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Dedication Night is still a go for Jenna Dewan, who had to get a new “Dancing With the Stars” partner after Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for a week.
The professional dancer will not be competing with the actor for the Oct. 20 episode. The moves comes after Chmerkovskiy referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars when reacting to “DWTS” judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critiques about his wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson during the Oct. 13 episode.
Instead of dancing with Chmerkovskiy, Dewan will be partnered with eliminated pro Alan Bersten.
Here’s everything to know about Chmerkovskiy’s suspension and Bersten filling in.
What Did Val Chmerkovskiy Say That Got Him Suspended?
During the Oct. 13 episode of “DWTS,” Inaba pointed out a lift in Johnson’s samba routine with Harry Shum Jr. Many on the ballroom floor and online — Chmerkovskiy included — did not like the way Inaba expressed herself when noting that traditional competitive Latin dances do not include lifts.
“A lift is, I just need to say it,” she said, reading off the definition from her notes. “Any movement during which one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the assistance or support of their partner. Yeah, lift.”
In a since-deleted message on social media, Chmerkovskiy wrote, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” referring to Smith’s infamous Oscar moment.
He issued an apology on Oct. 15 following backlash from his comments, saying he reached out to Inaba, according to E! News.
Chmerkovskiy Was Then Suspended
On Oct. 17, in a statement to NBC News, BBC Studios announced the dancer’s one-week suspension.
“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable,” the statement reads. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Chmerkovskiy Reacted to His Suspension
In a statement posted on his Instagram story, Chmerkovskiy confirmed that he would not be participating in Dedication Week.
“In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply,” he wrote, adding, “which was genuinely never my intention.”
He noted that “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”
“The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in,” he wrote, before concluding, “Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole ‘DWTS’ family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!”
Inaba has yet to respond to Chmerkovskiy’s latest statement.
Alan Bersten Returns to the Ballroom
For Season 35, Bersten was paired with award-winning chef Giada De Laurentiis. They were eliminated during the second week of the competition.
The 32-year-old dancer is a Mirrorball Trophy winner, winning Season 28 with his partner, former Bachelorette Hannah Brown.
In an update on social media on Oct. 19, Dewan shared video of her mom, Nancy, in rehearsals with her and Bersten. The couple will be performing a Viennese waltz to “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers.
“She has been the biggest support system throughout my entire life,” Dewan says in the clip, sharing how her mom showed her the “true values in life” and how to rise to the occasion and challenges.
She also shared how she owes everything to her mom, who got her into dance and supported her. “She was a single mom. She went through some really hard things when I was younger,” the “Step Up” star said, adding that this routine is “my gift to her.”
The video also showed the actor’s mom dancing with Bersten.
“Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
