Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt are taking the stage together in Broadway\u2019s Chicago<\/em> on April 6 \u2014\u00a0but the iconic reunion almost didn\u2019t come to fruition<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Ballas talks exclusively with PEOPLE about reuniting with his Dancing with the Stars<\/em> partner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Leavitt\u2019s run was recently extended through May 3<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Mark Ballas<\/a> is about to take the stage alongside his Dancing with the Stars<\/em><\/a> partner Whitney Leavitt<\/a> \u2014 but the iconic reunion almost didn\u2019t come to fruition!<\/p>\n The duo, who captured hearts and minds as they twirled their way to the semifinals of the ABC competition show last fall, sent the internet aflutter in March when it was announced that Ballas, 39, would be assuming the role<\/a> of slick-talking lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago<\/em> opposite Leavitt\u2019s Roxie Hart.<\/p>\n The 32-year-old breakout star from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/em> made her Broadway debut<\/a> in the role on Feb. 2 \u2014 and made history with her run: in mid-March, Chicago<\/em> earned its highest weekly ticket sales<\/a> in the show’s 29-year history (she even got a tattoo<\/a> to celebrate!).<\/p>\n But speaking to PEOPLE before taking the stage, Ballas reveals that the pair\u2019s highly anticipated reunion almost didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n \u201cIronically, when I booked the gig, our dates didn\u2019t overlap,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas Indeed, Leavitt was only initially slated to play Roxie through April 5, the day before Ballas began his run. But luckily, Leavitt\u2019s run was extended through May 3 \u2014\u00a0meaning she\u2019ll appear on stage with her DWTS<\/em> partner.<\/p>\n \u201cLuckily for extensions and whatnot,\u201d Ballas tells PEOPLE with a smile, \u201chere we are doing it together.\u201d<\/p>\n While the pair showed off their dancing chops on DWTS<\/em>, during the season, they also learned that they have incredible chemistry, both on and off stage.<\/p>\n \u201cWe connected right away,\u201d Leavitt tells PEOPLE. \u201cI know that doesn’t always happen with people on the show, but that happened for us, and I feel like that dynamic we’re just gonna take onto this show too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe just get each other,\u201d adds Ballas. \u201cWe have a very similar sense of humor and we like the same things. I think we throw ourselves 100% into whatever we’re doing \u2014\u00a0and for that reason, we were able to push it even further.\u201d<\/p>\n Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas
Credit: Bruce Glikas\/WireImage<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\nNEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n
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