Maksim Chmerkovskiy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Максим Чмерковський
Chmerkovskiy in 2007
Born	Maksim Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy (1980-01-17) January 17, 1980 (age 45) Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Dancer choreographer instructor
Spouse(s)	Peta Murgatroyd ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	3
Relatives	Valentin Chmerkovskiy (brother) Jenna Johnson (sister-in-law)

Maksim Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy (born January 17, 1980) is a famous American dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He is best known for being one of the professional dancers on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. He first appeared on the show in its second season. Maksim competed for 17 seasons and reached the final round five times. On May 20, 2014, Maksim and his partner, Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, won their first Dancing with the Stars title. Maksim has also performed in Broadway dance shows like Burn the Floor and Forever Tango.

Early Life and Dance Beginnings

Maksim Chmerkovskiy was born on January 17, 1980, in Odessa, Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. His mother is Christian, and his father is Jewish. Maksim considers himself Jewish. He has a younger brother, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, who was born in 1986 and is also a professional dancer.

Maksim started dancing when he was just four years old. His parents enrolled him in a special school that taught children good manners and ballroom dance. He later began competing in "ten-dance," which includes both ballroom and Latin dances. As a child, Maksim also enjoyed playing tennis, soccer, and swimming.

Overcoming an Injury

When Maksim was 13, he broke his right leg in a skiing accident. Doctors thought he might have long-term problems and might not be able to dance professionally. However, he worked hard and was dancing again just six months later!

Moving to America

In 1994, Maksim's family moved to Brooklyn, New York. Moving to a new country was challenging for them, especially with money and learning English. Maksim quickly got back into dancing. At 15, he started working at a Russian restaurant, dancing to entertain guests. He realized that winning dance competitions could help him earn more money.

Becoming a Competitive Dancer

Maksim competed as a professional dancer in the International Latin style. With his partner, Elena Grinenko, he became the second-best professional Latin dancer in the United States. They also ranked seventh in the world between 2002 and 2005.

Maksim's Dance Titles

• 2005 Yankee Classic Professional Latin Champion
• 2005 Blackpool Dance Festival Semi-Finalist
• 2004 Manhattan Dancesport Professional Latin Champion
• 2004 Nevada Star Ball Champion
• 2004 World Masters Finalist
• 2004 Moscow Kremlin Cup Finalist
• 2004 Philadelphia Dancesport Festival Champion
• 2003 All England Champion
• 2003 Ohio Star Ball Latin Champion
• 2003 La Classique du Quebec Champion

Opening Dance Studios

At 16, Maksim and his father opened a dance studio called Rising Stars Dance Academy. It was in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Maksim wanted to open a studio where there wasn't anything quite like it already.

In 2001, Maksim had a big success as a teacher. He helped his brother, Valentin (then 16), and Diana Olonetskaya (15) become the first U.S. dance pair to win a world junior championship. Maksim also taught other dancers who later appeared on So You Think You Can Dance.

Besides Rising Stars, Maksim owns several other dance studios called "Dance With Me." Most of these are located around New York City.

Dancing with the Stars Journey

Maksim Chmerkovskiy competed as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars for fifteen seasons. He was often called "the bad boy of the ballroom" because of his strong personality.

Maksim's Time as a Pro Dancer

Maksim first appeared in the second season of Dancing with the Stars with actress Tia Carrere. They finished in sixth place. In later seasons, he danced with many celebrities, including boxer Laila Ali (3rd place in Season 4) and Melanie Brown (2nd place in Season 5).

He returned for Season 7 with Olympic volleyball player Misty May-Treanor. They had to leave the show early because Misty got injured during practice. In Season 8, he danced with Denise Richards, and in Season 9, with Debi Mazar.

Maksim continued to be a popular pro. In Season 10, he partnered with Erin Andrews and finished in third place. In Season 11, he danced with singer Brandy and reached the semi-finals. For Season 12, he was paired with actress Kirstie Alley, and they came in second place. In Season 13, he danced with Hope Solo and finished fourth.

In Season 14, Maksim was partnered with actress Melissa Gilbert. Melissa suffered a mild concussion during a dance, but they continued for a few more weeks. Maksim also got a shoulder injury that season.

He returned for Season 15, an All-Stars season, with his former partner Kirstie Alley. They were eliminated in Week 8. After this, Maksim announced he would not return for Season 16. However, he did make a guest appearance.

Maksim returned for Season 18 after a two-season break. He was paired with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis. They won the competition on May 20, 2014! This was Maksim's first win on the show. They had the highest average score of any dancers that season.

Maksim came back for Season 23 with model Amber Rose. They finished in ninth place. He also returned for Season 24 with actress Heather Morris, but he missed four weeks due to an injury. In Season 25, he danced with TV personality Vanessa Lachey. On April 5, 2018, Maksim announced he was officially done as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars.

Maksim's Dancing with the Stars Results

Guest Judge on DWTS

Maksim also returned to Dancing with the Stars as a guest judge several times. He judged during the semifinals of Season 17 and in Week 5 of Seasons 21 and 22.

Theater Performances and Choreography

Maksim has done a lot of work in theater and as a choreographer. He choreographed for the water show Le Rêve in Las Vegas. He also choreographed and performed in the Dancing with the Stars Tour.

In the summer of 2014, Maksim performed in a touring dance show called "Ballroom with a Twist."

Broadway Shows

Maksim was a dancer in the Broadway show Burn the Floor, which opened in July 2009. He danced with Karina Smirnoff for a few weeks before they both returned to Dancing with the Stars. Maksim came back to Burn the Floor later that year, dancing with Kym Johnson.

From July to August 2013, he starred in Forever Tango, a Broadway musical. He danced with his former colleague Karina Smirnoff.

Sway: A Dance Trilogy

In 2014, Maksim started performing in Sway: A Dance Trilogy. This live ballroom dance show stars Maksim, his brother Valentin, and Tony Dovolani. Other professional dancers from Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance also perform. The show tells a story through different dance styles.

Maks and Val on Tour

On February 12, 2016, Maksim announced a live tour with his younger brother, Valentin. The tour was called Maks & Val Live On Tour: Our Way. It started on June 15, 2016, and visited 45 cities. The show tells the story of the brothers' lives through dance.

Other Choreography Work

Besides Dancing with the Stars and Le Rêve, Maksim has choreographed for other projects. He choreographed a commercial for Propel water. He also created the dances for Zendaya's music video for the song "Neverland."

Other Activities and TV Appearances

Maksim is one of the people who created and directs Dance Team USA. This is a non-profit group that helps find, support, and train young dancers for DanceSport competitions.

TV in the United States

In 2009, Maksim won the ABC sports show The Superstars with his partner, freestyle skier Kristi Leskinen. He also appeared as himself on the TV show H8R in 2011. In 2012, he acted in an episode of the TV Land series The Exes. Maksim also appeared on three episodes of General Hospital in March 2013, playing a character who danced at the Nurses' Ball. In 2016, Maksim and his brother Valentin had small roles in the Netflix series Fuller House.

In 2021, Maksim competed on The Masked Dancer as "Sloth" and finished in second place. In January 2024, he was a contestant on Peacock's The Traitors. In December 2023, it was announced that Maksim would be a judge on the 18th season of So You Think You Can Dance.

TV Around the World

In 2011, Maksim starred as The Bachelor in the Ukrainian version of the dating reality show. He later said he regretted doing the show. He also hosted the Ukrainian version of the game show The Cube in 2012.

Maksim has also been a judge on international versions of Dancing with the Stars. These include India's Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Ukraine's Tantsi z zirkamy.

Personal Life

Maksim Chmerkovskiy speaks Russian fluently and understands Ukrainian. He learned English after moving to Brooklyn by observing street signs. He mainly lives in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

In 2009, Maksim was briefly engaged to fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Karina Smirnoff. He started a relationship with another Dancing with the Stars pro, Peta Murgatroyd, in 2012. After breaking up for a short time, they got back together in October 2014. They got engaged on December 5, 2015, during a performance of Sway: A Dance Trilogy. Maksim and Peta got married on July 8, 2017. They have three sons: Shai Aleksander (born January 2017), Rio John (born June 2023), and Milan Maksim (born July 2024).

In March 2022, Maksim confirmed that he had left Ukraine and traveled to Poland because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He shared what he saw on social media and supported the "#StandWithUkraine" movement.

See also

In Spanish: Maksim Chmerkovskiy para niños