Mark Ballas Height, Weight, Age, Spouse, Family, Facts, Biography

Mark Ballas Quick Info
Height	5 ft 6 in
Weight	70 kg
Date of Birth	May 24, 1986
Zodiac Sign	Gemini
Spouse	Brittany Jean Carlson

Mark Ballas is an American dancer, choreographer, singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and television personality who has been a professional ballroom dancer on the ABC show Dancing with the Stars. He was nominated for an Emmy for “Outstanding Choreography” in 2011. As a musician, he has been a member of the duo Alexander Jean, alongside BC Jean. The duo has released extended plays and tracks like For Anybody Wondering, So Bad, Head High, Coming Down, Roses and Violets, High Enough, O Holy Night, Stampede (ft. Lindsey Stirling), Paper Planes, Highs & Lows, Waiting for You, We Three Kings (ft. Casey Abrams), Nevermind, and God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen.

Born Name

Mark Alexander Ballas Jr.

Nick Names

Mark, Alexander Jean

Sun Sign

Gemini

Born Place

Houston, Texas, United States

Residence

Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills, Los Angles, California, United States

Nationality

Education

Mark studied at Rosemead Preparatory School in South London.

When he turned 11, he earned a spot for full-time academic and vocational training at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.

For higher education, Mark acquired a scholarship to continue studying in the Italia Conti Arts Centre for a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre.

Occupation

Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Dancer, Choreographer, Reality TV Personality

Family

Father – Mark Alexander Ballas Sr. aka Corky Ballas (Professional Ballroom Dancer, Competitive Latin dancer)
Mother – Shirley Rich (Ballroom Dancer, Dance Teacher, Dance Adjudicator)
Siblings – He has no siblings.
Others –
- George A. Rich (Maternal Grandfather)
- Audrey Rich (Maternal Grandmother)
- David Rich (Maternal Uncle) (Expired)
- Mary Rich (Cousin)
- George Charles Ballas, Sr (Paternal Grandfather) (Bombardier in World War II, American Entrepreneur)
- Maria Louisa Marulanda Ballas (Paternal Grandmother) (Singer / Dancer)
- George Ballas Jr. (Paternal Uncle)
- Michelle Ballas Pritchard (Paternal Aunt)
- Maria Ballas Jamail (Paternal Aunt)
- Lillian Ballas Miles (Paternal Aunt)

Manager

Mark has been repped by –

Tara Joseph, J.A.M (Manager)
Kaedian LLP (Law Firm)
Keith Naisbit, Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California (Agent)
Rona Menashe, Guttman PR, Beverly Hills, California (Publicist)

Genre

Pop, Rock, Folk

Instruments

Vocals, Steel String Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums

Labels

Hollywood Records
HitPlay Records (Red Music, Sony)

Net Worth

His net worth had been $3 Million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.

Build

Athletic

Height

5 ft 6 in or 168 cm

Weight

70 kg or 154 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Mark Ballas has dated –

Julianne Hough (2002–2004) – Mark and Julianne practically grew up together. They were registered as dance partners for 5 years in several junior dance competitions in the USA and UK and even started a band together. Although no concrete confirmation of their dating period is available, it won’t come off as a surprise in retrospect if Mark and Julianne dated each other when Julianne was still in her teens. They probably broke up after Julianne decided to return to the USA to finish her education. The two continue to remain good friends owing to Mark’s closeness with Julianne’s brother, Derek.

Sabrina Bryan (2007–2009) – Mark met Sabrina in season 5 of Dancing with the Stars when he participated in the reality dance competition for the very first time and Sabrina was declared his celebrity partner. Since both of them were singers and dancers by profession with a hard-working, perfectionist attitude, they hit it off as soon as they were paired in the reality show. Their camaraderie set off speculation that the two were probably dating. But, it was their surprise exit that made them finish the show prematurely in 7th place that pushing them closer to each other. Heartbreak and shock caused by an early exit made Sabrina and Mark lean on each other for emotional support. They disclosed their newfound status as a couple to TV Guide but broke up in 2009.

Joanna Pacitti (2008–2009) – Mark had a very public romance with former American Idol contestant Joanna. They met in North Carolina where Mark was training with season 6 celebrity partner Kristi Yamaguchi. During the initial months, Mark and Joanna spent a lot of time together despite Mark’s intense schedule and were frequently seen posing for pictures at various red carpet events. However, a year into dating, Mark saw a few professional setbacks that probably also affected his relationship. He confirmed his break-up by stating, “It just wasn’t working out.”

Jeanine Mason (2010-2011) – Mark was frequently spotted by the paparazzi out on a date with So You Think You Can Dance winner, Jeanine Mason.

Pia Toscano (2011) – The former American Idol contestant met Mark on the sets of Dancing with the Stars (2011) when she made a guest appearance on that show. They dated each other for 1 month before Pia decided to end the relationship, given their demanding work schedules. Mark disclosed the two parted on good terms without any hard feelings.

Tiffany Dunn (2012) – Mark had a brief but very volatile, passionate, and public romance with pop singer and choreographer Tiffany Dunn. The two were frequently spotted hand in hand on the streets of Hollywood. Their romance quickly turned sour as their fights turned public as well. TMZ even reported that Tiffany happened to wreck Mark’s car. Although the couple reconciled, their relationship wasn’t meant to last.

Eliana Girard (2012) – The paparazzi spotted Mark kissing and dancing with another So You Think You Can Dance winner, Eliana Girard at a Las Vegas nightclub. But it was speculated to be nothing more than a fling since the two of them were not heard of as a couple thereafter.

Brittany Jean Carlson aka BC Jean (2012–Present) – Mark and Brittany saw each other perform at a singer/songwriter showcase before having a conversation at that fundraising concert which was organized by a mutual friend. Both of them were impressed by each other’s musical talent. Mark particularly found himself inspired by Brittany’s songwriting ability. 6 months after dating each other, Mark and Brittany went on a vacation to Jamaica and discovered an effortless musical collaboration as well. The ease in their relationship to work and play together led Mark to propose a day before Thanksgiving in November 2015 for which he decorated his driveway with roses and violets and the interior of his house with the Woodstock theme of the 60s / 70s. The couple got married on November 25, 2016, at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. They had an outdoor wedding with a bohemian theme. The bride wore a gown by Israeli designer, Idan Cohen. In June 2023, it was revealed that they were expecting their first child together. On November 5, 2023, they were blessed with a baby boy named Banksi Wylde Ballas.

Race / Ethnicity

Biracial (Predominantly White, part Hispanic)

His father has Mexican, Greek, and Spanish ancestry while his mother comes from English and Irish lineage.

Hair Color

Black

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

Thick, curly hair
Two prominent moles on the right cheek and one on the right temple
Several tattoos on the body and has his left forearm completely covered in tattoos while the right arm has a full tattoo sleeve

Shoe Size

9 (US) or 8.5 (UK) or 42 (EU)

Brand Endorsements

He promotes the following guitar brands:
- Martin Guitars
- Kremona Flamenco Guitars
He quit smoking and shared his story through an ad campaign issued in the public interest by being a spokesperson for Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK). Mark encouraged other smokers to get over their addiction by using Blueprint to Quit, a nicotine replacement therapy created by GSK and promoted in partnership with Walmart in 2013.
Mark frequently promotes a drink called Keto Max on his social media accounts.

Best Known For

His long stint as a choreographer in the reality dance competition called Dancing with the Stars.
- Mark started with season 5 of the show and competed for all the forthcoming seasons till season 22 (2016) after which he took a break for two seasons.
- From seasons 5 to 22, he won the show twice (season 6, 8), was declared second 3 times (season 14, 19, 22), and finished in the third-place 3 times as well (season 11, 12, 18).

First Album

As a part of Ballas Hough Band also known as Almost Amy, Mark released BHB (March 2009) which was the debut and only album of that group.

As a solo artist, his first album was HurtLoveBox (March 2011).

As one half of Alexander Jean duet, he first released an EP called Head High (June 2016).

First Film

An uncredited role of a Hogwarts schoolboy in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).

First TV Show

As an actor, Mark had 1 episode of appearance as Mateo Romero in Samantha Who? in 2008.

Personal Trainer

The biggest lifestyle change made by Mark to improve his fitness was to quit smoking in his late 20s when he realized he frequently got out of breath during dance rehearsals.
He revealed getting over his dependence on cigarettes was a long, slow process that required a lot of perseverance considering that he started smoking after he turned 16 and could easily smoke up to a pack of cigarettes a day in his teens.
Sometimes, he takes up fight training at a place like True Warrior Fitness, for a change of pace from his usual routine.
4 to 5 hours of daily dance rehearsals are more than enough cardio for Mark, so he primarily hits the gym to focus on strength training.
Since he has a lot of injuries, he needs a personal trainer to customize a program that rehabilitates his weaknesses and sustains his body’s ability to withstand his rigorous lifestyle.
Hence, along with free weights and a TRX suspension trainer, Mark does a variety of core exercises.
Since 2016, Mark actively started favoring a Ketogenic diet.
From Thanksgiving to the Christmas holidays is the only time, Mark tends to slack in his strict diet and exercise routine.
To lose the holiday pounds quickly, Mark’s strategy in the past has been to start his day with a cold-pressed juice followed by an apple and a handful of organic nuts such as almonds/cashews before hitting the gym.
Post-workout, he consumes a very dense protein shake that is made up of:
- 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
- 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter
- 2 medium bananas
- 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg
- 6 ounces of water
After a long day of mainly a liquid diet, he consumes a heavy dinner such as grilled organic chicken with vegetables.
He schedules a cheat meal to eat whatever he wants for dinner after his performance on Dancing with the Stars.

Mark Ballas Favorite Things

Color – Lime Green, Turquoise
Guilty Pleasure – Pizza, Pasta
Pizza Brand – Domino’s Mighty Meaty
Cuisine – Italian, Mexican
Dance Forms – Jive, Lindy Hop, Cha-Cha, Samba
Dream Vacation Spot – Bora Bora
Sport – Soccer
Sports Team – Manchester United
Band – Nirvana
Musical Influences – Kurt Cobain, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Sia
Contemporary Artist – Ed Sheeran

Source – USA Today, Daily Burn, US Magazine, InStyle

Mark Ballas Facts

Mark was raised with Derek and Julianne Hough by his parents Corky and Shirley with a grueling and competitive schedule that required him to study, dance, sing, act and learn musical instruments.

All three artists credit their success in Hollywood to their childhood sacrifices and Mark still maintains a rigorous routine that involves dancing and training by day and working on his music by night.

He got his wife’s initials within the drawing of a lioness on his chest.

Mark choreographed Diet Pepsi’s Super Bowl commercial starring Sofia Vergara in 2012.

He learned to play the guitar at the age of 9.

He is very fond of collecting guitars and sneakers.

Mark adopted a rescue dog in 2015 and named him Hendrix.

His paternal grandfather invented the famous Weed Eater lawn trimming device.

He has a fetish for women’s feet.

Mark is such a huge Kurt Cobain fan that he hopes to have a daughter someday, so he can name her after Cobain’s band, Nirvana.

He claims to be terrified of bees and wasps.

Being a Texas native who grew up in London, Mark discloses that his accent unknowingly switches between British and Southern by itself.

Mark is extremely close to Derek Hough and both of them purchased a house together when they first moved to Los Angeles.

He was declared the final actor to play the lead role of singer Frankie Valli for the closing Broadway show of Jersey Boys (2018).

In March 2023, Mark announced his retirement from the show, Dancing With The Stars.

Featured Image by Justin Higuchi / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

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