Photo By: ABC - Craig Sjodin
The new season of Dancing With the Stars is an all-athlete edition of the show and there are several athletes who are coming off of the 2018 Winter Olympics. One of them is American luger Chris Mazdzer. Figure skaters Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu, from the 2018 Winter Olympics are also competing on the show this season. Mazdzer won a silver medal in the men’s luge competition this past February 2018, so if he doesn’t win the Dancing With the Stars mirrorball trophy, he will still walk away a winner, right? Get to know more about Mazdzer’s personal life, as well as his season 26 DWTS gig.
1. Chris Mazdzer Is Dating Girlfriend Mara Marian
Mazdzer is dating a girl named Mara Marian, who cheered him on at the 2018 Winter Olympics. She hails from Utah, where she owns Fuse Wedding and Events, according to her Linked In profile. Marian categorizes herself as an “experienced destination wedding specialist” and has received praise for her work from several of her connections.
One woman, named Amanda Jones, wrote on her Linked In page, “Having nothing handed to her, Mara grew her events business herself from the ground up. Utilizing a superhuman tenacity, cunning approach to business, and remarkable resourcefulness, Mara won the respect of the community and earned a top spot in the wedding industry in less than a year’s time. Considering her high efficiency and tight code of ethics, there is no one else with whom I’d rather do business. As a producer at Utah’s #1 news station, KUTV 2, I trust Mara to enterprise event-planning segments, which add value to our content with their complexity and relevance.”
Another user, who is a Senior Catering Sales Manager, wrote, “The hard work, creativity and dedication Mara has to her craft is unbelievable. She never misses a phone call, email or text. Working with Mara during the Garden Park Ward oil spill relocation was heaven-sent especially since it was my first time actually working with her on a wedding. I recommend Mara to the highest degree.” In March 2018, Marian and Mazdzer moved in together, according to an Instagram post of hers.
2. He Set a Record at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Winning an Olympic medal this year was truly a major feat for Mazdzer, who recalled the win to Us Weekly, gushing that, “When I finished that run in second place and knew that I was guaranteed a medal, it was all I could focus on. To finally win a medal at my third Olympics, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Joy, ecstasy, relief and an overwhelming feeling that we finally did it!”
But, winning the medal wasn’t just a victory for Mazdzer. It actually set a record in U.S. history, marking the first ever men’s singles luge medal for America, according to NBC.
Upon picking up the win, Mazdzer told NBC that, “It’s 16 years in the making. I’ve had a rough last two years, and it just shows: Don’t ever give up. Whenever you lose, keep fighting.” It was an inspiring win for Mazdzer.
3. Witney Carson Is Mazdzer’s “Dancing With the Stars” Partner
DWTS pro Witney Carson is a fan-favorite on the series and she is also a mirrorball champion, so Mazdzer definitely has a good shot at the win, with Carson as his teacher. With winning odds aside, Carson has promised a shirtless dance from Mazdzer at some point on the show. So, fans who are swooning over Mazdzer will definitely get a treat. According to Mazdzer, his costumes basically consist of “tight clothes.”
Gold Derby recently reported that Mazdzer doesn’t rate himself well as a dancer, telling Entertainment Tonight that, “From a scale of 1 to 10, I’m probably in the mid-2 range. I see what Witney does and I’m like, ‘Why can’t I do that?’ And I’ll try a thousand times and I’m like, ‘Still can’t do that.'”
Recently, Carson has been dealing with a personal issue, as the father of her husband passed away. Carson is married to Carson McAllister, and she recently revealed to Entertainment Tonight that her husband’s dad, Kevin, died of pancreatic cancer. Carson also said that her DWTS family has been very supportive during this time.
4. Mazdzer Has Been Receiving Some “Tough Love” on DWTS
While Mazdzer says he isn’t a great dancer, Carson told Entertainment Tonight that, “He’s got some rhythm, for sure. He’s got this strengths. He’s doing pretty good. I’m pretty impressed.”
Mazdzer’s response was that, “There’s so much technique involved… I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but there is so much technique that I do not have, so Witney is a fantastic coach. We both speak sarcasm fluently, and it’s some tough love on the dance floor right now.” So, whether or not these two take home the mirrorball trophy, they seem to have a good working relationship.
When it comes to Mazdzer’s weaknesses, he says that he has a tough time getting out of his own head. He told ET Online that his biggest challenge is reminding himself, “Stop being self conscious and just go. Got a good partner right here, though. A good coach.”
5. Chris Mazdzer’s Family Has Been His Support System as He Competes
When Mazdzer competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, his family braved the freezing cold to cheer him on. His sisters, Sara and Kate, along with his girlfriend, caught attention for cheering in American flag sports bras in below-freezing temperatures. In an interview with Us Weekly, Mazdzer said that, “Everyone noticed them in the stands, even all of my competitors! They asked my teammate Taylor Morris who the crazy American fans were and he replied, ‘We bring the best fans, boys.’ I’m glad they’re setting the standard for cheering at Winter events.”
Mazdzer also said, “Anyone whose support and passion inspires them to support me and the U.S. in head-to-toe minimal clothing in below-zero weather with wind chill is someone I’m so proud to be associated with. I feel so lucky they’re my family.”
Mazder’s parents come from a good background. His father is a neurologist named Edward Mazdzer, while his mother, Marty Lawthers, works as the office manager for his dad in Saranac Lake, New York, according to her Linked In profile. They make a good husband and wife team.