Professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy has been performing as a dance pro on Dancing with the Stars for 20 seasons. In that time, he’s taken home the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy three times with dance partners Rumer Willis, Laurie Hernandez, and Xochitl Gomez.
Even though he seems to be at the peak of his game, some fans wonder when enough is enough. When will Val call it a day and move on to other opportunities?
While he may have seemed to be slowing down a few years ago, his love for the show and dance is still strong. Val’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Val Chmerkovskiy thought he would retire from DWTS after Season 30
“I want to beat this body up as much as I can,” he joked on the December 3 episode of the Lightweights Podcast. “I want to squeeze every ounce of what I can, [’cause] I love to dance. So, yeah, I mean, I think I have a couple of seasons left.”
For years, Val and his brother Maksim “Maks” Chmerkovskiy have performed on DWTS. Val met and married his wife, fellow dancer Jenna Johnson, through the show. He and Jenna welcomed their son Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy in January 2023.
Starting as a member of the chorus in Season 2, Val was promoted to professional dancer in Season 13. Following more than a decade on the show, Val seemed ready to leave the perennially popular competition after Season 30.
“I’ve always been very clear about coming back on the show,” he told ET in 2021. “I love being on it. I am so grateful for the opportunity. Is this my last season? Probably … I have no regrets about my tenure on the show [or] about the season.”
“There’s no burned bridges, there’s nothing but gratitude … with the production, with the show,” he added. “I hope I’ve served the show, and this show has definitely changed my life, so it’s mutual love, and we’ll see what happens in the future.”
Val would love to be a judge on DWTS
Whatever his intentions at the time, they must have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Val’s been dancing every season since then and even added another Mirrorball to his collection.
After winning Season 32 (with Xochitl), some fans thought Val would call it a day and go out as a winner. But he made it clear after the finale that he was open to returning.
“Listen, if they had me back, I’d love to be back,” he told Us Weekly in December 2023. “It’s going to be a tough season to follow.”
“It feels great,” he added. “It’s been seven years since I was … lucky enough to win and to win it with this young lady. Man, she carried us all season. She made me look great as a teacher [and] as a partner.”
When it’s time for Val to finally hang up his dancing shoes, he’s looking forward to whatever comes next. Like so many of his former castmates, Val wouldn’t mind serving as a judge on the show.
Move over, Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. Make some room at the judges’ table for Val.
Dancing with the Stars is streaming on both Disney+ and Hulu.
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