Mark Ballas Leaned On Derek Hough Amid Wife's Miscarriage

Mark Ballas revealed that he turned to Derek Hough for support after his wife, BC Jean, experienced a miscarriage during his time on "Dancing with the Stars."

Ballas, who shares a 13-month-old son, Banksi Wylde Ballas, with Jean, explained that their son was born a year after the couple endured the loss during season 31 of the competition.

That season, Mark Ballas was partnered with Charli D’Amelio, and the duo ultimately won the coveted Mirrorball trophy.

Ballas opened up about how Charli D’Amelio and a “close group” of supporters helped him navigate a deeply challenging time during "Dancing with the Stars." “That was very hard … a very difficult time,” he shared, reflecting on his personal struggles after his wife’s miscarriage.

“I decided to go back to the season and found out my wife was pregnant,” Ballas shared with host Jason Tartick on his podcast "Trading Secrets." "And then that week, we found that we had a miscarriage, and I had to go to rehearsal and, you know, and that was a really heavy time.”

“At the time, Derek was one of the only people who knew,” Ballas said. “We really are like brothers. And we've been there for each other through each other's ups and downs.”

Ballas revealed that the Viennese waltz he performed with D’Amelio — which began with a yellow balloon drifting away — held deep personal significance. “That was very much dedicated to that,” he shared, referencing the loss he and his wife endured. “Like that letting the balloon go ... I just got goosebumps.”

He also expressed gratitude for the "Dancing with the Stars" team, acknowledging their support during one of the most challenging weeks of his life. “The team was great with how they helped me navigate that week and stuff like that,” he shared. “But again, it’s not just a week of grief.”

He continued, “I still think about that, and the reason I spun to that is because there are those times during something that feels so, ‘Oh, you’re on 'Dancing with the Stars.' Oh, you’re on Broadway’ [but] we're all human, and we have human experiences.”

“That was a very wild experience for me from going from the heaviness of that and seeing the person I love the most go through that and then having to provide the highest quality of competition and dancing that I can provide at that time," he added. "You know? So those are there are those moments, but I feel like in those moments, you learn, more about yourself, and I was lucky to have a good support system and Derek being one of them who, you know, really have my back."

Hough and Ballas demonstrated that their bond extends beyond friendship, showcasing their status as iconic dance partners.

During the "Dancing with the Stars" season 33 finale on November 26, the judge and professional dancer reunited on the ballroom floor for a captivating Argentine Tango set to "Libertango" by Tango Bardo. "Tonight, my buddy Mark Ballas and I are going to be bringing you a little ballroom history by dancing an Argentine Tango the way it was originally intended," Hough explained on the show, "with two male dancers."

Hough and Ballas highlighted the historical roots of the dance, noting that the Argentine Tango, which originated in the 19th century, was traditionally performed by two men due to the scarcity of women in their communities. "Most people would think the Argentine Tango is a very sexy, intimate, embracing moment between a man and a woman but this is gonna be a dance between two males," Ballas said. "There's gonna be more masculine energy there."

It’s no surprise that Ballas and Hough’s undeniable chemistry took center stage during their performance. The longtime best friends share a deep bond, having grown up and trained in ballroom dancing together. Hough and his sister, Julianne Hough, even lived with Ballas’ family in England for several years as they honed their craft during childhood.

While their performance was captivating, it wasn’t the first same-sex dance featured on "Dancing with the Stars." In 2016, Nyle DiMarco and pro dancer Keo Motsepe performed an Argentine Tango set to "Habanera" by Georges Bizet as part of a group routine with their season 22 partners, Peta Murgatroyd and Jodie Sweetin. Notably, Nyle and Peta went on to win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy that season.