Val Chmerkovskiy is refusing to let the "Dancing With The Stars" ringer comments distract him from his partnership with Jenna Dewan. The Val Chmerkovskiy Reveals Approach For Dealing With The ‘DWTS’ Ringer Comments first appeared on The Blast
Val Chmerkovskiy is refusing to let the “Dancing With The Stars” ringer comments distract him from his partnership with Jenna Dewan.
The professional dancer recently addressed criticism surrounding his partner’s extensive dance background. Dewan enters Season 35 with years of experience as a professional backup dancer and performer.
Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Dewan are now preparing to compete together for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Chmerkovskiy has competed in 20 seasons of DWTS and won the Mirrorball Trophy three times.
Val Chmerkovskiy Has No Time For The ‘DWTS’ Ringer Comments
Chmerkovskiy recently shared a video with several behind-the-scenes clips of his partnership with Dewan. In the video caption, he said it was an update on what he’s been up to. “I promise to be even more transparent this season and take you along for the ride of a lifetime,” he wrote.
The video featured the pair in full ballroom attire while posing for polished professional photographs. It also showed them rehearsing together inside the studio as they prepared their competition routines.
In the video, the dancer shared that Dewan joked about how much she was sweating during what seemed like a rehearsal. Another clip showed Chmerkovskiy handing her water during what appeared to be a rehearsal break.
They were also filmed laughing and posing together during a “Dancing With the Stars” press event. In his Instagram video, Chmerkovskiy addressed a question about dealing with comments that Dewan is already a dancer.
“I won’t,” he responded, making it clear he doesn’t intend to engage with the criticism. He added that he cannot control how people feel, but he can control the love and effort he gives his work.
Fans Are Divided Over The Dancers’ Pairing
Fans quickly took to the comments to react to Chmerkovskiy’s response. One supporter praised him for how he handles negativity, writing, “So proud of you and how you handle negativity!!” The comment reflected support for Chmerkovskiy’s decision to focus on his work rather than engage with the backlash.
“I’m sad about Jenna,” another fan wrote, explaining that they were “not happy an experienced dancer is on the show.” They added that they preferred watching contestants like Robert from the previous season and seeing their growth throughout the competition. Another viewer was even more direct, saying the pairing could give them an unfair advantage.
“Ok I’ll be the one,” the commenter wrote before arguing that the partnership was unfair unless other contestants also had dance backgrounds. Still, not everyone viewed the partnership negatively, with another fan expressing complete excitement about the duo. “Quite possibly the most iconic pairing ever !!!!!!” the supporter declared in the comments.
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Val Chmerkovskiy Defended His Dance Partner
Chmerkovskiy, who has competed on 20 seasons of “Dancing With the Stars,” said the ringer debate is “all relative.” The three-time Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winner defended Dewan’s place in the competition. He argued that the show is about more than dance, focusing instead on the human experience and personal journeys.
“Dance is a vehicle for us to find out more about these people — and I think that’s our advantage,” Chmerkovskiy said. He said his biggest advantage is being partnered with someone he considers an incredible human being. He wants viewers to see Dewan as a woman and mother who is getting another opportunity to do what she loves.
Chmerkovskiy also acknowledged that Dewan brings “incredible talent” into the competition. “I’m going to push her and push us to showcase to the world something they haven’t seen from her yet,” he said.
Dewan also praised Chmerkovskiy’s approach, describing him as a loving teacher who still pushes her to improve. She said they are both hard workers who want the best for each other.
Jenna Dewan Insists Ballroom Dancing Is Different
Dewan’s dance background stretches back more than two decades before her “DWTS” debut. She worked as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson between the ages of 18 and 20 in the early 2000s. She also danced in music videos for Mandy Moore, Toni Braxton, Jackson, and other major performers.
Dewan described Jackson as her first major vision-board dream and said she desperately wanted to dance for her. She remains close friends with Jackson and still remembers some of the singer’s choreography. Dewan even joked that she performs the “If” dance whenever she has had one tequila.
Her dance career later led to her breakout role in the 2006 movie “Step Up” alongside Channing Tatum. Despite that extensive history, Dewan insisted she has never trained specifically in ballroom dancing. She explained that her previous training helps with choreography and performance, but ballroom requires something different.
“I do not know how to ballroom dance. Let’s be clear,” Dewan told Entertainment Weekly. She described ballroom as “two different languages” and said she has had to unlearn habits from her usual dance styles. The actress admitted that the unfamiliar technique has made the experience challenging despite her existing skills.
Val Chmerkovskiy’s Dancer Partner’s Daughter Put Her On The ‘DWTS’ Radar
Dewan’s decision to join the competition was influenced by someone much closer to home. Her 13-year-old daughter, Everly, is a huge “Dancing With the Stars” fan and helped spark her mother’s connection to the show. Dewan shares Everly with her ex-husband, Channing Tatum, and also has two younger children.
Everly and her friends wanted to attend last year’s “DWTS” finale, so Dewan arranged tickets and attended with them. Dewan believes appearing at the finale may have helped put her on the show’s radar. She said this was the first time the producers had actually approached her about joining.
According to PEOPLE, Dewan hadn’t considered doing the show before receiving the offer. She said the moment she received the opportunity, she immediately felt an internal “yes.”
Her teenage daughter has experience with Irish dancing and even performed with the Los Angeles Rams at halftime. Dewan said Everly is finally beginning to understand why people recognize her mother because of “Step Up.”
The Val Chmerkovskiy Reveals Approach For Dealing With The ‘DWTS’ Ringer Comments first appeared on The Blast
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