Val Chmerkovskiy is back in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom after serving a one-week suspension, and the professional dancer wasted no time addressing the controversy that kept him away from celebrity partner Jenna Dewan.
Reunited for Tuesday’s “Horror Movie Night,” Chmerkovskiy acknowledged the disruption caused by his absence, apologizing to Dewan during the pair’s introductory video package.
“We are back together. I am so sorry for all the chaos. You did not sign up for that, and I feel awful,” he told the Step Up actress.
Dewan responded warmly, telling him, “I forgive you,” before embracing him in a hug. “I missed you,” she added.
Their reunion marked the end of a turbulent week for Chmerkovskiy, whose controversial social media comments about judge Carrie Ann Inaba led to disciplinary action from the show.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy Return With an Argentine Tango
The reunited partners quickly turned their attention back to the competition, performing an Argentine tango to a cover of “Uninvited” by Damned Anthem and Kendra Dantes.
Inspired by the 2007 zombie film 28 Weeks Later, the routine was part of the show’s “Horror Movie Night” episode.
The performance earned the pair 37 out of 40 points from the judges. Combined with their score from the previous week, their cumulative total reached 74 out of 80.
Their return followed an emotional “Dedication Night” performance in which Dewan danced with fellow professional Alan Bersten while Chmerkovskiy served his suspension.
Dewan and Bersten performed a Viennese waltz to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” earning 37 out of 40 points. The dance was dedicated to Dewan’s mother, Nancy, who joined her daughter and Bersten on the dance floor.
Inaba subsequently described the performance as the “ultimate breakthrough” for Dewan, making it a significant moment in the actress’s journey on the show.
The Social Media Post That Led to Chmerkovskiy’s Suspension
The controversy began after Inaba criticized a lift in a samba performed by Chmerkovskiy’s wife, professional dancer Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner, Harry Shum Jr., during the October 13 “Super Bowl Night” episode.
Inaba described the move as an “illegal” lift and read out the competition’s definition, prompting a heated exchange that reportedly left Johnson in tears backstage.
Chmerkovskiy subsequently took to social media to defend his wife. In a TikTok comment responding to a video about Inaba’s criticism, he wrote, “Puts some respect on her name. Shes trippin talking to her like that.”
He also shared a post reading, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”
The remark referenced the infamous 2022 Oscars incident in which Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The reference sparked criticism among Dancing With the Stars viewers. Inaba also reacted publicly after learning about the comments, posting a screenshot of the coverage on Instagram with the words, “So this is what we are doing now?”
On October 17, Chmerkovskiy was suspended from the competition for one week.
Chmerkovskiy Apologizes and Accepts the Consequences
In a statement shared at the time, BBC Studios explained that the decision was made because the dancer’s social media post did not meet the standards expected of people associated with the show.
“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” the statement read, according to Deadline.
“Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show,” it continued. “As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Chmerkovskiy subsequently apologized to Inaba and acknowledged that he had failed to consider the broader implications of his words.
“As you may have seen in the news, I won’t be in the ballroom this week,” he wrote in an Instagram Stories statement.
He explained that he had made “a poor decision to reference a meme” without thinking through what the reference might imply, adding that this had genuinely never been his intention.
“Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was,” he continued.
The professional dancer said he accepted the suspension and did not want to become a distraction during Dedication Night, which he recognized as an important episode for the contestants.
During his absence, Chmerkovskiy also acknowledged Bersten for stepping in to partner Dewan, praising his colleague for doing an excellent job.
Carrie Ann Inaba and Jenna Johnson Seek to Move Forward
As Chmerkovskiy returned to rehearsals, Inaba also addressed the controversy surrounding her criticism of Johnson and Shum.
In Instagram comments, the judge explained that she had remained relatively quiet out of professional courtesy to the contestants still competing. She also revealed that she and Johnson had hugged after the original episode and had attempted to work through the moment together.
Inaba said she later learned that Johnson had been deeply hurt by the criticism and had offered to speak with her whenever she felt ready.
The judge also suggested that the show consider reviewing its lift rules before the next season, arguing that a discussion involving judges and professional dancers could help clarify how the guidelines are applied.
Her comments indicated a desire to resolve the disagreement while maintaining the standards of the competition.
With Chmerkovskiy back beside Dewan and both couples returning their attention to the ballroom, the latest episode marked a fresh chapter after a week dominated by social media controversy, professional tensions and questions about the show’s judging rules.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day.