TW: This article contains discussions of alleged domestic violence in which a child was present.
Former Dancing with the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev hasn’t danced in the ballroom since last season. He was reportedly not asked back for Season 33 of DWTS. Shortly afterward, his marriage to Nikki Garcia fell apart, with some upsetting allegations of domestic violence. Now Artem was back in the ballroom for a special event. However, I’m sure that he would rather be onstage than in the audience.
Artem Chigvintsev returns to celebrate DWTS 500th episode
On August 29, 2024, Artem was arrested for alleged corporal injury to a spouse. However, the district attorney decided not to file criminal charges. During this time, Nikki also filed for divorce. The couple share one son, Matteo. The entire situation is really upsetting.
This incident has allegedly dried up Artem’s job opportunities as a dancer. In court documents, Artem claimed that he lost other dancing jobs and social media opportunities. “I also lost the social media promotion revenue, which [Nikki] continues to benefit from. She was more worried about her career when she [allegedly] lied to the police than mine,” Artem said in the documents. He claims to have lost $100,000 in income.
Well, Artem hit up the DWTS ballroom to celebrate the show’s 500th episode. According to PEOPLE, Artem was in the audience, seated with pro Peta Murgatroyd and her husband, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Peta shared a video on her Instagram Stories of the trio dancing and clapping as they enjoyed the performances. For good measure, Artem flashed a peace sign. Later on, Artem reposted the video.
So, while Artem will most likely never be part of the DWTS pros again, he did get to take a trip down memory lane and commemorate the show’s achievement.
Dancing with the Stars Season 33 airs on Tuesdays, at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT ARTEM ATTENDED THE DWTS CELEBRATION? WILL HE EVER WORK ON DWTS AGAIN?
