Pure Dancing With The Stars – Mark Ballas’ Aims And Predictions For Season 12 & More
Mark Ballas is back writing a blog for USA Today on his Dancing With The Stars adventures. He catches us up with what happened in the off season with his music. Then he explains what has happened since he found out Chelsea Kane was his partner. He also gives his thoughts on who he thinks will do well this Season (interesting that one pick was Petra and Dimitry. I’d love that to happen). More below. Be sure to read more at the link.
At the end of February, we met our partners and I was thrilled when I found I’d be partnered with Chelsea Kane. She works really hard, is full of energy, has a sense of rhythm and is absolutely lovely. Chelsea’s been so much fun to spend time with — it’s impossible to be in a bad mood around her! We get along great, although, I do annoy her by constantly sending her photos of this DJ I’ve become obsessed with, Deadmau5. He wears gigantic neon mouse heads, which I find hilarious.
When Chelsea found out I was shooting a music video for Hotwire a few weeks ago, she offered to be in it. We had a blast filming especially since Chels just goes with the flow. The video will be released in a few weeks and I’m super excited about it.
Back to dancing — I’m looking forward to wowing the judges and the fans this season with her — I think we make a great team.The Foxtrot is our first dance and we’ve been working to perfect it these past two weeks.
I haven’t spent a lot of time around the other couples yet, but as soon as the show starts, we’ll be hanging out a lot. Some of the teams that I think will do well this season are Hines and Kym (the footballers always do well), Chris and Cheryl (the only other multi-champ on the show), Romeo and Chelsie (he can move and has to avenge his father), and Petra and Dmitry (welcome back D!).
Here’s what I’m aiming for this season: having fun, entertaining everyone, and making a run at my third Mirrorball Trophy.
His reason that Petra and Dmitry will do well is “welcome back D!”? Yeah, not a good sign. More like a hope and not a prediction.
I like how the pros are always supporting one another. He and Chelsea seem to get along really well which is nice. Hopefully he doesn’t overwhelm her like he did to Shannon in week one.
Mark also thought Florence was a contender last season. Sounds like Mark really wants to take Derek’s spot in creating the crowd pleasing and judge pleasing choreography. He has a celeb who can dance. We’ll see. He can overwhelm his partners though.
I think Petra and Dmitry will be the dark horses this season. Looking at her recent rehearsal footages she seems to have improved leaps and bounds.
I always enjoy Mark’s blogs. I noticed he didn’t mention all the different dance clinics he did on the tour. He probably did at least 20 of those and most of the money went to his founcation for prevention of suicide. Either Mark knows something we don’t about Petra or Dmitry, or he’s guessing like the rest of us. We’ll all having fun doing our darndest to figure out how this thing will play out. Hoping we don’t have as many shocks as last season
Pleaee people stop trying to say Mark is trying to be like Derek. Maybe you people should watch his two partners he won with and Sabrina. Mark is a fantastic dancer and a fantastic teacher to his partners. Hes humble,funny, and a very noble man who does good things with his time to help people. Hes a great singer and holds his own . Remember he won twice already and he should have won with Sabrina also. We love you Mark and your this girls favorite pro!!!
LOL Rhonda – funny you should say that. I just watched all of season 5 and all of season 6 on Hulu and I’m well into season 7. I’m quite familiar with Mark’s dancing, thanks very much. But just like Derek is not to some people’s taste, Mark isn’t to mine. That’s just something you’ll have to get used to around here and not tell people what to say and what to think.
Mark won with ringers – good dancers, but ringers none the less. Should have won with Sabrina?? Debatable. I preferred Mel B and Helio. Point is – He DIDN’T win with Sabrina.
Mark doesn’t do it for me either. I’m sure he is a really nice person and I do enjoy him in the pro dances. But, my fave male dancers will always be Maks and Derek!
Princess Heidi – Derek also won with 2 ringers, so what’s your point? Why is this site called Pure DWTS when all you do is put down Mark and over fluff Derek? Isn’t that what Pure Derek Hough is for? If you are going to run a site promoting DWTS, it should be a non bias site. This site is not what I would call “Serving all your Dancing with the Stars Music, Video and News Needs”
Beth, what are you talking about? You must not be a regular reader here because we are trying to cover everyone whenever something comes out. And why is it Heidi can’t have her favorite Dancer when we all do including you?
Voguerista, there’s a difference in having your favorite dancer and putting down all the others.
Beth,
There’s nothing in the post that even mentions Derek. Someone else brought up Derek in the comments. That’s their prerogative since the comments are open to anyone. That doesn’t make this site bias because someone comments in a bias way.
Although, let’s be honest here for a second. It’s hard to bring up Mark and not talk about Derek and the opposite is true as well. They’ve been dancing together forever and are like brothers. So, Mark and Derek are always going to be compared and discussed together. Although, I still love the irony that Derek isn’t even mentioned in the post.
Oh Beth, blah blah blah BIAS blah blah. Save it. Everyone has bias, including you. ESPECIALLY you if you are trying to sell that Derek won with 2 ringers bullshit.
You don’t like it when we are criitical of other dancers? You best go elsewhere because we are equal opportunity offenders and it is not likely to change.
ETA: We don’t “promote” DWTS – if we did we’d be getting paid. We write about it, we talk about it, we diss it, we love it. Period.
First of all let me say I love this site, so for all of you that are involved “Thank You” for all of your hard work.
I love this season because it seems wide open as far as who can take home the mirror ball. This could finally be the year that a pro that has never won the mirrorball will take it. Theres nothing exciting about watching Mark take the mirrorball for the third time.
My new favorites are Ralph and Karina and Kirstie and Maks.
Can you imagine a finale of Maks and Karina. Awesome.
Isn’t it funny how it’s always someone else’s opinion that’s biased, but never your own LOL
When it’s an OPINION, it’s already biased by definition. When it’s a FACT – verifiable undisputed proven – bias doesn’t come into it.
What I so love about this site is that it’s a beautiful mix of both.
I come here to get the DWTS facts – who’s dancing, with whom, what are they dancing, what music did they dance to, what order did they dance, what’s their background, etc etc etc.
I also come here to read other opinions on what they thought about the facts. And to add my own opinions to the mix, my bias included at no extra charge 🙂
FACT: Kirstie and Maks danced the ChaChaCha
OPIONION: it was great
FACT: Ralph is a middle aged actor famous for being the original Karate Kid
OPINION: his foxtrot was pure joy
FACT: Wendy is a big girl
OPINION: she should have thought twice before signing on
I love all of it – the facts, the details, the opinions, the biases. I don’t mind at all that people have their favorites – I have mine as well (Maks and Kym being on the top of my list). Bring it on …. how boring if we all felt the same.
+1^^
“…how boring if we all felt the same”^^ Isn’t that the truth!!
Sandy, love the thought of Karina and Maks in the final. I hope it happens!!
“We write about it, we talk about it, we diss it, we love it. Period.”
Loves this! <3 ^^
Wow, Linde!!! Well said! 🙂
Hey guys, Wow All I said was Im sick of people saying Marks trying to be like Derek. I do agree with you John that Mark and Derek you talk about one the other comes up. I like both pros Mark is just my favorite. To be fair Derek won with ringers too and yes Him and Sabrina were robbed! Did anybody love Mark and Chelsea Jive? I loved it! I also love Ralph too, but my votes are for Mark.
:::sigh::: Derek won THREE times, but only had one actual ringer – Nicole. Thanks for playing come again soon. Mark has had THREE ringers, but has only won twice.