Mark Ballas Talks Judging ‘DWTS’ Spin-Off & Hardest Part of Being a Pro (Exclusive)

Mark Ballas is judging the new spin-off series “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro."

“Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi spoke with Mark about the show and heading back to “Chicago” on Broadway.

As for why he wanted to be a part of “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro,” Mark explained, “It was really cool to be a part of just because I think it lets you into the process of what the pros go through.”

“Throughout the journey, you get to see the different type of challenges that the pros come up against, which is, like, choreography challenges, group work challenges, creating chemistry, being able to pivot on a dime, like, if your celebrity can’t handle the thing that you originally planned,” Ballas went on. “There’s all these twists and turns.”

Ballas is noted that there’s a difference between an excellent dancer who can execute and one who can also create and mentor.

Mark stressed, "You have to have a Plan B, C,D, and be able to be flexible.”

When asked how he felt to be on the other side, Ballas admitted, “It’s hard… There’s part of me that, obviously, I have to be strict and call the things as I see it and help them get ready for the gauntlet that’s coming. But at the same time, I also feel for them when it’s a rough week or if they don't follow the challenge or if there's a mishap or slip-up when you prep so hard."

Robert Irwin is hosting the show, and Mark raved, “He’s fantastic. He can do everything. Like, boy can dance, he can host, catch crocodiles. You name, he can do it.”

Mark’s close friend and “Extra” host Derek Hough is also involved in the show as a mentor to the contestants.

Ballas said, “Having someone like him, who can really see it from all angles, who’s direct, but also will give you constructive criticism is essential as a young dancer who’s trying to get into that next phase."

Of their relationship, Mark said, “We essentially are brothers, you know? We went to high school together, went to college together, we trained, danced together, we moved to L.A. to do ‘Dancing with the Stars’ together. We were roommates. He was the best man at my wedding. I was the best man at his wedding.”

Ballas also opened up about returning for another in “Chicago,” which he pointed out is the “longest running American musical of all time."

According to Mark, it’s “electric” when he’s performing on Broadway. He said, “The cool thing about Broadway is, even though you’re doing eight shows a week, it’s never the same show because, you know, a big part of being an actor is to react. So your castmate might do something different one night, you know, like, the audience will react or laugh to different things in different nights.”