‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Addresses Val Chmerkovskiy’s Suspension

Fellow Dancing With the Stars pro Pasha Pashkov addresses the impact of Val Chmerkovskiy’s 1-week suspension on the show.

While speaking to Us Weekly shortly after his and Amber Glenn’s Dedication Night performance, Pashkov stated, “You know what? This is the week where we had the right intention going into it. It’s one of those weeks where we knew that [we had] all of the stories that everybody wanted to tell. It was so important for everybody.”

“We had to honestly lock in on our job here, you know, which was to have a great Dedication Week,” he continued. “To focus on the task at hand and make sure that this night that is so special every single season [remains] a special night. So that’s the only way to do it.”

However, Chmerkovskiy was forced to sit out after he responded inappropriately to judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of his wife Jenna Johnson’s Super Bowl Night performance.

In his since-deleted response, the dancing pro referenced Will Smith’s infamous Chris Rock slap during the 2022 Academy Awards. Although he quickly apologized, the show’s higher-ups decided a 1-week suspension was necessary.

“The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing With the Stars is non-negotiable,” a BBC Studios 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.”

Fellow pro Alan Bersten, who was eliminated early in the season, stepped in this week to perform with Chmerkovskiy’s celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan.

Despite the controversy, Pashkov and Glenn performed a contemporary routine to honor Glenn’s sister, Brooke, and earned 38 out of 40 points.

“I was just really happy to get the feedback that we did and have our hard work acknowledged, and that we were really able to tell a story this week,” Glenn said. “That’s really important to me, and I feel like we both really got into character because it is a story that is mine. Like, it’s what I went through. So to be able to not just express that with words, but to be able to express it through dance was something that was really special to me.”

Glenn added that she was “thankful” to share the Dancing With the Stars experience with Brooke. “She really just helped me up when I was at my lowest, and I’ve been able to return the favor many years later. But now we’re best friends, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend than her.”