DWTS Pro Mourns ‘Terrible’ Loss

Getty DWTS pro Mark Ballas said the loss is "terrible."

A ”Dancing with the Stars”  pro dancer opened up about a former co-star’s sudden death and shared a happy memory he had with the late star.

On November 5, 2022, DWTS season 9 alum Aaron Carter died at age 34,  TMZ first reported. The pop singer was found dead in his bathtub in his Los Angeles home, but following an autopsy, Carter’s cause of death has not yet been determined, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Carter was just 21 years old when he landed in fifth place on DWTS’ ninth season in 2009 alongside veteran pro dancer Karina Smirnoff. One of his competitors was actress Melissa Joan Hart, who was partnered with Mark Ballas.

Following DWTS’ ‘90s theme night on November 7, Ballas opened up about Carter and revealed that he has special memories with the late singer.

DWTS Pro Mark Ballas Reacted to Aaron Carter’s Death

ABCAaron Carter and his partner Karina Smirnoff on “Dancing With the Stars.”

Ballas is enjoying an impressive run with partner Charli D’Amelio this season on DWTS, but in a recent interview, he went back to 2009, when he competed on the show against Carter and Smirnoff.

In a November 2022 interview with Extra, Ballas was asked to comment on Carter’s sudden death. “There’s not much to say in the sense of it’s terrible and it’s sad, and I’m super sad,” he said.

Ballas went on to reveal that he spent time with Carter outside of the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom over the years.

“I had some great moments there and outside of here too,” he added of his relationship with Carter. “Like we played a couple of shows together. I remember a fun memory, my wife [BC Jean] and I were warming up for this show we’re about to play and Aaron was playing that night too. And he pulled us aside, ‘Hey I just wrote this song if you want to hear it.’  So the three of us sat in this dingey hallway in like a, you know, dive bar and he played us a song and it was awesome. And I just remember being like. ‘Man that kid’s talented, great great song.’ And I had great moments with him on the show and I’m just very sorry to hear about [his death].”

Mark Ballas & Aaron Carter Played a Show Together in 2015

GettyAaron Carter.

Ballas told Entertainment Tonight that the news of Carter’s death was “devastating” to him.

“I was just sad,” he said of the moment he heard the bad news. “I had some good times with Aaron. We jammed together. We played a few gigs together outside of this. So we got to hang out, spend some time. … I’m just really sad.”

According to Pure DWTS, both Carter and Alexander Jean, the two-person group fronted by Ballas and his wife BC Jean, performed at VH1’s Rock the Schools Concert’s 5th Anniversary Bash in 2015. The lineup also included “American Idol” alum Jordin Sparks, who was also a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” season 31.

The star-studded event took place at The Mint in Los Angeles in December 2015 and was hosted by iHeartRadio’s Nathan Fast.

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