💔 The Final Bow: Mark Ballas Closes the Door on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the dedicated fanbase of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS), three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas has officially closed the chapter on his competitive career with the reality dance show. While Mark had previously announced his retirement in March 2023, his surprise return for Season 34 had left the door tantalizingly ajar. His latest, more definitive statements have now confirmed that the curtain has fallen for good, sparking countless questions and a wave of emotional commentary from fans who considered him an integral part of the show’s DNA.

The full details behind Ballas’s ultimate departure are not a sudden whim, but a culmination of personal milestones, devastating family loss, and the heavy physical toll of two decades in the ballroom.

The Unexpected Return and Ultimate Farewell

Mark Ballas first shocked the DWTS community with a heartfelt retirement announcement on the final stop of the Dancing with the Stars 2023 Tour in Las Vegas. Standing beside his Season 31 partner, Charli D’Amelio, with whom he had just won his third Mirrorball, he told the live audience, “This will be the last time you see me dance in this capacity… This is going to be my last dance.” He specified that he was retiring from dancing with a celebrity partner.

This “first” retirement was driven by a complex mix of factors:

Physical Exhaustion and Injury: Ballas, who started the show at age 21 and had completed 20 seasons, openly spoke about the extreme wear and tear on his body—his knees, back, neck, and wrists were all hurting. The physical demands of the show required a break to heal.
Personal Loss: During Season 31, his wife, BC Jean Ballas, suffered a miscarriage just before the semi-finals. Ballas was forced to leave his wife to undergo a medical appointment to return to the dance floor for the live show. This emotional tipping point confirmed to him that he needed to prioritize his family and personal life over the show’s grueling schedule.
Creative Pursuit: Ballas stepped away to pursue his music career with his wife in their band, Alexander Jean, and focus on his Broadway career, where he had previously starred in hits like Kinky Boots and Jersey Boys.

However, in a move that delighted and surprised fans, Ballas returned to the ballroom for Season 34. This seemingly contradictory comeback was driven by a single, powerful motivation: the birth of his son, Banksi, in late 2023.

Ballas revealed on the Call Her Daddy podcast that becoming a father completely shifted his perspective. He realized he didn’t want to be “the dad who’s like, ‘I used to be a dancer and I can’t play soccer or throw a baseball.'” His desire to be an active, capable father to his son pushed him into intense physical therapy and training to repair his body. Once his injuries cleared and he felt strong again, he realized he had “a couple more in the tank” and wanted his son to eventually see his dad as a vibrant performer.

The True Toll of the Ballroom

While his return for Season 34 with partner Whitney Leavitt was met with excitement, it also highlighted the emotional and physical intensity that ultimately cemented his final decision to leave.

Re-aggravated Injuries: Despite his recovery, the constant, high-pressure routine of a full DWTS season brought his chronic injuries back to the forefront, serving as a harsh reminder of the physical limits he needed to respect.
The Storm of Online Hate: Ballas and Leavitt faced an alarming amount of intense, vitriolic online abuse throughout the season, with trolls sending devastatingly hateful messages. The emotional toll of constantly navigating this toxic environment, as revealed during his podcast appearance, was undeniable. His mother, Shirley Ballas, even stepped in to defend him online, citing the emotional damage the constant hate was causing.
The Shocking Elimination: The couple’s elimination in the semi-finals was one of the season’s most controversial moments. Despite earning near-perfect scores (58 out of 60), the public vote sent them home, a result that surprised the dancers and fans alike.

Following his Season 34 run, Ballas’s latest public statements about his future strongly suggest that the competitive chapter is definitively closed. While he didn’t use the word “retired” again, he made it clear that the physical risk and toll of another full season are too high, stating that he needs a breather and that injuries “will creep up on you.”

The Legacy of a Champion

Mark Ballas leaves behind one of the most remarkable legacies in DWTS history. Known for his creative, often theatrical, and technically brilliant choreography, he was a three-time champion, winning with Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, and Charli D’Amelio.

His final farewell is driven by a desire for long-term health, a need to protect his family life, and a commitment to his other artistic endeavors. While fans mourn the loss of one of the show’s brightest stars, they are left with the appreciation of his final, emotional dance seasons, knowing his departure is not born of dissatisfaction, but a mature recognition of a life-changing priority: his health and his role as a husband and father.