Maura Higgins and professional dancer Mark Ballas have been officially paired together for the upcoming 35th season of Dancing with the Stars US. The reality TV personality and the veteran ballroom choreographer, who previously forged a friendship while competing together on The Traitors US, are slated to hit the dance floor when the new season premieres on September 15.
Partnership Origins on The Traitors US
Maura Higgins had hoped to be paired with either Mark Ballas or Val Chmerkovskiy for her stint on the ABC dance competition. Speaking to PEOPLE, Mark Ballas recalled that Higgins had mentioned wanting to compete on Dancing with the Stars while they were filming The Traitors US earlier in the year. Ballas noted that he initially questioned her endurance, joking to reporters that he told her she could barely make it through a 45-minute challenge, let alone ten hours of rehearsals.
The duo has since embraced the pairing, with fans dubbing them “Team Tink.” Ballas shared rehearsal footage on TikTok showing Higgins taking a tumble during practice after tripping over her feet, highlighting the physical demands of the competition ahead of the September 15 premiere on Disney+.
Mark Ballas’s Dancing Background
Mark Ballas, a 40-year-old Latin and ballroom dancer and choreographer from Houston, Texas, is the son of former competitive ballroom dancer Mark ‘Corky’ Ballas and Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas. He secured a scholarship to the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London at age 11 before joining the Dancing with the Stars professional roster in 2007. Across his tenure on the show, Ballas has won titles with figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, artistic gymnast Shawn Johnson, and TikTok star Charli D’Amelio.
Full Season 35 Pairings and Lineup
The 35th season features a wide array of celebrity and professional pairings across the board. Returning pro Sharna Burgess is paired with TV star Tyler Cameron after leaving the show five years ago. Meanwhile, Emma Slater is dancing with baseball player Jackson Olson, Alan Bersten is partnered with chef Giada De Laurentiis, and Rylee Arnold is paired with Connor Wood.
Additional pairings include Brandon Armstrong with TV personality Ciara Miller, Britt Stewart with Hanson frontman Taylor Hanson, Pasha Pashkov with Olympian Amber Glenn, and Daniella Karagach with Paralympian Ezra Frech. Witney Carson is partnered with Guillermo Rodriguez, Jan Ravnik dances with singer Tatyana Ali, and Ezra Sosa is paired with actress Julia Stiles. Val Chmerkovskiy is partnered with Jenna Dewan, while Jenna Johnson is dancing with Harry Shum Jr. Finally, newly promoted pro Hailey Bills—niece of the Chmerkovskiy-Johnson clan—is partnered with Sarah Jane Nader, and Adele Zaikman is dancing with Conner Leavitt.
Worth a look