Carlos and Alexa PenaVega Claim Witney Carson and Mark Ballas Feuded

Behind-the-Scenes Feud Defined Season 21

Professional dancers Witney Carson and Mark Ballas refused to share a rehearsal space during their time on Season 21 of Dancing With the Stars in 2015, according to former contestants Carlos and Alexa PenaVega. Speaking on an October 22 episode of their LexLos podcast, the married couple opened up about the hidden friction between their respective partners that disrupted their schedule from day one, Page Six reported.

The PenaVegas entered the ABC reality competition aiming to experience the show together as a married pair. Instead, they discovered that Carson and Ballas were at odds. Alexa PenaVega explained on the podcast that the two professional dancers refused to be in the same room, forcing the production to keep separate rehearsal spaces. That division shattered the couple's plan to train side-by-side, leaving them to use separate spaces while trying to dance around the personal conflicts of their instructors.

Competitiveness and Jealousy Strained the PenaVega Marriage

Beyond the professional friction between Carson and Ballas, the competition brought substantial marital strain for the PenaVegas. Carlos PenaVega confessed on the podcast that his own competitiveness and jealousy created heavy baggage during their run on the show. The Big Time Rush singer admitted that he struggled to watch his new wife rehearse intimate routines with other men, telling listeners that he couldn’t have handled the environment if they hadn’t competed together.

Reflecting on the experience a decade later, Alexa PenaVega acknowledged that her constant focus on her husband’s feelings caused her to neglect her own partnership with Ballas. She noted that she frequently left Ballas standing alone without proper support during eliminations because her primary focus remained on her husband. Despite the tension and jealousy, the couple finished their run with distinct results, as Carlos made it to the finale to place fourth alongside Carson, while Alexa and Ballas were eliminated in sixth place.

Professional Status and Ongoing Returns

While the 2015 feud created significant logistical hurdles during Season 21, both Carson and Ballas have maintained long careers with the franchise. Carson claimed a subsequent mirrorball trophy by winning Season 34 alongside Robert Irwin, and she later returned for Season 35 before an elimination alongside partner Guillermo Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Ballas continued his tenure on the dance competition series into Season 35, remaining actively in the running for the trophy alongside his partner Maura Higgins.

Carlos and Alexa PenaVega Competed on Dancing With the Stars

When did Carlos and Alexa PenaVega compete on Dancing With the Stars?

The couple competed during Season 21 of the ABC reality dance competition in the fall of 2015, making history as the first married pair to compete against each other on the program.

How did Carlos and Alexa PenaVega finish in the competition?

Carlos PenaVega and his partner Witney Carson advanced to the finale and placed fourth, while Alexa PenaVega and her partner Mark Ballas were eliminated in week nine, finishing in sixth place behind winners Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough.

What caused the friction between Witney Carson and Mark Ballas?

The PenaVegas did not specify the root cause of the disagreement on their podcast, only stating that the two professional dancers refused to be in the same room together during the 2015 season.