The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt is following in his wife Whitney Leavitt’s footsteps by lacing up his ballroom shoes on Dancing With the Stars.
“There aren’t words in the English language to describe how proud I am of my wife,” Conner, 32, exclusively told Us on Wednesday, September 2, gushing over Whitney, 33. “She has taken advantage of every opportunity she’s gotten, she’s seized her moment, and when we found out I would have an opportunity on the show, she looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘This experience goes by really fast. You need to be present and enjoy it, soak it up and learn everything you can.’”
Conner further explained that his wife of 10 years noted how the journey would be over “in the blink of an eye.”
Whitney appeared on Dancing With the Stars season 34 last year, where she was partnered with pro Mark Ballas. They were eliminated in the semifinals after enlisting Conner for a special dedication night trio routine.
Conner will now get a chance to cha cha for the mirrorball in season 35 alongside new pro Adele Zaikman. (Zaikman, 24, was crowned the inaugural champion of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, earning a spot on the roster of professional dancers.)
“She warned me, ‘You’re going to have real relationships with these people [and] you’re going to foster real friendships, and then it’s all going to end one day,’” Conner told Us, addressing Whitney’s previous assertion that her elimination felt like a breakup. “That doesn’t mean the relationships are over, but you’re not going to be involved as you were in the past. She said, ‘It’s really important just to cherish those moments.’”
In the meantime, Conner is ready to bust a move with Zaikman.
“We literally just came up with a team name: Team Leav-el Up. How cool is that?” he told Us, putting a twist on his last name and Zaikman’s first before addressing his ballroom competition. “The contestants are stacked this season. I mean, you have Harry Shum Jr, Jenna Dewan; you have people with real dance experience [and] you have awesome contestants standing right next to us. I think it’s anyone’s game.”
In addition to Conner, Shum, 44, and Dewan, 45, the rest of the celebrity lineup includes Julia Stiles, Amber Glenn, Giada De Laurentiis, Ezra Frech, Ciara Miller, Jackson Olson, Guillermo Rodriguez, Tyler Cameron, Tatyana Ali, Sarah Jane Nader, Maura Higgins, Taylor Hanson and Connor Wood.
As for Whitney, she undoubtedly will be voting for her husband.
“@leavitt.conner is on @dancingwiththestars !!!!!!! In our 10 years of marriage, this is the longest Conner and I have ever been away from each other 😭,” Whitney, who shares three children with Conner, gushed via Instagram on Thursday. “Such a bittersweet night celebrating someone who means so much to us. So excited for this next adventure and we’re so excited for everything that’s ahead of you!!! Wishing you nothing but happiness, success, and amazing new memories! Now go shake some a$$!!! You’re already our mirrorball winner.”
Dancing With the Stars premieres with a two-night event on ABC and Disney+ starting Tuesday, September 15, at 8 p.m. ET.
