Dancing With the Stars' Mark Ballas details his top song requests ahead of 'Wicked Night'

Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas shared details about his song preferences ahead of the show’s upcoming Wicked Night.

He provided a ranked list of requested songs and outlined considerations for each, including timing, tempo, and dance style.

Ballas also explained how adjustments to rhythm or format could better suit certain pieces. His post offered insight into the coordination between dancers, music directors, and choreographers to prepare performances.

The details highlight the structured approach behind music selection for themed episodes and how professional dancers plan ahead to align songs with choreography.

Mark Ballas shares his song choices for Dancing With the Stars season 34 Wicked Night

Song Selection for Wicked Night

Ballas detailed his top requested songs and the reasoning behind each choice. For his first choice, For Good, he suggested switching to 6/8 timing, explaining it could suit a Viennese Waltz.

Regarding his second choice, The Wizard & I, he noted that they had already done a foxtrot, so he proposed using Jazz instead.

He included What is This Feeling as his third option, again pointing out that a foxtrot had already been performed, so Jazz might be more suitable.

For Popular, he mentioned that it could work as a Quickstep, but the band would need to maintain a consistent tempo. Ultimately, the performance was a Quickstep set to Ariana Grande’s version of Popular.

The TikTok post drew reactions from fellow professionals. Ezra Sosa expressed surprise at the idea of having a "music meeting," using emojis to emphasize his reaction and Emma Slater responded, 

"Not that we have music meetings mind you 😂😂😂😂.” 

Career background of Mark Ballas

Ballas first joined Dancing With the Stars in 2007, competing for ten seasons before departing after season 25. He returned in 2022 for season 31 and won the competition with partner Charli D’Amelio.

Reflecting on his return, Ballas told Us Weekly that he was uncertain about whether he would come back to the show.

He explained that, as he gets older, he focuses on staying very present in the moment, which he described as a central part of the process for creating his dances and ensuring each performance receives full attention and care.

He further described his approach to choreography, noting that every week he aimed to incorporate all aspects of creativity, care, musicality, and nuance into each routine.

He emphasized that achieving this level of detail and cohesion could only happen by remaining fully engaged and present during the process.

In March 2023, Ballas confirmed his retirement after completing 20 seasons, saying,

“I’ve done 20 seasons now. I started this journey when I was 21, 22 and honestly being able to dance and perform for you fans — you guys are the best fans.”

Return to Dancing With the Stars

Following a two-year hiatus, Ballas returned for season 34. He described preparation for his comeback, noting,

“I had some injury stuff clear up that was kind of slowing me down.”

He added that he loves the show and has been able to perform on it a couple times since his break, including doing the tango with Derek Hough, taking a victory lap with Charli, and guest judging the previous year.

He explained that he feels he has a few more "in the tank" and wants his son to watch him perform.

Stay tuned for more updates.