Whitney Leavitt Reveals the 'DWTS' Lesson She’ll Carry With Her for Life
- - Whitney Leavitt Reveals the 'DWTS' Lesson She’ll Carry With Her for Life
Mary Ellen MorinJanuary 1, 2026 at 7:40 PM
0
When Whitney Leavitt signed on for Dancing With the Stars, she had a good idea of what she was getting herself into: long rehearsals, sore muscles, and learning a lot of new choreography alongside her professional dance partner, Mark Ballas. What she didn’t expect was how deeply the experience would change her—or how much it would open her world.
Leavitt recently sat down with ABC's Robin Roberts for the annual special The Year: 2025, to reflect on the experience and what she's learned from it. During the interview, Leavitt admits that the biggest lesson she will carry with her for the rest of her life is believing in herself.
View this post on Instagram
"I know it sounds cheesy," the star admits with a big sigh. "Believing in yourself, and surrounding yourself with people who believe in you." The 32-year-old mom of three goes on to explain how this lesson evolved from her pre-show ritual. Before each performance, she would stand in front of the mirror, clutching a locket her husband gave her, quietly repeating her mantra to help her feel grounded and ready. "There's something powerful about looking at yourself in the mirror and saying those things that... motivates me and gives me that extra boost of confidence," Leavitt says.
Since leaving the competition in the semi-final round, that belief in herself has manifested a wave of new opportunities. Leavitt will be heading to Broadway to take on the role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago this spring. She also recently announced her role in a holiday rom-com, planned for next year, All for Love, produced by Ninth House Productions. These significant career moves mark a clear expansion beyond the reality TV space where many first met her.
The growth feels especially significant following the challenges she faced on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where tensions with the MomTok group often overshadowed her storyline. That chapter was defined by conflict and friction, but her post-DWTS chapter tells a very different story—one of confidence, resilience, and creative freedom.
Phariety Magazine
Rather than staying rooted in the drama, Leavitt appears to be thriving as she follows paths that feel more aligned with who she’s becoming. Whether she’s stepping onto a Broadway stage or into a scripted film role, she’s moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose.
For Whitney Leavitt, Dancing With the Stars wasn’t just a competition—it was a reminder that belief in herself can open doors she didn’t even know existed.
Related: Whitney Leavitt Celebrates Major Broadway Milestone Ahead of 'Chicago' Opening Night
This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
