Maks Chmerkovskiy, an American-Ukrainian, is a talented ballroom dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He rose to fame as a professional dancer on the popular American reality show “Dancing with the Stars,” and has also showcased his skills in multiple dance theater performances.
Early Life
Born on January 17, 1980, in Odesa, Ukraine, Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s birth coincided with the time when the country was still under Soviet Union’s rule. His parents, Aleksandr and Larisa Chmerkovskiy welcomed him into their family, along with his younger brother Valentin, who is also a skilled dancer.
With a father of Jewish descent and a mother who practices Christianity, Chmerkovskiy comes from a diverse cultural background.
When he was four years old, Maks Chmerkovskiy’s parents signed him up for a school that focused on aesthetic education. The school’s goal was to teach children proper etiquette and ballroom dancing. Chmerkovskiy showed a natural talent for dancing and soon started participating in competitions.
He also found pleasure in activities such as swimming, soccer, tennis, and skiing. At the age of 13, he suffered a leg injury while skiing, and medical professionals were concerned about potential long-lasting effects. Yet, he was fortunate enough to make a complete recovery and was back to dancing within six months.
Maks Chmerkovskiy’s Career
Maks Chmerkovskiy’s family moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1994. To make money, he worked at a nearby Russian restaurant, performing traditional dances for patrons and participating in dance contests.
When he was 16, he helped his father open a youth-oriented dance studio in The town of Ridgewood, New Jersey was carefully chosen due to the abundance of existing studios in Brooklyn.
In 2001, the dancing instructor achieved a significant milestone when he trained his brother and his partner, Diana, to become the first American dance duo to secure a world junior championship title.
As he taught, Chmerkovskiy also continued to participate in dance competitions. He started competing professionally in the International Latin division and by the early 2000s, he reached 2nd place in the US and 7th place globally among dance professionals in that specific category.
From 2003 to 2005, he emerged victorious in several competitions such as La Classique du Quebec, the Philadelphia Dancesport Festival, and the Manhattan Dancesport Professional.
Maks Chmerkovskiy became a part of the “Dancing with the Stars” cast during its second season in 2006. He was teamed up with actress Tia Carrere and together they achieved sixth place in the contest. In the following season, he danced with singer Willa Ford and the duo landed in seventh place.
In his third season, he had a higher level of success by reaching the finals and ultimately placing third with his partner Laila Ali. In season five, he was paired with Melanie Brown and they earned second place. However, Chmerkovskiy chose not to participate in the following season due to feeling overwhelmed.
Maks Chmerkovskiy decided to rejoin “Dancing with the Stars” for its seventh season in 2008. He was matched with Olympic volleyball champion Misty-May Treanor as his partner. Unfortunately, Treanor had to leave the show in week three due to an injury to her Achilles tendon during rehearsals.
The following season, Maks Chmerkovskiy was paired with actress Denise Richards and they were eliminated in the second week. His luck did not improve in the next season when he danced with Debi Mazar, as they were eliminated fourth.
During season 10, Maks Chmerkovskiy and Erin Andrews formed a strong dance duo and placed third. In the following season, Chmerkovskiy partnered with Brandy, a singer and actress. Despite consistently earning high scores, they were unexpectedly eliminated in the semi-finals, surprising many who believed they would make it to the finale.
Apart from his involvement with “Dancing with the Stars,” Chmerkovskiy has also served as a choreographer for productions in Las Vegas and performed as a dancer on Broadway.
He and his brother also collaborated on a personal production titled “Maks & Val Live on Tour: Our Way,” which traveled across the United States in 2016. Additionally, he was a contestant on the Ukrainian edition of “The Bachelor” in 2011.
Personal Life
In 2009, Maks Chmerkovskiy and fellow “Dancing with the Stars” professional, Karina Smirnoff, were engaged but eventually ended their relationship. He then began dating another show professional, Peta Murgatroyd, in 2012 but they split in 2013.
However, they rekindled their romance the next year and became engaged in December of 2015. They welcomed a son, Shai, in January of 2017 and tied the knot in New York in July of 2017.
Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are growing their family, only seven months after the arrival of their second child, Rio. In a shared Instagram update on Feb. 5, 2024, the pair revealed that they are expecting their third child.
Net Worth
Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a ballroom dancer, choreographer, and instructor of American and Ukrainian descent, has a fortune of $8 million. He gained recognition for his exceptional dancing skills during his time as a contestant on the popular American TV show, Dancing with the Stars, where he competed against other professional dancers.
