green gushed about Ballas. “She reminds me of Len,” he added, referring to Len Goodman, the former head judge who passed away in 2023.
“She’s also taught probably every single one of [the pro dancers],” Katz said. “They respect her so much, and they’re a little afraid of her, too.”
While Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro sees Mark and Shirley Ballas find a new pro dancer for “Dancing With the Stars, the former Latin dancer could soon be scoring celebrities in the ballroom.
“I think Shirley would make a great guest judge on Dancing With the Stars,” Green explained. “Mind you, there are no changes planned for [the table], but Shirley’s wonderful. You’re seeing in this show what a wonderful presence she has as a judge.”
Derek Hough and Brandon Armstrong joined the mother and son duo in the first two episodes of the new spin-off. Britt Stewart and Jenna Johnson are set to join the “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” judging panel in the upcoming episodes.
“Everything you know about our pros [on DWTS] comes from how you see them doing their job on the show,” Katz said. “But we never really stop and say, for example, ‘Witney [Carson], let’s tell your story.’ Whereas on this show, you do see their stories.”
“I think it feels a little weird to them because they’re sitting next to Shirley Ballas,” admitted Katz, adding, “Conrad’s right — she’s wickedly funny.”
Who Is Shirley Ballas?
Shirley Ballas found mainstream fame when she joined the judging panel of “Strictly Come Dancing” in 2017, the UK equivalent of “Dancing With the Stars.”
But before she was on our TV screens, she was a respected ballroom dancer and teacher. From the early 1980s until her 1996 retirement, Shirley was a Latin ballroom champion in her own right.
The 65-year-old is the only person to have ever won the British Open to the World Latin American Championships in Blackpool with two different partners. She also reached the finals an incredible 17 times. Ballad later won 3 Carl Alan Awards (considered the Oscars of dance) and has been honored with the Teacher of the Year Award.
Her son, “DWTS” pro Mark Ballas, isn’t her own connection to the ABC reality show. She also worked with Derek and Julianne Hough during her time as a teacher.
“I originally met them while I was teaching in Salt Lake City and they were part of a school there. Derek was good friends with Mark and he was keen to move to England to train for a life in the professional arts. He spent ten years here attending the Italia Conti school in London, with Mark, and they both ended up doing Dancing With The Stars,” Shirley told Sheer Luxe.
The dance champ added: “Julianne – who danced with Mark – ended up being the youngest girl to win the Open to the World British Championship junior competition. Derek also came in second the year before with his partner, but basically won everything else. So, I had them in the industry from an early age, they were busy from the get-go and now they all have great careers.”
“Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” airs Mondays, 8/7c, ABC
