Fans Peg Conner Leavitt for DWTS Season 35 as Cast Reveal Nears in 2 Weeks

Q: Will Conner Leavitt's recent Off-Broadway dance experience give him a controversial advantage on DWTS?

Possibly, but not necessarily in a way that would be unusually controversial. If Conner Leavitt is indeed cast, his recent Off-Broadway appearance in *11 to Midnight* would almost certainly give him a head start in areas that matter on *Dancing With the Stars*: musicality, stamina, timing, stage comfort, and learning choreography quickly. Those are real advantages, especially in the early weeks when non-dancers are still adjusting to rehearsal intensity and live performance pressure. Whether that becomes “controversial” depends on the level of his training. The available reporting shows he made an Off-Broadway debut in a dance-centered production, which suggests meaningful experience, but it does not establish that he is a formally trained ballroom specialist. *DWTS* has long cast contestants with adjacent dance backgrounds — from actors in musicals to cheerleaders, skaters, and pop performers — and the show generally treats ballroom technique as its own discipline. So fan debate would be predictable, but probably limited unless ABC confirms he has extensive prior dance training beyond this production. An Off-Broadway credit alone may raise eyebrows, yet it is not the same as entering with elite ballroom experience. If he joins Season 35, the stronger issue for viewers may be perception: he could be seen as less of a beginner than some rivals, but not necessarily outside the range of what *DWTS* has historically allowed.

3 articles · Updated · Cosmopolitan · Aug 20

Conner Leavitt has emerged as the latest rumored Dancing With the Stars Season 35 contestant, with fans on Reddit increasingly treating his casting as all but confirmed.
Whitney Leavitt’s 10-year anniversary post said the couple were spending it apart for the first time and that “big things” were happening, lining up with rehearsals starting this week in Los Angeles.
Conner’s recent Off-Broadway dance debut in 11 to Midnight added to the speculation, along with Whitney’s earlier tease of unspecified “announcements.”
A reported DWTS insider on Reddit hinted at a “dad” contestant and then confirmed Conner when a fan guessed him; only 4 celebrities and 1 pro have been officially announced so far.