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Whitney Leavitt flooded Instagram with praise and encouragement after her husband Conner left Dancing With the Stars on premiere night, calling out his bravery and urging him to keep pursuing bold challenges.
Whitney’s message: pride and a push forward
Whitney, known from the reality series Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, posted an emotional note to fans and followers. She celebrated Conner for stepping far outside his comfort zone to compete on the ABC dance show.
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In her post she applauded his effort, told him to ignore the noise, and urged him to keep taking chances. She framed the elimination as a milestone, not an end, and made clear she sees a bigger future ahead for him.
Photos, flowers and family pride
Alongside the caption, Whitney shared mirror selfies of the couple. Conner held a large floral bouquet in the images.
- Whitney emphasized how proud their children—Sedona, Liam and Billy—are of their dad.
- She encouraged him to keep saying yes to new challenges.
- The post carried a tender tone and a strong vote of confidence in his abilities.
Support from friends and cast members on social media
Their fellow castmates from SLOMW chimed in with supportive comments. Responses ranged from affection to admiration.
- Jessi Draper wrote she was proud.
- Layla Taylor called Conner a “Mirrorball winner” in her eyes.
- Mikayla Matthews and Mayci Neeley echoed praise and love.
- Demi Engemann said she wished viewers had seen more of him and called him a star.
What happened on the DWTS stage
Conner partnered with pro dancer Adele Zaikman for the show’s premiere. Their routine was a Salsa set to Tag Team’s “Whoomp! (There It Is).”
Judges’ score and outcome
The panel—Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli—gave the pair a combined score of 12 out of 30. The low total contributed to Conner’s early exit from the competition.
Why Whitney’s reaction resonated
Her message blended personal pride with a public call to resilience. She reminded followers that televised moments don’t tell the whole story.
She highlighted the work he put in and suggested the audience had only seen a fraction of his potential.
Whitney’s own DWTS past and Broadway return
Whitney competed previously on Dancing With the Stars, paired with Mark Ballas during Season 34, and finished sixth.
After her elimination in the semifinals of that season, she moved into musical theatre. She starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway, a role she played for two months.
She is slated to return to Broadway later this year as Sandra Dee in the production Just in Time.
Behind the scenes: casting and live audience moment
News of Conner’s casting surfaced earlier this month. On the night of the performance, Whitney watched from the live audience and cheered him on.
- The pairing with Adele Zaikman was new to viewers.
- The couple’s Salsa had high energy and crowd appeal.
- Despite mixed judge feedback, fans and friends rallied around Conner after the broadcast.
