Witney Carson isn’t ready to give up the Mirrorball just yet.
After winning last season of “Dancing with the Stars” alongside Robert Irwin, the longtime pro is returning for Season 35 with a new celebrity partner, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” personality Guillermo Rodriguez — and she already has her sights set on another victory.
Witney Carson Says She ‘Can Win Again’ After ‘DWTS’ Season 34 Mirrorball Victory
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Now, Carson opened up about returning to the ballroom as reigning champion.
When asked if she’s aiming to take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy for a second consecutive season, the pro didn’t hesitate.
“Yep, I am,” she said.
The dancer said she has already warned Rodriguez about her competitive streak — though her new partner had a playful response to her ambitions.
“I already told him, and he was like, ‘Witney, don’t be greedy,’” Carson recalled with a laugh. “And I was like, ‘OK, trying not to, but I’m so competitive.’”
Despite Rodriguez’s warning, Carson isn’t ruling out another trip to the winner’s circle.
“I know I can win again,” she said.
Witney Carson Praises Guillermo Rodriguez Ahead of ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Premiere
Carson says she was “thrilled” when she learned Rodriguez would be her partner for “Dancing with the Stars” Season 35, especially after seeing the excitement surrounding his casting announcement.
Now that rehearsals are underway, Carson revealed Rodriguez’s work ethic and progress have already impressed her.
“He is so sweet. He’s wanting to work so hard, which is great, and I’m actually seeing him become better, which is really rewarding for me as a teacher, too,” she said.
But what has surprised Carson most is Rodriguez’s willingness to throw himself into whatever she asks of him in the rehearsal studio.
“He is just, like, down for anything, down for it all,” Carson said. “Which is really fun when you get a partner like that because you say something and they just try it and they have no inhibitions.”
That willingness to experiment has also made for plenty of entertaining moments as they prepare for the season.
“We had some good laughs about some of the things I had him try,” she said, adding that Rodriguez is “so naturally funny.”
“I think that he’s, like, adorable,” Carson continued. “I know that’s a weird word to describe a grown man, but he, like, actually is adorable.”
Rodriguez is Carson’s first partner since her championship-winning run with Robert Irwin last season. Looking back on their time together, Carson said she sensed early on that she and Irwin had the potential to go all the way.
“That first dance really set the tone for everything that followed,” she said.
Witney Carson Calls ‘DWTS: The Next Pro’ ‘Job of a Lifetime’
Carson’s most recent “Dancing with the Stars” chapter has allowed her to experience the franchise from a whole new perspective.
The longtime pro joined as a mentor, guest judge, and co-host for “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro,” a competition series in which talented dancers compete for the chance to earn a coveted professional spot on the flagship show.
For Carson, watching contestants chase the same dream she once had was both inspiring and emotional.
“It’s really inspiring, and it’s really amazing to see people work so hard to get this job of a lifetime because it really is,” she said. “It really can change someone’s entire life.”
Carson said she and the other judges didn’t take the responsibility lightly, noting that “every episode, every elimination was very much thought out.”
Witney Carson Opens Up About Welcoming Baby No. 3 with Husband Carson McAllister
Away from the ballroom, Carson is preparing for another major milestone as she and husband Carson McAllister get ready to welcome their third child.
“It’s always chaotic and it’s always crazy, but we really, we kind of thrive in the chaos,” she said. “So we’re just kind of embracing it, and we just thought, why not just add another kid to the chaos? We’re already crazy enough.”
She added her two sons are just as eager to meet their newest sibling, though the household remains divided over one important question.
“One of them wants a baby brother, and one of them wants a baby sister,” Carson said. “So we’re a little bit divided in the house right now.”
Witney Carson Says Family Road Trips Inspired Her Recent Chevron Partnership
Carson’s growing family also played a role in her recent partnership with Chevron.
With frequent travel becoming a regular part of their lives, Carson said road trips have become more than just a way to get from point A to point B. Instead, she sees the time on the road as part of the family’s adventures.
“When we’re on a road trip, it’s more like it’s part of the adventure for us,” she said.
Carson partnered with Chevron to promote Chevron with Techron® and the company’s fuel rewards program for end-of-summer travel. The collaboration has also sparked some playful conversations at home with her husband, Carson McAllister, a mechanical engineer and longtime car enthusiast.
“Now it’s like, ‘I won’t go anywhere except for Chevron,’ and I’m educating him on fuel now,” Carson joked.
Beyond convenience, Carson said the real value of those road trips is the uninterrupted time they give her family to reconnect away from the demands of their everyday lives.
“When we do get that time to put our phones down and put our laptops down, it’s really, really important to us,” she said.
Comments
Witney Carson Makes Bold ‘DWTS’ Prediction, Reveals What’s Surprised Her Most About Partner Guillermo Rodriguez (Exclusive)