‘DWTS’: Mark Ballas & Whitney Leavitt React to Backlash From Giveaway Controversy

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas found themselves in the middle of a Dancing With the Stars controversy this week when they announced to fans that they were giving away tickets to one of the competition’s live shows, with flights and accommodations included.

While many of their followers were excited about the prospect, others accused the dance partners of trying to politic and use the contest as bribery for votes on the show. Eventually, the pair announced that the giveaway was canceled because they legally weren’t able to give away tickets in this manner.

“It was a mishap,” Leavitt told Us Weekly after the Tuesday, October 28, episode. “It’s something we wanted to do for the fans and then we found out we couldn’t. It is what it is. But we’re going to find out something to do … to say how much we appreciate them.” Ballas added that whatever fan appreciation method they come up with will have to wait until “after the season is over,” though.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star also insisted that the controversy “wasn’t playing on my mind at all” when she danced this week. She and Ballas performed a jazz routine and scored a 37 out of 40 for the dance, with critiques from the judges that they were out of sync at times.