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\n Related: <\/span>Dancing With the Stars\u2019 Most Shocking Eliminations Over the Years<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tWhile some Dancing With the Stars contestants are understandably eliminated for their two left feet, other entrants are sent home far too early. The voting system got an overhaul for season 28, following the controversial victory of radio host Bobby Bones one season prior, but the changeup didn\u2019t stop formidable competitors from leaving the ballroom. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cMy strategy is always, \u2018Do your f***ing best,’\u201d Ballas said. \u201cCome out swinging. Do the best you can. Because the reality is, I\u2019m gonna tell you right now: This is not the first time that someone who is an amazing, incredible, dynamic performer has been eliminated early. It happened to me in season 5 with Sabrina Bryan<\/strong>. But this is the first time I feel like it\u2019s happened with this new TikTok, Instagram hype.\u201d<\/p>\nDuring their last time performing together on the ABC competition, \u201cI felt our dances were solid,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cLike, that Viennese waltz that we did was one of my favorite dances that we\u2019ve done. It just felt off. It didn\u2019t feel like the other Tuesdays that we had had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballas explained, \u201cI\u2019m a over rehearser. I like to rehearse to the point where it\u2019s just so ingrained in your body. I hate leaving <\/span>things to chance. Might be old-school, but that\u2019s how I was raised when I was dancing. It\u2019s just, you rehearse it, rehearse, rehearse it so you don\u2019t have <\/span>to think. And in between our first dance and second one, we were [backstage] running it through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHe noticed at the time that Leavitt was getting \u201cemotional.\u201d As a result, \u201cI kind of had to go into football-coach mode, where I was like, \u2018You can do this!’\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nBallas \u201cwas starting to get worried that she\u2019s going to go out there and black out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nLeavitt had an ominous feeling,\u00a0\u201clike this was our last dance, which in turn, made it a<\/span> little bit more emotional.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nCooper, 31, reminded the duo that they had received \u201cone of the highest scores that night,\u201d with a 58 out of 60 for both of their performances. She asked for their take on why they didn\u2019t get the viewer votes to remain on the show.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cI mean, if I was speculating, I\u2019d say, \u2018Yeah, maybe \u2018Secret Lives.\u2019 Because it was such a huge divide. Like, you either really loved me for that, or you really hated me for that. So, maybe it swayed some people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWeighing in, Ballas said, \u201cSometimes this s***t happens \u2026 with such a stacked cast and really great talent. Great talent, all-around.<\/p>\n
During their last time performing together on the ABC competition, \u201cI felt our dances were solid,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cLike, that Viennese waltz that we did was one of my favorite dances that we\u2019ve done. It just felt off. It didn\u2019t feel like the other Tuesdays that we had had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballas explained, \u201cI\u2019m a over rehearser. I like to rehearse to the point where it\u2019s just so ingrained in your body. I hate leaving <\/span>things to chance. Might be old-school, but that\u2019s how I was raised when I was dancing. It\u2019s just, you rehearse it, rehearse, rehearse it so you don\u2019t have <\/span>to think. And in between our first dance and second one, we were [backstage] running it through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He noticed at the time that Leavitt was getting \u201cemotional.\u201d As a result, \u201cI kind of had to go into football-coach mode, where I was like, \u2018You can do this!’\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ballas \u201cwas starting to get worried that she\u2019s going to go out there and black out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Leavitt had an ominous feeling,\u00a0\u201clike this was our last dance, which in turn, made it a<\/span> little bit more emotional.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Cooper, 31, reminded the duo that they had received \u201cone of the highest scores that night,\u201d with a 58 out of 60 for both of their performances. She asked for their take on why they didn\u2019t get the viewer votes to remain on the show.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cI mean, if I was speculating, I\u2019d say, \u2018Yeah, maybe \u2018Secret Lives.\u2019 Because it was such a huge divide. Like, you either really loved me for that, or you really hated me for that. So, maybe it swayed some people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Weighing in, Ballas said, \u201cSometimes this s***t happens \u2026 with such a stacked cast and really great talent. Great talent, all-around.<\/p>\n
![\"Whitney](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Whitney-Leavitt-Mark-Ballas-Address-Giveaway-Mishap-2243439674.jpg?crop=0px%2C135px%2C1333px%2C752px&resize=400%2C225&quality=40&strip=all\")
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