Pod Meets World: Danielle With…Witney Carson

Host: Danielle Fishel
Guest: Witney Carson
Episode Date: January 21, 2026
Podcast: Pod Meets World (iHeartPodcasts)
Summary by [Podcast Summarizer]

Episode Overview

This episode is a special edition of Danielle’s “Danielle With…” series, featuring two-time Dancing with the Stars champion Witney Carson. Danielle and Witney, both busy working mothers and ballroom alumni, engage in a rich, revealing conversation about Witney’s DWTS journey, the pressures and unexpected joys of live performance, industry insights, and motherhood. It’s an episode packed with nostalgia, candid career talk, and heartfelt advice—ideal for longtime DWTS fans and new listeners alike.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Witney’s Career Trajectory and Boy Meets World Crossover

• Danielle opens with an enthusiastic introduction, tracing Witney’s rise from DWTS troupe member to pro, highlighting her high-profile partnerships and victories (with Alfonso Ribeiro and, most recently, Robert Irwin), and preparing listeners for a deep-dive into carving a path in ballroom and beyond.
  • "It makes you wonder, how could she top it? What's next for this fellow mom of two adorable boys who seems to capture dance magic year after year?... Ms. Witney Carson." (03:55).

2. The Special Bond with Alfonso Ribeiro

• Witney reflects on her enduring partnership and friendship with Alfonso, describing him as a mentor who helped her navigate Hollywood from a young age.
  • "He is just such a gem of a human. I mean, you know him. You've known him for years, but he really is like an uncle, a brother to me. ...He’s always been a mentor to me. But that specific interview that he did with you, I—he had never told me those feelings or thoughts before. ...I immediately started crying." (06:23–07:37).

3. Family, Travel, and Life with Kids

• Witney shares her excitement (and nerves) about an upcoming family trip to Australia, a surprise for her two animal-loving sons, and the thrill of letting Robert Irwin be their “tour guide.”
  • "We actually surprised them on Christmas morning that we were going and so they were so excited. ...We’re in Robert Irwin’s hands for, oh man, two weeks." (08:43–09:45).

4. Unexpected Friendship with Robert Irwin

• Witney talks about the joy and surprise that DWTS connects her to people from all walks of life, singling out her friendship with Robert Irwin:
  • "No, I never thought in a million years that one of my good friends would be a zookeeper from Australia. ...During rehearsals too...he’d be like, 'Remember, Whitney, I am just a zookeeper.' I’m like, right." (14:51–15:42).

5. Early Influences: Childhood and Parental Support

• Witney describes her modest beginnings in American Fork, Utah, and the sacrifices her parents made to support her dance training.
  • "My mom...grew up very, very poor. She could not afford dance. ...So that’s, you know, I started dance very young and I loved it, loved it, loved it....They did trade a lot for my dance training because at times we couldn’t afford it and they wanted so badly for me to go after my dreams." (16:35–18:29).

6. First TV Break and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’

• Witney credits her mother’s intuition for urging her to audition for So You Think You Can Dance at the last minute, a pivotal career moment.
  • “My mom’s intuition...she was like, I really just feel like you need to try and audition for this and just see what happens and don’t get upset or, you know, determined, but just go for it.” (19:34–20:56).

7. DWTS: From Troupe to Pro

• Danielle and Witney discuss whether starting as a troupe member should be “mandatory” for DWTS pros, with Witney emphasizing how the behind-the-scenes apprenticeship prepared her for the rigors of the show.
  • “I do think that it helps a lot because the beast of the show is something unlike anything. ...You can be the best dancer in the entire world, but if you don’t know how to teach, then...it can become very hard for you.” (22:45–24:11).

8. Winning with Alfonso: The Learning Curve

• Witney recounts the pressure of partnering with Alfonso, learning to balance personal ambition with making the celebrity shine.
  • “You have to find little tricks that kind of allow them to shine. ...Which in turn, honestly, makes you look better as well, because you know it's a win-win when you really think about their journey and what makes them shine.” (28:12–29:09).

9. Mom Guilt & Career Juggling

• Both women reflect on “mom guilt” and the immense challenges (and rewards) of balancing intensive dancing schedules with parenthood.
  • Danielle: “My oldest son’s meltdown...He was like, ‘I hate this job. You don’t have time for me...All you do is dance, dance, dance.’”
  • Witney: "That would literally kill me. I’d be like, okay, I’m quitting." (37:00–37:19).

10. The Pressure to Win Again & Defining Success

• Witney addresses whether winning once changes the hunger for another championship, emphasizing that “success” means different things each season.
  • "It’s a hard decision. Right. Because it's a show that I love very much...TBD. To be determined." (60:04–60:42).

11. Social Media’s Role: Toxicity and Fandoms

• The increased influence of social media on DWTS is discussed—both positive viral moments and toxic fan behaviors—plus coping strategies for negativity.
  • Witney: “We’re just not by nature, we’re not negative people, and so we don’t like that energy at all. ...If it’s just nasty and mean, I don’t really care. It kind of bounces right off of me.” (53:56–55:07).

12. App & Giving Back: Finesse

• Witney talks about her new dance/fitness app, Finesse, designed to provide accessible ballroom training and workouts for all levels.
  • “This was kind of a project for us that can be accessible and affordable to anyone that wants to learn ballroom dance and wants to learn from me specifically...” (58:30–59:48).

13. Dancing with the Stars Live Tour: Advice and Insights

• As Danielle prepares for the DWTS live tour, Witney offers tips for travel, performing, and enjoying the unique atmosphere of meeting fans around the country.
  • “That’s the best part—meeting the fans and being able to give them something that they want and love...It’s an amazing full circle moment where you’re like, okay, this is why I do what I do.” (64:51–65:43).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Alfonso’s Tribute:
  • “[Alfonso] had never told me those feelings or thoughts before...I immediately started crying because he’s that type of person that just knows you better than you know yourself...” —Witney Carson (06:23)
• On Unexpected DWTS Friendships:
  • “No, I never thought in a million years that one of my good friends would be a zookeeper from Australia.” —Witney Carson (14:51)
• On Parenting Sacrifices:
  • “My dad...would actually take down sets for us and travel with us to competitions and set it up to trade for a lot of my dance training.” —Witney Carson (18:29)
• On First Meeting Alfonso:
  • “They surprised me on this one because I think they knew I would know who he was. ...He got it like that. And I was like, okay, this is gonna be really good.” —Witney Carson (25:21)
• On the Grind of DWTS:
  • “If you don’t know how to put your hip to the left and put your arms straight immediately, like, it takes some time.” —Witney Carson (47:42)
• On Mom Guilt and DWTS:
  • “Had I made it that far, that would have been the exact same situation for me, too.” —Danielle Fishel (36:34)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 02:12 | Danielle’s intro and Witney’s career summary | | 05:35 | Witney reacts to introduction & Alfonso discussion| | 08:22 | Australia trip, family life with young children | | 14:51 | Meeting Robert Irwin & building unlikely friendships| | 16:35 | Childhood, early dance memories, parental sacrifice| | 20:50 | ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and career break | | 22:45 | DWTS: Troupe vs. Pro pathways | | 25:21 | Being paired with Alfonso, winning the mirror ball| | 28:12 | Secrets to successful partnerships on DWTS | | 37:00 | Mom guilt balancing dance & family | | 42:21 | Losing with Milo Manheim, fan reactions | | 44:15 | Robert Irwin’s week 1 performance pressure | | 53:56 | Handling online fandoms & social media toxicity | | 58:30 | Launching her dance/fitness app, Finesse | | 60:04 | Will Witney compete again? (TBD) | | 64:29 | DWTS Live Tour advice for Danielle |

Tone and Language

Conversational, warm, and candid. Both Danielle and Witney speak openly about the joys and challenges of their careers and motherhood, with supportive banter and shared enthusiasm for their craft and each other.

For Listeners Who Missed It

If you love behind-the-scenes stories, thoughtful perspectives on performance and teaching, or want actionable advice from two experienced working moms, this episode is a must-listen. You’ll come away inspired by Witney’s relentless positivity, industry wisdom, and generosity of spirit.

End of Summary