Longtime friends Derek Hough and Mark Ballas have known each other since they were kids. On the October 16, 2024, episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” the two sat side-by-side at the judges table for the first time ever (Hough is a judge on the show and Ballas was a guest judge for the evening).
After Ballas, 38, first judging experience on the show, his father, Corky Ballas, shared a throwback photo.
“A burning passion for the arts all their lives it’s been a joy to watch the ride,” Corky Ballas, who has previously served as a pro on DWTS, captioned the snap.
Ballas first joined “Dancing With the Stars” as a pro on season 5. He won three Mirrorball Trophies over 20 seasons; one with Kristi Yamaguchi on season 6, the next with Shawn Johnson on season 8, and the third with Charli D’Amelio on season 31.
The ballroom pro unofficially retired from the show after season 31. He shared such while on the DWTS Live Tour.
In a video uploaded to Twitter, Ballas said the performance that night in Los Angeles would be his last in that “capacity.”
“I’m coming to a close tonight. This is gonna be my last dance. I had the best time ever this season, and this freestyle was a great way to finish it off. … Thank you guys for a lifetime of memories,” Ballas told the crowd. “This is the last time I’ll be dancing with a partner,” he added.
Fans Loved Seeing the Old Photo of Derek Hough & Mark Ballas Together
After Corky Ballas uploaded the throwback photo of his son and Hough, dozens of fans took to the comments section to react.
“This enduring friendship is fantastic. No competition between them, just pure affection,” one person wrote.
“This is just amazing. Mark was so great judging and has been missed on the show,” someone else added.
“Mark is such a brilliant choreographer, dancer, musician, etc. i miss seeing him perform. He was what made me love dwts. Truly the best of the best,” a third comment read.
“Love love these guys!” a fourth Instagram user said.
Derek Hough Would Love to Have Mark Ballas on the Show as a Permanent Judge
Following Ballas’ guest judge appearance, Hough was asked if he’d like to see Ballas judge the show in a full-time role.
“I’m absolutely here for it. I think Mark has a lot to offer. He has a lot of wisdom and insight and experience,” Hough told Us Weekly. “I would love it. We had a great time tonight. And I was honestly taking some notes. You know, he was saying some things, I was like, ‘I like that.’ He’s wonderful,” he added.
For many years, there were three judges on the panel — Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli. A fourth judge has been brought in from time to time, including guest judges and even a stint with Julianne Hough filling the extra seat. Derek Hough has been a judge since 2020.
After Goodman’s retirement, producers decided to stay with three judges. On season 33, there have been three guest judges so far, including Ballas and Gene Simmons.
