Exclusive Interview
‘DWTS’: Whitney Leavitt Reflects on Performing With Husband Conner After Marriage Struggles
Mark Ballas, Whitney Leavitt‘s pro dance partner on Dancing With the Stars, might be able to add “marriage counselor” (or “marriage choreographer”) to his resume after incorporating her husband, Conner Leavitt, into their contemporary dance this week.
DWTS producers asked celebrities to invite a special person into their routine for Dedication Night. Whitney chose Conner, and in the pre-dance video package, she opened up to Mark about the hurdles that she and her husband have had to overcome in their marriage recently.
Whitney said she and Conner were able to get past a point where they were at their “most distant” from one another.
“[Dancing with Conner] was a lot of Mark trying to put us back together,” Whitney told Swooon on the post-show press line.
Disney/Eric McCandless
Conner and Mark are approximate to one another in terms of height and build, but they were also dressed the same in black pants and an open “non-puffy puffy shirt.” Viewers nearly couldn’t tell whether it was Mark or Conner dancing with Whitney at certain moments, which was the point.
“On day one, Mark asked me, ‘How far can you go and be a part of the dance? I have a vision for this,’” Conner said. “He said, ‘I want to see if you can do it. At least, I want to see your energy and how much energy you put into it.’ After the first rehearsal, Mark said, ‘You know, this could have been a train wreck because I threw you into the deep end. But I really think you can execute this.’”
Conner said that he wanted to help make the dance – a contemporary to Jamal Roberts’ song “Heal” – a success for his wife. “I said, ‘I’m not going to let you guys down,’” Conner proudly shared.
The judges scored the emotional routine a 33/40, and while it’s their job to point out tiny imperfections, which they did, their comments were nearly all filled with praise for the trio.
“It was so beautiful to watch you share that moment with your husband and so impressive,” Derek Hough told Whitney. “Wow, Conner! You are a dancer! The storytelling, the choreography, the musicality…well done!”
“The twists, the turns, the ups, the downs!” Bruno Tonioli enthused. “The drama! It was like White Lotus with a happy ending. Very ambitious routine. You should be proud of it.” Carrie Ann Inaba said that the trio’s contemporary “is why some of us become dancers. It’s a way to cope with emotions. Way to show up for your wife!”
Conner’s performance on the show begs the question of whether or not he’d be up for doing DWTS in a future season. “He would crush it,” Whitney enthused. “Crush it!”
While Conner responded to the idea of joining the show, he chose to supportively keep the emphasis on his wife’s journey. “Whitney’s having a great time. It makes me think I’d have a great time, but I don’t want to think too much into the future,” he confirmed. “I just want to celebrate my wife.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC
For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary special issue, available for purchase online at DWTS.TVGM2025.com and on newsstands now.
