Mark Ballas is the star who has impressed critics and audience of the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars”. At the age of 4, he was enrolled at the Italia Conti Academy of Dramatic Arts Associate School, where he was trained in singing, dancing, and acting. When he was 10, he became British Juvenile Ballroom and Latin American Dance Champion. At the age of 11, he earned a full time slot at the Academy, as well as earning a full scholarship to the college. In 2005, he was awarded “Performer of the Year”. He then moved on to win championships at The British Open to the World, The US Open to the World, and The International Open to the World. With his former partner Julianne Hough, he won the Junior Latin American Dance Championship and the gold medal at the Junior Olympics. This season Mark’s partner on the show is reality television star Kim Kardashian. He and his best friend Derek Hough have formed the band Almost Amy.
Mark’s family is all about dancing. his father used to be a professional dancer and his Greek grandfather, George Ballas Sr owned and operated a 64,000 square foot dance studio in Houston: the largest dance studio ever in the world, called Dance City USA, with 125 teachers on payroll.
This season also his father, Corky Sr, tried his luck on the dance stage of “Dancing wit the Stars”.
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