Witney Carson
Witney Capri Carson McAllister[1][2] (née Carson; born October 17, 1993)[1] is an American professional Latin ballroom dancer and choreographer. She first gained attention in 2012, when the 18-year-old finished ladies' second runner-up in season nine of So You Think You Can Dance. Carson continued her professional dancing career in early 2013 as a troupe dancer in seasons 16 and 17 of Dancing with the Stars. She was promoted to professional partner in season 18.[3] In season 19, she and her partner Alfonso Ribeiro were announced the winners on November 25, 2014, making her one of six professional dancers to win the mirror ball trophy within their first two seasons, while Ribeiro waited ten years for him to win. For that season, she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography.[4] In 2019, she reunited with Ribeiro to co-host the reboot of Catch 21.[5] Throughout her dance career, Carson has worked with dancers and choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Nappytabs, Travis Wall, Sonya Tayeh, Tyce Diorio, Mark Ballas, Derek Hough, and Stacey Tookey.
Witney Carson
Dancer, choreographer
2012–present
2
Career[edit]
2012 to 2014: Competitive dancing and breakthrough[edit]
Aged 18, Carson auditioned for season nine of the Fox Broadcasting show So You Think You Can Dance. She made it through to the top 20 finalists. Her partner was ballet dancer and season-winner Chehon Wespi-Tschopp. As she advanced to the top six dancers, Carson partnered with Nick Lazzarini, Stephen "Twitch" Boss and Marko Germar before she was eliminated after the week-seven round in September 2012.[7]
She returned in season ten, partnering with Paul Karmiryan and season-winner Du-shaunt "Fik-shun" Stegall.[8]
Carson was announced as a troupe dancer on the reality-television series Dancing with the Stars in March 2013.[9] Carson, partnered with Dancing with the Stars professional dancer Lindsay Arnold, was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance season nine.[9] She continued dancing and choreographing for the troupe on season 17.
On season 18, Carson was promoted to professional dancer, partnering with singer Cody Simpson.[3] They were eliminated on April 14, 2014, finishing in ninth place.[10] The following season, Carson returned as a professional dancer, partnering with actor Alfonso Ribeiro and winning the competition on November 25, 2014.[11]
2015 to present: Subsequent success[edit]
In 2015, Carson starred in Dancin': It's On!, directed by David Winters and also starring other winners and runner ups of So You Think You Can Dance, as well as Gary Daniels.[12]
Carson returned for season 20 as partner for season 19 Bachelor, Chris Soules. They were the eighth couple to be eliminated, finishing in fifth place.[13]
For season 21, Carson was paired with Big Time Rush singer and actor Carlos PenaVega. They reached the Finals but were eliminated on Night 1 and finished in fourth place.[14]
For season 22, Carson was paired with NFL player Von Miller. During a double elimination on week 7, the pair were eliminated and finished in 8th place.[15]
For season 23, Carson was paired with rapper Vanilla Ice. During a double elimination on week 4, they were eliminated and finished in 10th place.[16]
For season 24, Carson was partnered with comedian Chris Kattan. They were first eliminated on March 27, 2017, her earliest exit.[17]
For season 25, Carson was partnered with Malcolm in the Middle actor Frankie Muniz. They reached the finals and ultimately finished in third place.[18]
For season 26, Carson was paired with Olympic luger Chris Mazdzer. They were eliminated on the third week of competition, tying in fourth place with Jennie Finch Daigle and Mirai Nagasu and their partners Keo Motsepe and Alan Bersten.[19]
For season 27, Carson was partnered with actor Milo Manheim.[20] They reached the finals of the competition and finished in second place behind Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess.[21]
For season 28, Carson was partnered with Nickelodeon actor and comedian Kel Mitchell. They reached the finals and finished in second place behind Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten.[22]
For season 30, Carson returned to the show and was partnered with WWE wrestler Mike "The Miz" Mizanin. They finished in 9th place after being eliminated week 7.[23]
For season 31, Carson was partnered with comedian, actor & television personality Wayne Brady. They reached the finals and the couple finished in third place.[24]
Carson became the co-host of the game show Catch 21 in November 2019, which reunited her with Ribiero.[25]
Personal life[edit]
Carson married Carson McAllister on January 1, 2016, in a ceremony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. Fellow Dancing with the Stars dancers Brittany Cherry, Jenna Johnson, and Emma Slater were among her bridesmaids, with Lindsay Arnold serving as her matron of honor.[26] On July 23, 2020, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child, a boy.[27] Their son, Kevin Leo McAllister, was born on January 3, 2021.[28] On November 14, 2022, Carson announced they are expecting their second child, a boy, due in May 2023. Their second son, Jet Carson McAllister, was born on May 14, 2023.