Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Maksim "Maks" Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy[a] (born January 17, 1980) is a Ukrainian-American[1] Latin–ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He is widely known as one of the professional dancers on the American television series Dancing with the Stars, on which he first appeared in season two. In his 17 seasons as a competing pro on the show, Chmerkovskiy made it to the final round five times, with two runner-up and two third-place finishes. On May 20, 2014, Chmerkovskiy, paired with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, won his first Dancing with the Stars title.[2] Chmerkovskiy has also starred in the Broadway productions of dance shows Burn the Floor and Forever Tango.
In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Aleksandrovich and the family name is Chmerkovskiy.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Early life[edit]
Chmerkovskiy was born January 17, 1980, in Odesa, Ukrainian SSR to parents Aleksandr "Sasha" Chmerkovskiy and Larisa Chmerkovskaya.[3][4] He has a younger brother, Valentin Chmerkovskiy (born 1986), who is also a professional dancer.[5] His father is Jewish, and his mother is Christian, and he has described himself as Jewish.[6][7][8][9]
He began dancing at age 4 when his parents enrolled him in a school of aesthetic education.[4] The aim of the school was to train children to become young gentlemen or ladies, and the education included manners and ballroom dance. He eventually began competing in ten-dance, which includes both ballroom and Latin dances. As a child, Chmerkovskiy also participated in tennis, soccer, and swimming.[10]
At age 13, he broke his right leg in a skiing accident and had a titanium rod put in to stabilize his leg. Doctors foresaw long-term difficulties and little possibility of a dancing career; however, he recovered and was dancing again six months later.[4][11]
The family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, in 1994.[12]
The challenges of immigration for Chmerkovskiy and his family included financial and language barriers.[13] On his second day in the United States, Chmerkovskiy had a new pair of roller blades stolen.[14] Moving to the United States also gave Chmerkovskiy the opportunity to rededicate himself to dance. At 15 he began working at a local Russian restaurant, dancing as entertainment. Working at the restaurant, Chmerkovskiy decided winning competitions as a dancer would be a way to argue for higher pay.[15]
Controversy[edit]
In October of 2011 during Season 13 Chmerkovskiy faced controversy while on Dancing with the Stars for his comments aimed at Judge Len Goodman who described his and Hope Solo's rumba as the "worst dance of the season". Chmerkovskiy attacked Goodman suggesting that, "maybe it’s time" for Goodman to leave the business after 50 years. Carrie Ann Inaba called him out on the spot for being disrespectful. He responded by saying "With all due respect, this is my show". He later doubled down saying, "Don’t tell me it was your worst dance of the season because you’re an idiot, you know it’s not true".[57] On ABC News with Robin Roberts Chmerkovskiy defended his comments adding "I have nothing to apologize for to Len, certainly not to Carrie Ann".[58]
In 2012 in Hope Solo's autobiography, Solo: A Memoir of Hope, she alleged Cherkovskiy "manhandled me in rehearsals from the start, pushing me, whacking my stomach, bending my arms roughly" adding "Maks was rough and mean with me, flinging me and pushing me around." He has denied the allegations.[59]
Personal life[edit]
Chmerkovskiy is a Russian speaker, but understands the Ukrainian language.[85] Chmerkovskiy did not speak English when he moved to the United States.[88] He says he learned English from reading street signs in Brooklyn.[88] Chmerkovskiy lives primarily in Fort Lee, New Jersey.[3]
He was engaged to fellow DWTS pro and Ukrainian Karina Smirnoff for nine months in 2009.[89] In 2012, Chmerkovskiy began dating another DWTS pro, Peta Murgatroyd, but the relationship ended in 2013 after 10 months.[90] Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd reunited in October 2014.[91][92] Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd became engaged on December 5, 2015, when he proposed while onstage for a performance of Sway: A Dance Trilogy in Miami, Florida.[93] Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd's son was born in early 2017[94] and they were married in a contemporary ceremony in Long Island, New York on July 8, 2017.[95] Their second son was born in 2023.[96]
In March 2022, Chmerkovskiy confirmed that he had fled from Ukraine to Poland, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[97] He also documented scenes from the invasion on social media and joined the movement "#StandWithUkraine".[98]
Media related to Maksim Chmerkovskiy at Wikimedia Commons