Corky Ballas
{{Short description|American ballroom dancer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Corky Ballas
| image =
| imagesize = 150px
| caption =
| birthname = Mark Alexander Ballas
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|12|25}}
| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| othername =
| occupation = Dancer
| years_active = 1978–1996; 2008–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Shirley Rich
|1985|2007|end=divorced}}
| parents = George Ballas
Maria Marulanda
| children = Mark Ballas
| relatives =
}}
Mark Alexander "Corky" Ballas Sr. (born December 25, 1960) is an American retired competitive ballroom dancer who holds several Latin dance championship titles.{{cite web |url=http://www.clintgraphics.com/corky/who.htm |title=Corky & Shirley Ballas- World Dance Champions |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203150821/http://www.clintgraphics.com/corky/who.htm |archivedate=December 3, 2008 }}{{cite web|url=http://bdsweb.ballroom.com/cbalbio.htm|title=Untitled Normal Page|website=bdsweb.ballroom.com}} His son, Mark Ballas, is a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars. His father was George Ballas, who invented the Weed Eater lawn-trimming device.
Personal life
Ballas was born in Houston, Texas. He is the son of Greek-Americans Maria Marulanda and 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.Wozny, Nancy. [http://culturemap.com/newsdetail/12-13-10-h-town-own-mark-ballas-opens-up-on-the-naive-miracle-of-bristol-palin-and-his-john-mayer-ways/ "H-Town's Own Dance Man: Mark Ballas opens up on the naive miracle of Bristol Palin & his John Mayer ways"], CultureMap Houston, December 13, 2010.. George Ballas passed away in June 2011. See "Weed Eater inventor dies at 85," June 29, 2011, Associated Press, as published by the Lake Charles American Press, at {{cite web |url=http://www.americanpress.com/lc/blogs/wpnewssum/?p=22976 |title=[var SITENAME] - [var SECTIONNAME] |accessdate=June 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120717231902/http://www.americanpress.com/lc/blogs/wpnewssum/?p=22976 |archivedate=July 17, 2012 }}. He has three sisters, Michelle, Maria, and Lillian, and one brother, George.
He has one son, Mark Ballas.{{cite news| url = http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2010/12/like-father-like-son/|title= Like Father, Like Son F|date= December 6, 2010| work=OutSmart | accessdate= November 27, 2016| archivedate= December 13, 2010| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20101213010745/http://outsmartmagazine.com/2010/12/like-father-like-son/|url-status=live}} Corky and Shirley Ballas also raised and trained Julianne Hough and Derek Hough.{{cite web |url=http://www.derekhough.net/bio.html |title=Derek Hough |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116155438/http://derekhough.net/bio.html |archivedate=January 16, 2009 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.juliannehough.net/bio.html |title=Julianne Hough |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219135830/http://www.juliannehough.net/bio.html |archivedate=December 19, 2008 }}
Corky now teaches dancing in San Antonio via his dancing studio,{{Cite web |url=http://idancecity.com/ |title=Welcome idancecity.com |access-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422023523/http://idancecity.com/ |archive-date=April 22, 2016 |url-status=dead }} and his website.{{cite web|url=http://corky.com|title=Corky Ballas|website=Corky Ballas|access-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981206072804/http://www.corky.com/|archive-date=December 6, 1998|url-status=dead}} His plans for the future include more television performances as well as an online interactive dance instruction via hundreds of videos.
Career
Corky and Shirley were 1996 Open to the World International Champions, 1995–1996 Open to the World British Champions, twice British National Champions, Star - World Cup - UK - Champions{{Clarify|date=March 2008}}, and seven times undefeated United States International Latin Champions.{{cite web |url=http://www.internationalheralddailynews.org/dance.htm |title=DANCE |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019224002/http://www.internationalheralddailynews.org/dance.htm |archivedate=October 19, 2008 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.theyankeeclassic.com/event_information/photo_gallery/ |title=Yankee Classic > Event Information > Photo Gallery |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204041234/http://www.theyankeeclassic.com/event_information/photo_gallery/ |archivedate=December 4, 2008 }}
Ballas judges professional competitions and teaches. He is based in Los Angeles, California and Houston, Texas.{{cite web|url=http://www.corky.com|title=Corky Ballas|website=Corky Ballas|access-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915073700/https://www.corky.com/|archive-date=September 15, 2019|url-status=dead}}
=''Dancing with the Stars''=
Ballas has trained many of Dancing with the Stars' professionals including Karina Smirnoff, Julianne Hough, Derek Hough, Tony Dovolani, Edyta Sliwinska, Alec Mazo, Brian Fortuna, Jonathan Roberts, Anna Trebunskaya, Jessie DeSoto and, his son, Mark Ballas.
On August 25, 2008, the show's producers announced Corky himself would compete as a pro on season 7, alongside his son and former pupils. He was partnered with 82-year-old actress Cloris Leachman.{{cite web|url=https://abc.go.com/shows|title=ABC Shows Page|website=ABC}}
For season 11, Ballas was partnered with Florence Henderson. They were eliminated in Week 5 of the competition.
Performances
With celebrity partner: Cloris Leachman
| class="wikitable" align="left"
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Week # |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Dance/Song |colspan="3" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Judges' score |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Result |
| bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Inaba
|bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Goodman |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Tonioli |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1, Night 1
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Foxtrot/I Wish I Were in Love Again |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1, Night 2
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Mambo /Coconut Woman |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|2
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Paso Doble/Bolero |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Last to be called safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|3
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Jive/The Girl Can't Help It |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|4
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Tango/The Big Date |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|8 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Bottom Two |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Salsa/Tres Deseos |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Cha Cha Cha/Come See About Me |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5* |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Eliminated |
- Score was awarded by stand in judge Michael Flatley.
With celebrity partner: Florence Henderson
| class="wikitable" align="left"
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Week # |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Dance/Song |colspan="3" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Judges' score |rowspan="2" bgcolor="CCCCCC" align="Center"|Result |
| bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Inaba
|bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Goodman |bgcolor="CCCCCC" width="10%" align="center"|Tonioli |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|1
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Cha-Cha-Cha/Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|2
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Quickstep/Suddenly I See |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|3
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Waltz/Edelweiss |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|4
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Rumba/Yesterday |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6/6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|6/6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5/6 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Safe |
| align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|5
|align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Tango/The Brady Bunch Theme |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|7 |align="center" bgcolor="FAF6F6"|Eliminated |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|url=http://www.corky.com}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballas, Corky}}
Category:American ballroom dancers
Category:Entertainers from Houston
Category:Participants in American reality television series
Category:American people of Greek descent
Category:American people of Mexican descent