With the new season of Dancing with the Stars in full swing, former dance pro Witney Carson shared more about her decision to take a break from the show.
“I just had a baby four months ago, and the recovery put a lot of strain on my body and my mental health,” she said. “The show demands a lot. You have to give 1,000 and especially my personality with the show, I want to give 1,000. I didn’t feel I could do that this quickly after having a baby.”
It’s easy to understand why she needed to make the choice. DWTS can get rigorous on seasoned pros and add new mama to the mix, and it’s just too much, even for the former mirrorball champion who took home the trophy with her partner Alfonso Riberio, now a DWTS co-host.
Family comes first
Instead of donning her dancing shoes this time around, Witney is spending quality time with hubby Carson McAllister and their two kids in sunny Florida.
Alongside not feeling physically and mentally ready for the competition, Witney shared that she thought it was important for her to give her children some stability in the home environment — something she felt her son hadn’t had since he was born. And moving their family across the country for DWTS was just not possible at the moment.
“I love dance,” she asserted on TikTok. “It’s definitely my passion, so this was a hard decision, but I’m at peace with it.” She revealed that before she made her final decision, some tears were shed at home.
Fortunately, she had the support of her husband during the transition, along with the encouragement of her friend and fellow former pro and her co-star on So You Think You Can Dance, Lindsay Arnold, who also took a break from DWTS to focus on her family.
“I’m so grateful for her as a friend,” Witney said. “Having kids, I feel, bonded us even more. She was a big supporter in moving and encouraged me to do what was right for my family.”
Break not goodbye
Witney also clarified that this was just a break and hopefully not goodbye. The former champion still loves dancing, and being part of the show for 11 has been life-changing for her entire family.
She’s hoping when things are settled and if it makes sense for her family, she can one day return to the DWTS ballroom. “Of course, I’d love to return next year, but family is first,” she concluded. “That’s my true core value over anything else.”
Dancing with the Stars just welcomed a brand new cast of celebrities. It airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
TELL US – ARE YOU HAPPY FOR WITNEY TO GET SOME FAMILY TIME? ARE YOU HOPING SHE COMES BACK TO THE SHOW?
