Witney Carson
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American dancer and choreographer

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.

Carson was born in American Fork, Utah.[6] She is the oldest of four children. She has two brothers and a sister. She started her career as a dancer at the age of three, training in different dance styles including ballet, jazz, hip hop, ballroom and tap, among others.

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]

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]

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 13, 2023.[29]

Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Choreography Dancing with the Stars Nominated [30]

Week Partner(s) / type Style Music Choreographer Meet the Top 20

(June 27) Lindsay Arnold, Nick Bloxsom-Carter Cha-cha-cha "Dance Again"—Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull Jason Gilkison Meet the Top 20

(June 27) Top 10 Girls Contemporary "Where the Light Gets In"—Sennen Travis Wall Meet the Top 20

(June 27) Top 20 Contemporary "Eyes" (Coachella Live 2012 version)—Kaskade Mia Michaels Week 1

(July 11) Group Dance Modern "Architect of the Mind"—Kerry Muzzey Christopher Scott Week 1

(July 11) Chehon Wespi-Tschopp Samba "Jump"—The Cube Guys & Luciana Louis van Amstel Week 2

(July 18) Group Dance Jazz "The Beautiful People (District 78 remix)" — Marilyn Manson Nappytabs Week 2

(July 18) Chehon Wespi-Tschopp Bollywood "Tandav Music"—Aatish Kapadia Nakul Dev Mahajan Week 3

(July 25) Group Dance Contemporary "The Here and After"—Jun Miyake Tyce Diorio Week 3

(July 25) Chehon Wespi- Tschopp Contemporary "I Will Always Love You"—Whitney Houston Stacey Tookey Week 4

(August 15) Group Dance Contemporary "Hanging On" Active Child Mia Michaels Week 4

(August 15) Chehon Wespi-Tschopp Contemporary "Calling You"—Celine Dion Mia Michaels Week 5

(August 22) Group Dance Broadway "The Cool World Stomp"—Mark Isham Tyce Diorio Week 5

(August 22) Nick Lazzarini Jazz "Sing It Back"—Moloko Travis Wall Week 5

(August 22) Solo Samba "You'll find a Way" (Switch & Sinden remix)—Santigold Week 6

(August 29) Group Dance Contemporary "Run Boy Run"—Woodkid Peter Chao Week 6

(August 29) Stephen "Twitch" Boss Hip-hop "My Homies Still"—Lil Wayne feat. Big Sean Luther Brown Week 6

(August 29) Solo Cha-cha-cha "Where Have You Been"—Rihanna Week 7

(September 5) Group Dance Jazz "Scream"—Kelis Sonya Tayeh Week 7

(September 5) Marko Germar Lyrical Jazz "No Nothing"—Curtis & Reinhard feat. Blaire Ray Leeper Week 7

(September 5) Chehon Wespi-Tschopp Cha-cha-cha "Where Have You Been"—Rihanna Jean-Marc Généreux Week 7

(September 5) Solo Paso doble "Malagueña"—Brian Setzer '68 Comeback Special Eliminated Week 8

(August 13) Paul Karmiryan Cha-cha-cha "Live It Up"—Jennifer Lopez Jean-Marc Généreux Week 9

(August 27) Du-shaunt "Fik-shun" Stegall Foxtrot "Sexy Silk"—Jessie J Jonathan Roberts

The scores below have been adjusted to be out of 30, not 40.*

Season Partner Place Average Score 18 Cody Simpson 9th 23.8 19 Alfonso Ribeiro 1st 27.7* 20 Chris Soules 5th 21.9* 21 Carlos PenaVega 4th 26.6 22 Von Miller 7th 22.9 23 Vanilla Ice 10th 19.6* 24 Chris Kattan 12th 14.7* 25 Frankie Muniz 3rd 26.0 26 Chris Mazdzer 4th 23.5 27 Milo Manheim 2nd 27.5 28 Kel Mitchell 25.5 30 The Miz 9th 22.7* 31 Wayne Brady 3rd 27.1*

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "Timber" 7 7 8 No Elimination 2 Tango / "Yeah 3x" 7 7 8 Last to be called safe 3 Jazz / "Surfboard" 9 8 / 91 9 Safe 42 Foxtrot / "I'm Yours" 8 7 / 83 8 No Elimination 5 Samba / "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" 9 8 / 84 9 Eliminated

1 Score given by guest judge Robin Roberts.

2 For this week only, as part of the "Partner Switch-Up" week, Simpson performed with Sharna Burgess instead of Carson. Carson performed with Drew Carey.

3 Score given by guest judge Julianne Hough.

4 Score given by guest judge Donny Osmond.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman J. Hough Tonioli 1 Jive / "3-6-9" 9 9 9 9 Safe 2 Samba / "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" 8 8 8 8 Safe 3 Quickstep / "Hey Goldmember" 8 81 8 8 Safe 4 Jazz / "It's Not Unusual" 10 102 10 10 Safe 53 Flamenco / "Angelica" 8 94 9 8 No elimination 6 Salsa / "Booty" 10 105 9 10 Safe 7 Rumba / "Ghost"

Team freestyle / "Time Warp" 9

8 9

8 9

8 9

8 Safe 8 Cha-cha-cha / "Trust"

Jive dance-off / "Rip It Up" 10

Awarded 9

3 9

extra 10

points Safe 9 Foxtrot / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"

Trio Paso doble / "Turn Down for What" 9

10 9

10 9

10 10

10 Safe 10

(Semi-finals) Argentine Tango / "Love Runs Out"

Contemporary / "Love Runs Out" (acoustic) 9

10 9

9 9

10 9

10 Safe 11

(Finals) Jive / "3-6-9"

Freestyle / "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)"

Cha-cha-cha & Argentine Tango fusion / "Shut Up and Dance" 10

10

10 10

10

10 10

10

10 10

10

10 Winner

Footnotes:

Score given by guest judge Kevin Hart in place of Goodman.

The American public scored the dance in place of Goodman with the averaged score being counted alongside the three other judges.

This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Ribeiro performed with Cheryl Burke instead of Carson. Carson performed with Michael Waltrip.

Score given by guest judge Jessie J in place of Goodman.

Score given by guest judge Pitbull in place of Goodman.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman J. Hough Tonioli 1 Jive / "Footloose" 7 6 6 7 No Elimination 2 Cha-cha-cha / "Time of Our Lives" 5 6 5 5 Safe 3 Argentine Tango / "Dangerous" 7 7 7 7 Last to be called safe 4 Rumba / "The Book of Love" 7 6 7 7 Safe 5 Quickstep / "Zero to Hero" 7 6 7 7 Last to be called safe 6 Viennese Waltz / "Hopelessly Devoted to You"

Team freestyle / "Trouble" 8

10 7

9 8

10 8

10 Safe 7 Foxtrot / "Five Minutes More"

Foxtrot dance-Off / "Orange Colored Sky" 8

No 7

extra 8

points 8

awarded Safe 8 Contemporary / "Lay Me Down"

Trio Paso doble / "Outside" 9

7 8

7 9

8 8

8 Eliminated

This season returned having three judges.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba J. Hough Tonioli 1 Jive / "I Got You (I Feel Good)" 8 8 7 No elimination 2 Foxtrot / "Home"

Cha-cha-cha / "Hound Dog" 8

7 8

7 8

7 Safe 3 Jazz / "Thank You for Being a Friend" 7 81/8 8 Safe 4 Waltz / "Amazing Grace" 9 8 8 Last to be called safe 52 Quickstep / "Bossa Nova Baby" 10 10/93 10 No elimination 6 Rumba / "Pony" 10 9/94 10 Safe 7 Paso doble / "O Fortuna"

Team freestyle / "Ghostbusters" 9

9 10

10 9

9 Safe 8 Salsa / "Valió la Pena"

Jive Dance-Off / "Travelin' Band" 9

Awarded 9

2 9

points Last to be called safe 9 Argentine Tango / "What Do You Mean?"

Team-up dance Paso doble / "We Will Rock You 9

8 9

8 9

8 Last to be called safe 10

Semifinals Contemporary / "Drag Me Down"

Cha-cha-cha dance-off / "Fun"

Trio Charleston / "Booty Swing" 9

Awarded

9 9

3

10 10

points

10 No elimination 11

Finals Foxtrot / "The Hills"

Freestyle / "WTF (Where They From)" 10

10 10

10 10

10 Eliminated

1 Score given by guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro.

2 This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, PenaVega performed with Lindsay Arnold instead of Carson. Carson performed with Nick Carter.[31]

3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

4 Score given by guest judge Olivia Newton-John.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Foxtrot / "My House" 8 6 7 No elimination 2 Cha-cha-cha / "Ain't Too Cool" 7 6 7 Safe 3 Contemporary / "In the Air Tonight" 7 6 7 Safe 4 Viennese Waltz / "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" 8 8/81 8 Safe 52 Jive / "Hips" 8 7/73 7 No elimination 6 Jazz / "Bad" 8 8 8 Last to be called safe 7 Salsa / "A Little Less Conversation"

Team Freestyle / "Super Bad", "Living in America" & "I Got You (I Feel Good)" 8

9 8

9 8

10 Eliminated

1 Score given by guest judge Zendaya.

2 For this week only, as part of "America's Switch Up", Miller performed with Lindsay Arnold instead of Carson. Carson performed with Wanyá Morris.

3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman J. Hough Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "Ice Ice Baby" 7 5 6 7 No Elimination 2 Foxtrot / "Love and Marriage" 6 7 6 7 Safe 3[32] Paso doble / "Save Tonight" 6 6 5 6 Safe 4 Viennese Waltz / "La Nouba" 8 – 7 8 Eliminated

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman J. Hough Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "What Is Love" 5 4 4 4 No Elimination 2 Jazz / "Hey Ya!" 6 5 6 5 Eliminated

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Foxtrot / "Sign of the Times" 7 6 6 No Elimination 2 Tango / "Whatever It Takes"

Cha-cha-cha / "Perm" 8

8 7

8 8

9 Safe 3 Samba / "It's Gonna Be Me" 7 7 7 No Elimination 4 Quickstep / "Adventure of a Lifetime" 8 8 8 Safe 5 Argentine Tango / "Angelica" 10 9 10 Last to be called safe 6 Jazz / "Holly Rock" 7 8/81 8 Safe 7 Contemporary / "Every Breath You Take"

Team Freestyle / "The Phantom of the Opera" 10

10 10

10 10

10 Safe 8 Viennese Waltz / "Perfect"

Trio Jive / "Good Place" 9

9 8

9 9

9 Last to be called safe 9

(Semi-finals) Salsa / "Shake"

Paso doble / "Carnaval de Paris" 8

9 8

8 9

9 Last to be called safe 10

(Finals) Foxtrot / "I Won't Dance"

Freestyle / "Run Boy Run"

Argentine Tango / "Angelica"

Foxtrot & Tango Fusion / "Without You" 10

9

10

10 9/102

9/102

10

9 9

10

10

9 Third place

1 Score given by guest judge Shania Twain.

2 Score given by guest judge Julianne Hough.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Salsa / "Mr. Put It Down" 7 7 7 Safe 2 Viennese Waltz / "Next to Me"

Team Freestyle / "...Baby One More Time" 9

8 8/81

8/91 8

8 Last to be called safe 3 Foxtrot / "I Got Rhythm"

Salsa Dance-Off / "WTF (Where They From)" 8

No 7/92

Extra 9

Points Eliminated

1 Score given by guest judge Rashad Jennings.

2 Score given by guest judge David Ross.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "Free Free Free" 7 7 7 Safe 2 Charleston / "Living in New York City"

Tango / "Ashes" 9

8 8

8 9

9 Safe 3 Jive / "Can You Do This" 9 9 9 Safe 4 Trio Salsa / "Adrenalina" 10 9 10 Safe 5 Quickstep / "Incredits 2" 9 8 10 No Elimination 6 Contemporary / "Toxic" 10 10 10 Safe 7 Foxtrot / "Born to Love You"

Team Freestyle / "9 to 5" 10

10 9

9 10

10 Safe 8

(Semi-finals) Argentine Tango / "Pray for Me"

Cha-cha-cha / "Good Feeling" 9

9 9

9 9

10 Safe 9

(Finals) Charleston / "Living in New York City"

Freestyle / "Ain't No Sunshine" (Lido remix) 10

10 10

10 10

10 Runners-up

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman Tonioli 1 Tango / "Sucker" 6 5 5 No Elimination 2 Samba / "Every Little Step" 7 6 7 Safe 3 Rumba / "My Heart Will Go On" 7 6 7 Bottom two 4 Cha-cha-cha / "If I Can't Have You" 8 81/8 8 Safe 5 Jazz / "We're All in This Together" 9 8 9 No Elimination 6 Quickstep / "Part-Time Lover" 9 8 9 Safe 7 Jive / "Time Warp"

Team Freestyle / "Sweet Dreams" 9

8 9

8 9

8 Safe 8 Salsa / "This Is How We Do It"

Jive Dance-Off / "Don't Stop Me Now" 9

Awarded 9

2 10

Points Safe 9 Paso doble / "Free Your Mind"

Viennese Waltz / "I'll Make Love to You" 8

10 8/92

10/102 9

10 Safe 10

(Semi-finals) Tango / "Get Ready"

Contemporary / "I Will Always Love You" 9

10 9

10 9

10 Safe 11

(Finals) Jazz / "We're All in This Together"

Freestyle / "Jump" 10

10 10

9 10

10 Runners-up

1 Score given by guest judge Leah Remini.

2 Score given by guest judge Joey Fatone.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman D. Hough Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "Butter" 6 6 6 6 No Elimination 2 Tango / "Nothin' but a Good Time" 7 5 7 7 Safe 3 Salsa / "Oops!... I Did It Again" 7 7 N/A1 8 Safe 4 Quickstep / "Friend Like Me"

Argentine tango / "Be Prepared" 8

9 7

8 8

9 8

8 Safe 5 Jive / "Greased Lightnin'" 8 8 8 8 Safe 6 Paso doble / "Wicked Games" 9 8 9 8 Safe 7 Foxtrot / "Radio Ga Ga"

Jive dance-off / "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" 8

No 8

extra 8

points 8

awarded Eliminated

1 Derek Hough was absent so score was given out of 30.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' scores Result Inaba Goodman D. Hough Tonioli 1 Cha-cha-cha / "She's a Bad Mama Jama" 7 7 7 7 Safe 2 Jive / "Burning Love" 8 8 8 8 Safe 3 Tango / "The Name's Bond... James Bond" 8 8 8 9 Safe 4 Jazz / "Wait for It" 9 9 9 9 Safe 5A Foxtrot / "Beautiful" 9 9 9 10 No elimination 5B Samba / "It Takes Two"

Hustle & Lindy Hop Marathon / "Hot Stuff" & "Jump, Jive an' Wail" 10

Awarded 10

5 10

Extra 10

Points Safe 6 Quickstep / "I Get a Kick Out of You" 8 9 101 / 8 9 Safe 7 Contemporary / "Halloween Theme"

Team Freestyle / "Heads Will Roll" 9

10 9

9 9

10 10

10 Safe 8 Salsa / "Motownphilly"

Samba Relay / "Shoop" 10

Awarded 10

5 10

Extra 10

Points Safe 9 Paso Doble / "Beggin'"

Viennese Waltz / "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" 9

10 9

9 9

9 9

9 Safe 10 Quickstep / "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"

Freestyle / "Get Up" & "24K Magic" 9

10 9

10 9

10 10

10 Third place

1 Score awarded by guest judge Michael Bublé.

Awards and achievements Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) winner

Season 19 (Fall 2014 with Alfonso Ribeiro) Succeeded by Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) runner up

Season 27 (Fall 2018 with Milo Manheim)

Season 28 (Fall 2019 with Kel Mitchell) Succeeded by Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) third place contestant

Season 25 (Fall 2017 with Frankie Muniz)

Season 31 (Fall 2022 with Wayne Brady) Succeeded by Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) last place

Season 24 (Spring 2017 with Chris Kattan) Succeeded by