Mark Ballas

Mark Ballas is a dynamic, multihyphenate performer whose career spans television, Broadway, dance, and music. He first captured national attention as one of the breakout professionals on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, where he became a mainstay for over a decade. An 11-time finalist and three-time champion, Mark earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography. Beyond the ballroom, he is a two-time World Choreography Award winner and five-time nominee, and served as choreographer for a Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime commercial, further cementing his reputation as one of the industry’s most innovative creative forces. Mark trained at the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts in London, England, graduating with honors and building the technical and theatrical foundation that would shape his multifaceted career.

With a strong foundation in musical theater, Mark brought his stage presence and vocal talent to Broadway and national tours alike. He made his Broadway debut in 2016 as the final Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre, later performing the role on the National Tour in Los Angeles and at The Muny Theatre in St. Louis. He went on to star as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots on Broadway in 2019, and previously appeared in the UK National Tour of The Buddy Holly Story as the Clearlake Drummer and first cover for Richie Valens. In 2025, Mark broadened his television horizons by joining the cast of Peacock’s The Traitors US Season 4, stepping into a high-stakes reality competition that tests strategy, alliances, and social gameplay. Alongside his performance work, Mark is an accomplished guitarist, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He is one half of the indie duo Alexander Jean with his wife, acclaimed singer songwriter BC Jean, who co-wrote the global hit “If I Were a Boy” recorded by Beyoncé. Since forming in 2015, Alexander Jean has amassed over 200 million streams worldwide. Their debut single, “Roses and Violets,” reached the Top 10 on the iTunes/Apple Music overall chart, hit #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart, and appeared on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100. Tracks like “Highs and Lows” have found viral popularity on TikTok, and their cover of Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy” became a social media phenomenon, generating over 100 million views and inspiring more than 750,000 user-generated videos. Mark currently splits his time between New York City and Los Angeles.

Born in Houston to a family of international dance stars, Ballas moved to London as a child, where he attended the world-renowned Italia Conti Performing Arts School and graduated with honors. There, he was required to not only dance, but also sing, act, and play an instrument. He began playing the guitar at the age of ten, training in classical flamenco. By age 12, he was writing and performing his own music and playing the guitar, drums, and bass. With guitar influences ranging from Kurt Cobain, Paco de Lucia, the Gypsy Kings, John Mayer,and Eric Clapton, Ballas is carving out his own niche in the music word. His rhythmic style and soulful melodies showcase his talent not only as an accomplished singer, but also as a skilled guitar player.

As an actor, Mark Ballas has played the lead in the musical “Copacabana.” He also took on roles in the UK tour of “Maria de Buenos Aires” and was an understudy in the London Palladium production of “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Musical,” which won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. In television, he has guest starred on Melissa and Joey and Samantha Who?