Personal life[edit]

Ballas was born in Houston, Texas. He is the son of Mexican-American Maria Marulanda and Greek-American George Ballas, the inventor of the Weed Eater lawn-trimming device. His paternal grandparents, Karolos ("Charles") Ballas and Maria Lymnaos were immigrants to the United States from Greece.^[3] He has three sisters, Michelle, Maria, and Lillian, and one brother, George.


He has one son, Mark Ballas.^[4] Corky and Shirley Ballas also raised and trained Julianne Hough and Derek Hough.^[5][6]


Corky now teaches dancing in San Antonio via his dancing studio,^[7] and his website.^[8] His plans for the future include more television performances as well as an online interactive dance instruction via hundreds of videos.