Dancing with…Val Chmerkovskiy

Summary

Pod Meets World – “Dancing with…Val Chmerkovskiy” (October 3, 2025)

Host: Danielle Fishel
Guest: Val Chmerkovskiy
Summary by: Podcast Summarizer

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Episode Overview

This episode of Pod Meets World’s “Danielle with the Stars” spotlights the behind-the-scenes pressure, vulnerability, and artistry of competing on Dancing with the Stars—from the perspective of both celebrity guest and seasoned pro. Danielle Fishel, now a contestant on DWTS, interviews dance legend Val Chmerkovskiy. With three Mirrorball trophies and over 20 seasons on the ballroom hit, Val shares insight on shocking eliminations, resilience in the entertainment industry, partnership dynamics, and his creative pursuits beyond dance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shocking Elimination Reactions

• Danielle opens by discussing recent surprises on DWTS, specifically Lauren’s unexpected elimination.
• Val expresses empathy toward the pros:
  • “My empathy was more immediate with Brandon… This isn’t a reflection on his professional capabilities but rather, you know, things that potentially are out of his control.” (05:02)
• On supporting eliminated partners/pros:
  • He describes the importance of separating professional integrity from outcomes that are out of their hands and how this is especially tricky in highly competitive and public settings.

2. Pressure, Vulnerability, and Decompression

• Both discuss the emotional highs and lows of live performing, industry validation, and the immediate feedback loop of social media.
• Val on social media & pressure:
  • “Before, you used to be anxious about being validated once a week… Now you are seeing direct validation or lack of in every post that you post.” (06:33)
• Coping mechanisms: Val decompresses after shows with comfort food (pasta, garlic bread – “Give me the Olive Garden special.” (10:06)), and shares that adrenaline and worry about the next week keeps him up at night.

3. Celebrating Partnerships and Performance

• On shaping partners’ stories for the audience:
  • Val praises pro Emma Slater for “curating [Andy Richter’s] story” and says a pro’s job is to love and connect with people. (12:28)
• What makes a memorable dance:
  • “I’d rather have someone’s favorite [dance] of the night [than the best]… I do it for the people, I don’t do it for the scores.” (13:53)

4. Experience vs. Growth Spirit on DWTS

• They discuss judge Carrie Ann’s comment about “two camps”—those with prior dance experience and those growing on the show.
• Val argues that the show is about connection and relatability, not technical perfection:
  • “There’s charm in the imperfection. There is relatability in the imperfection… I try to also embrace [my partner’s] imperfections because I think that’s what makes that performance even more entertaining, rather than clean her into numb.” (16:04)

5. Val & Alex Earle: Partnership Energy

• Addressing rumor-mill speculation due to Val’s sarcasm and social media edits, he clears the air:
  • “No, I don’t just like her. I am really proud of her, grateful to be her partner, teacher… I’m all in.” (21:02)
• Discusses the professional uncertainty felt now:
  • “Every season feels very similar to how it feels for you. I don’t know how many more seasons I got.” (21:52)

6. Legacy, Family, and the Chmerkovskiys’ Dance Studio Empire

• Val reminisces about learning from his brother Maksim (“Max”) and their immigrant story—how their parents started over in the US and supported their pursuits.
• Val’s perspective:
  • “I dedicated my whole life to pursuing this craft, and I was already comfortable with being broke… I wasn’t driven by the financial success or the vanity of being in Hollywood.” (24:27)
• Now he and his family run 14 dance studios, helping adults use dance for healing and community.

7. Venturing Outside His Comfort Zone: Standup Comedy

• Val discusses tackling standup, comparing its nerves to live ballroom:
  • “It’s definitely more terrifying than dancing in front of millions of people… I wanted to do something by myself. When I go out there, I can’t rely on anybody. It’s just me, the mic, and that’s it.” (33:59–36:48)
• He used a chance conversation with a stand-in comedian at DWTS rehearsal to test the waters, and found the experience “exhilarating.”

8. Partnership with Zendaya (Season 16) and the Subjective Nature of Competition

• Fans still cite their second-place finish as a “crime against humanity” but Val reflects:
  • “If you paid attention to that season, you knew that Kelly Pickler was killing it. And Derek did an incredible job… It was incredibly disappointing… but seeing those isolated performances doesn’t show you the big picture.” (41:04–41:51)

9. Val’s Teaching Philosophy

• On being a pro/teacher:
  • “I want to inspire you. I want to give you the tools, and then you have to pick up these tools and do them. And that’s the difference between a teacher and a coach.” (44:59)
  • “My favorite part about teaching is being of service to this person… I’m here at your service. You only get this thing once.” (46:12–46:27)

10. The Double Cartwheel Saga with Alex Earle

• Danielle requests the real story behind their viral, failed rehearsal move:
  • “It was Alex’s dream. It turned into my nightmare…” (46:51)
  • Val explains how Alex’s determination drove them to repeatedly attempt ambitious choreography, risking injury but feeding their performance energy.
• Takeaway: The show is about striving for moments that seem impossible and pushing each other’s boundaries.

11. Val’s Fashion Influences

• His style is shaped by his multicultural background, love of both hip-hop and classical music, and love of the “anything goes” modern fashion landscape (50:49).

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Notable Quotes & Timestamp Index

• “My empathy was more immediate with Brandon. Obviously, I feel bad for Lauren, but there’s such a huge responsibility that is put on the pro.” – Val Chmerkovskiy (05:02)
• “You become your own biggest competition. When people are like, ‘who’s your biggest competition?’… The bigger, more honest answer is that it’s yourself.” – Val (10:42)
• “You gotta really love people… and Emma’s one of those pros that really is emotionally invested in her partners.” – Val (12:44)
• “There’s charm in the imperfection. There is relatability in the imperfection.” – Val (16:04)
• “I do it for the people. I don’t do it for the scores.” – Val (13:57)
• “Every season feels very similar to how it feels for you. I don’t know how many more seasons I got…” – Val on DWTS job uncertainty (21:52)
• “I just love storytelling. I love comedy. I think it’s a great vehicle for people to express their trauma in a digestible way.” – Val on why he tried standup (35:10)
• “I want to inspire you…that’s the difference between a teacher and a coach.” – Val (44:59)
• “You’re not successful on the show unless you have moments like that. Any time I was successful it’s when I said yes to some crazy thing, and we pushed through and did it.” – Val on embracing risky choreography (49:55)

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Notable/Memorable Moments & Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:42 | Val’s reaction to Lauren’s elimination – empathy for the pro partners | | 06:29 | Coping with partner Jenna’s elimination and entertainment industry pressure | | 09:54 | Post-show decompression routines (pasta, late-nights, “Olive Garden special”) | | 12:28 | Pros shaping the narrative for their celebrities; Emma as “magician” | | 13:53 | “I do it for the people. I don’t do it for the scores.” | | 16:04 | Embracing imperfections vs. striving for technical perfection | | 21:52 | The uncertainty of a pro’s career longevity on DWTS | | 24:27 | The Chmerkovskiys' immigrant hustle; dance as purpose vs. financial reward | | 33:48 | Val’s standup comedy journey | | 41:04 | Losing with Zendaya – perspective on competition’s subjectivity | | 44:59 | Teaching philosophy (“inspire, don’t force”) | | 46:51 | The “double cartwheel” rehearsal accident with Alex Earle | | 49:55 | Importance of pushing boundaries and creating memorable DWTS moments | | 50:49 | Fashion influences: multicultural roots, dance, hip-hop, classical, embracing “anything goes”|

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Tone & Energy

This episode is a blend of heartfelt, honest reflection and witty, warm camaraderie. Danielle’s curiosity and humor balance Val’s humility, candidness, and frequent self-deprecating asides. The conversation is brisk but genuine, filled with supportive asides and mutual admiration.

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Conclusion

For fans of DWTS or “Boy Meets World,” this episode offers both a look under the hood of competitive reality TV and insight into the human stories driving these viral dance spectacles. Val’s openness to growth, honest self-assessment, and love for creativity shine throughout—whether wrestling with defeat, trying standup comedy, teaching, or picking the next outfit. The chemistry with Danielle Fishel solidifies the show’s blend of nostalgia, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes candor.

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Best for: Fans of dance, reality TV, personal growth stories, and anyone invested in the creative journeys that fuel entertainment’s most beloved moments.

Transcript

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[Val Chmerkovsky]

Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?

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[Danielle Fishel]

It'S time for another Danielle with the Stars. I am Danielle Fishel, a TV director, a podcaster, Topanga on Boy Meets World and its millennial reboot. Plus a mom of two. But right now I am a dedicated ballroom dancer competing on season 34 of Dancing with The Stars airing every Tuesday night on ABC and Disney. I know it's still weird for me too. And while I cha cha salsa and foxtrot my little heart out, I am recording this podcast, logging in my research and personal emotions on trying to win my very own Mirrorball trophy. And along the way, I'm talking to other contestants and professionals in hopes that even just a small chat can lead me in the right direction of success. And today, I know I'm onto something. He's the winner of three. Three Mirrorball trophies, leading Rumer Willis, Lori Hernandez, and Xochi Gomez to the top spot. Over the whopping 20 seasons, he has been a part of the show, and in my opinion, there is no better week to talk to him because he has been a part of a few shocking eliminations himself. Also clocking in second or third place finishes along the way. This season, he is paired with social media maven Alex Earle, helping her turn TikTok dance skills into to ballroom ballyhoo. And they are killing it so far. Please welcome to Danielle with the Stars. It's one of the most talented and fashionable dancers in the game. Say hello to Val Chmerkovsky.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Wow.

[Danielle Fishel]

Welcome.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Hi.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thank you.

[Danielle Fishel]

You are elusive and hard to pin down. How many times have I asked you to come on Danielle with the Stars over the last few weeks?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So, so many times I've hounded you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Producer Tara has hounded you. I'm so, so honored you finally made it into my den of podcasting.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thank you. Thank you. I was, you know, maybe I was dodging you because I was a little intimidated. Now I'm ready.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay, great.

[Danielle Fishel]

I'm actually. I was happy to confirm that you're not avoiding me, but I think maybe you just confirmed you were avoiding me.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

So I don't want to start with something heavy, but I kind of have to. Can we talk about last night's elimination? Were you as shocked as I was?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Uh, yeah. Yeah, I was very shocked. You know, Lauren, to me, was a contender.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Not just because of her amazing dancing and just performance value. I mean, she's a contender because of the massive fan base and just, you know, she. She's in it. She's a big star.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, and I just thought that she was in it for the long haul, but again, it's like, you never know. I was very shocked. You know, I feel, again, respectfully, to you and your fellow celebrities. Yeah, my heart immediately goes to the pro. You know, I feel for the celeb, obviously, but there's such a huge Responsibility that is put on the pro.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So I, my empathy was more, more immediate with Brandon. Obviously. I feel bad for Lauren, but, you know, again, just making sure that he, you know, just knows that this isn't reflection on his professional capabilities, but rather, you know, things that potentially are out of his control. Now, should he take some responsibility? Of course he will, regardless of what I tell him.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But separating those two things, like, you know, understanding that your professional integrity had nothing to do with this result and if you could separate that, because I know you're stressing about that too. You know, just enjoy the hurt, loathing the disappointment, because it definitely is disappointing. But don't tie those two things together.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

And you have experience with that, especially this season as well, because your wife Jenna went home week one. So did you have a very similar conversation with her? I know she, she described herself to me as psychotically competitive. So what was that conversation like between the two of you when she went home week one?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Um, difficult.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But also not the first time we've had that conversation. I just think that the highs and lows of the show and this industry in general, I mean, it's a reflection of being in the performing arts, but then also in, in Hollywood, then also just with the massive appeal of the show right now, there's so many eyes, so much just frequency around this project. It just, it's hard, you know, plus you're, you know what? Before used to be you were anxious about being validated once a week in the form of judges, scores and potentially people's votes. Now you are seeing direct validation or lack of in every post that you post. Right. And so you've cat. You've seen those views, you've seen those comments, you've seen those likes. It's very hard not to pay attention to, to the energy on, on, on social media. So yeah, with all of that, there's a lot of pressure. And so you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, yeah. Have some, some foundation that can alleviate some of that stress. So the conversations we've had, you know, we've had for many seasons now, which is, you know, there, there's so much that you can do. You are clearly good enough because last year you have won.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Exactly.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

In a very competitive season. You know, this was a runaway win. This, this was a battle. And you know, just like this season is going to be a battle, last year she came out on top and that was a really beautiful moment for our family.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Unfortunately, this year that's not how it went. But yeah, yeah, just keep Keep moving.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's interesting what you said, talking about working in the entertainment industry. We have. We have such a weird dichotomy of needing to be very vulnerable. People who are very willing to be vulnerable and wear our hearts on our sleeve for performance value and yet also need to have a thick skin, you know, which is hard to be both. It's hard to be the type of person that can leave it all out there and show you everything that we're feeling and emote and then also walk off the dance floor and be like, I'm not gonna let that negative comment or those lack of likes or those whatever or this loss affect me. It's.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. I mean, again, in. In the performing arts or, you know, you come from tv, and I don't know if you've done stage. I'm sure you have. You know, you. You become vulnerable playing a character that then you go backstage and you don't have to talk about it. You don't have to reveal your natural self here. You. You're doing all of that in. In a span of five minutes in front of millions of people live.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, so you are setting up the conversation in your package. Then you are going all in, revealing yourself again. If you want to have a strong performance, you have to really throw yourself into it. And then immediately it's like, how do you feel about that? Well, I mean, I don't. I can't even.

[Danielle Fishel]

I can barely breathe.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, it's really hard to. Again, just. All of these nights are so packed with intensity and just so many emotions. High, low. Regardless, it's important to. To have a routine of decompression and, like, just there's. Yeah. Just snapping out of it.

[Danielle Fishel]

What is your decompression routine after a live show? Do you go eat?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I do. I go eat.

[Danielle Fishel]

What do you eat?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I. I eat pasta.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's what I ate last night.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

My comfort food, I guess.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

What kind of pasta?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I'm a basic.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Like a bolognese fettuccine Alfredo.

[Scott Hanson]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I'm like, give me the Olive Garden special.

[Danielle Fishel]

Bread sticks too.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Of course, you got to get the garlic bread.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay. So that's.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's good. Anything else do you try to. Do you have a hard time coming down? I wasn't able to go to sleep until 1am last night. I'm on such an adrenaline high, I don't know how to calm my body down.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, no, same. I stay up pretty late. Yeah. I. I mean, again, I. I preach more than I. I do. You know, as far as you know, decompress. Don't stress so much. Don't be, you know, But I was stressing the entire time already about next week.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And that's what's hard. It's like you, you become your own worst, you know, your biggest competition. When people are like, who's your biggest competition? I mean, there's obvious answers, but the bigger, more honest answer is that it's yourself. As cliche as it sounds, but you're only as good as your last performance, you know, so after a night like last night for us, which was our best performance, so great, such a great moment, it's, it's very short lived because now I'm like, okay, how do I tell that moment?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So, yeah, it's stressful.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can we talk a little bit about Andy Richter's appeal? The world has just fallen in love with him. How much of that, again, you mentioned that your empathy and all of your, your thoughts go to the pro. I also want to praise Emma.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

How much of what the audience sees about the celebrity, how much of that is able to be shaped by you guys? How quickly do you get to know your partners and say, I'm can. I'm able to spot this very specific thing that I think America will fall in love with. And how do you bring that to life?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, so, so much. I think we have a lot to do with that. I mean, Emma, I, I give her a nickname, magician, because she just like makes something, you know, kind of out of something that very few would, would, would, would create so many, you know, so many dynamic performances with. Yeah, but as far as Andy. Yeah, I think she's doing a great job curating his story, you know, and introducing different parts and layers of him to, to our audience. I think she does that really well every year.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And she's just emotionally, you invested. You know, I think that's, that's a big part of what makes a pro successful on our show is besides the expertise and the, and the knowledge, you, you got to be really, you got to really love people.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You got to love people. You got to want to connect with people. And Emma's one of those pros that really is emotionally invested in her partners.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

You can tell.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. And that's why that happens.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But yeah, I mean, she's also got a great sense of humor. He's obviously got an incredible creative sense of humor and is also down to play. But, but again, yeah, he's, he's relatable because he's every man. Every man and. And even our female demographic is watching him and. And. And sees the uncle or the grandfather or the father or the brother or whatever.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

The guy in their family, that's down to play, you know, And I think that's what's so beautiful about him, is he's not a perfect dancer, but he's attempting it wholeheartedly. And I think effort, curiosity, enthusiasm goes a long way.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Totally.

[Danielle Fishel]

As someone who is both a technically incredible dancer and also a wonderful performer, would you rather have the best dance of the night or someone's favorite dance of the night?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Mm, that's great. I. I'd rather have someone's favorite.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I do it for the people. I don't do it for the scores.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

It sounded so. That was good.

[Danielle Fishel]

Put that on. Put that on a T shirt.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. Scores, they matter, but obviously they matter. You know, they position you.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

In a. You know, you don't want to be eliminated, but I just want to be. I want to steal the night. You know, that's how I call. I just. Right now it's hard because there's so many great couples and so many of them. It's hard to do that. But, yeah, I'm just trying to steal the show with a performance that people love and want to watch again, whether the score's in line or not. You know, I try to balance both, but that would be more important to me.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

Carrie Ann said this past week that there seemed to be two camps on the show. Those with prior dance experience who walked in here already. Very impressive. And those who knew nothing but are learning every week and hopefully getting better. Where would you rather be, strategy wise? And what do you think is kind of the spirit of the show?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I mean, the show is a balancing act of both of those things we just spoke about. Andy. Andy, you know, he might not look like him, but believe it or not, he's not a trained dancer.

[Danielle Fishel]

Surprise.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But I think our show is not just about dance. It's about performance. It's about connection, you know, and so that's the. The great equalizer, you know? So, yes, you could come in with a lifelong dance education in your. In your, you know, bag. But if you're not someone that. That makes people gravitate to you.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Then none of that matters. So I think. I think that's. That's what's great about dances and art in general is, like, sometimes something honest, something less, but honest is. Is more impactful than more and just.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, it doesn't mean much to you.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Sometimes it's a disadvantage. I'll, I'll say that. I mean, again, it doesn't sound like, you know, it sounds like a hot take, but sometimes having this experience is a disadvantage because there's charm in the imperfection. There is relatability in the imperfection, you know, and I, I. That's why I. I want to clean. You know, when we were working with Alex, even, like, I try to also embrace her imperfections because I think that's what makes that performance even more entertaining. Rather than clean her into Numb.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Polished.

[Danielle Fishel]

Perfect dance.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. That it's numb. So I never want to do that. But. But it's a balance. I mean, again, it's a balancing act. It's hard for the judges, but I think for them, you know, whether it's two cams that the show's divided. I don't know about that comment, but it's in general, I think you're judging based on relativity to that person's.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, where they at. So if for Andy, I feel like it's not the same standard as Hilaria and. And that. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right. Exactly.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

We're being graded on a curve.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Correct.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Correct.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Foreign.

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[Scott Hanson]

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[Val Chmerkovsky]

Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?

[Scott Hanson]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty, Liberty, Liberty. Liberty Savings Ferry Unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.

[Sophia Bush]

Hey, everyone, it's Sophia Bush, host of the podcast Work in Progress. Lexus is a company that believes in the importance of setting a standard. For me, a standard that matters to me is being a friend, being a person, being a coworker who shows up. The standard Lexus has set for themselves is to experience amazing. Lexus's benchmarks are feelings. Things like exhilaration and joy. And amazing can only be achieved by knowing people on a deeper level. It's feeling like your car was designed and built just for you. A machine that makes you feel more human. Because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing. So experience amazing at your Lexus dealer.

[Matt Rogers]

This is Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds are for those who don't conform to the standard.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, I mean if you want to get into some touchscreen technology, how about the smart charging case? Clear sound. These are not standard things. You're only going to get them with the JBL Tour Pro 3, baby.

[Bowen Yang]

And I love the sound of JBL when it goes. These earbuds are packed with innovation because you can't stand out by following others.

[Matt Rogers]

Touchscreen smart charging case for one touch control, instant EQ customization. True adaptive noise canceling. And the one of a kind audio transmitter which can plug and play with everything from game consoles to in flight entertainment.

[Bowen Yang]

The audio transmitter also allows for JBL Spatial360 sound that takes any audio and turns it into a 360 immersive experience.

[Matt Rogers]

What more could you want? First doesn't follow. Grab a [e-mail].

[Danielle Fishel]

I want to talk a little bit about Alex. Can you set the record straight here? You guys have already done it. You guys get along. You guys like each other, right?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, I think she's all right most of the time.

[Danielle Fishel]

There's that sarcasm that keeps getting you guys into trouble.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Well, listen, you know, again, my sarcasm has been getting me in trouble my whole life.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's not going to stop now.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. And you know, context never reveals itself on social media, so I'm sure I don't, I don't blame the speculations.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But no, of course I like each other. I, I'm grateful to Alex, you know, I think she's a remarkable talent. The fact that I have the opportunity to work with that talent is a huge privilege of mine, you know, so those are the things that don't, you know, they're not just right. That's not as funny.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, exactly. That doesn't come across.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So. Yeah. So no, I don't just like her. I am really proud of her. Grateful to, to be her partner, teacher, you know, I'm all in.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And I think there's now even more common ground between me and, and my celebrity partner because you guys don't get another chance to do the show right. You know, every week is important. Every day is sacred for us. It's not guaranteed that we're asked back. Obviously, you know how fickle that relationship is. But, you know, there was a stretch. You know, this is my 20th season. There was a stretch where I was, like, comfortable, comfortable, you know, and I knew I was going to come back next year. Now it's. Every season feels very similar to how it feels for you. You know, I don't know how many more seasons I got, so.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Why?

[Danielle Fishel]

Because you personally are starting to think about doing something else or you think they're starting to think meeting other people?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I think a little bit of both. You know, I'm not delusional about the fact that my, you know, my, My tenure on the show will eventually come to an end, before the show will come to an end.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And I want it that way. You know, I, I think my life is. Is. Is better with the show around, whether I'm on it or not. You know, I'm a huge champion of this, this project. I love that it exists to change my life, first through my brother Max, then through my own opportunities. But having said that, I'm still killing it, you know, so.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. So where. Where on earth are you thinking you were going?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Well, because I don't want to. I don't.

[Danielle Fishel]

You don't want to take it for granted?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I don't. Well, first of all, I'm not taking it for granted, but secondly, I, I, I. What is it? I don't. I don't want to overstay my welcome. So right now, I'm still feeling pretty good.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, but eventually I understand there's going to be. Again, I also don't want to be greedy. Like, I don't want to hog this really awesome opportunity. If there's a dancer that's waiting for that slot, I will kindly give him that slot. But you got to earn it, too, you know?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

I was gonna say, you're so generous.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Look, LeBron James, 23 seasons into the league, like, he's still the top 10 player in the most competitive sport in the world. So.

[Danielle Fishel]

So you've got at least three more years.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Oh, a little more than that. Okay, good.

[Danielle Fishel]

I said at least.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay, good.

[Danielle Fishel]

You mentioned your brother Max, who had been on the show since season two, and you joined the show in season 13. Was watching him be a part of the show something that made you want to be a part of it as well?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I mean, so there's so much history with all the pro talent that. That came on the show. Pretty much everybody knows each other.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And knows of each other because the ballroom, Competitive. Ballroom dance world is so small.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So, you know, from our perspective, when this project came along, I was already, you know, a pretty solid name in the competitive ballroom dance world. My brother was as well. And the pros that were recruited, a lot of them were big names, but some of the elite names, you know, still frowned upon this project and the, the prospect of, you know, I'm gonna go and dance with celebrities on television.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. You know, I'm not gonna beyond that. And so. Yeah, so. So there was that energy as well for me. But. But again, that. That's also partially joking. The point is that I dedicated my whole life to pursuing this craft, and I was already comfortable with being broke, you know, so it's like I. I wasn't driven by the financial success or, or the vanity of being in Hollywood. I was just driven about being the best competitive ballroom dancer in the world. And I wasn't there yet when they asked me to be on the show or when my brother joined the show. But so, yeah, so I enjoyed it vicariously through him. Yeah, he, you know, we're really close. So, you know, it's like that Jay Z lyric like, I got on the billboard. I took my boys with me.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So it's the same thing. You know, he made it out and he. I. From his first season, he already introduced me. So they did a package, literally three weeks into his first season about how he has this little dance school in New Jersey and his brother is a part of that school. And. And so he flew me out and I performed already, so. But I'd never wanted to full time stop competing and, and do this until I was like 25. So first, like six years, I. Yeah. Was watching. And then Mark joined, Derek joined, kind of like that. Now my peers join. And I was watching that for a while and again, I was super happy. But it was just. And I said that before, like, at 25, there was a moment I. I just came off the floor of. Of a competition, really prestigious event. I did really well, but I walked away feeling kind of empty and that curiosity of, like, what would it be like to perform on this big stage in Hollywood and finally have more than, you know, four digits in my bank account.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, I just asked myself, like, the difference between a hobby and a profession is a paycheck. And it sounds kind of, I don't.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Know.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Maybe it sounds a Bit superficial, but. But like I said, you. You come to an age where after, you know, years of your life being dedicated to a craft, seeing this opportunity to financially change your life, but also, I think, also artistically, I. I was done being just an athlete, and I was excited to start being more creative and more artistic. And the show does allow for that.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Totally.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So I. Once I joined the show, I kind of built a different relationship with dance growing up.

[Danielle Fishel]

What other hobbies did you have besides dance?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Girls?

[Danielle Fishel]

That's not a hobby.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I. No, I played, so I played violin for 15 years.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Wow.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, I started playing when I was five, so that was really my art, and that was. I took it seriously.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Any Eastern European family, you know, especially immigrant family, they're like, we ain't got time for games, you know, so everything I did, I did to be the best at.

[Danielle Fishel]

What do your parents do? Why are you guys so creative?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

They don't do anything creative. My mom, she graduated college, I think, with, like, an engineering degree, but then, my gosh, just didn't really pursue her career because she was taking care of us. My dad was a merchant marine out of college. Again, we're in Ukraine. Odessa is a coastal city on the Black Sea. So everybody there wanted to be, you know, wanted to get out, and that was a way to get out. They got to travel the world by being a merchant marine. That means they're. They're working on a big ship carrying import, export stuff. And so he did that for like a year and a half out of college, but my mom already had Max, and she was like, I'm not taking care of this baby by myself because. Because the trip is like six months. He's.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Oh, my God.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And then comes back. So then he stopped that and kind of committed to being an entrepreneur by that time. Again, this is like a history lesson. Soviet Union, there's no capitalism under communism. So, you know, a lot of that import, export, kind of just. What. What commerce business in America, there was kind of tinkering on being illegal. But he, you know, again, he would, like, import jeans and sell them on the market there. He would bring in leather goods from Turkey and then sell, you know, so it was a hustle, and he was doing well financially, but again, there was a lot of instability. And so that was one of the reasons why they, you know, they really wanted to immigrate to America.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And we got lucky. We. We want a, you know, a visa and packed up our bags in a matter of, like, a month and left our entire. I mean, I Wasn't leaving anything. I. At 8 years old, I'm, like, excited for an adventure. No idea what. What this means, but for them, yeah, they left all their friends and lineage and history and, you know, comfort. And we moved to Brooklyn, New York. And yeah, so that's it. They. They just my. To answer your question, my dad is a business owner.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

That's it.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And. And early on he was. Look, you know, he started coding in America because I was like, leading up to the bubble. Right. 2000s. We immigrated in 94. So he learned how to code this, that, but then hated being in a cubicle and one day quit his job and opened up a dance studio with my brother. That's. My brother was 16 years old and that's it. Now we have. Yeah, we have 14 dance studios around the country right now. We just celebrated 20 years.

[Danielle Fishel]

Amazing.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But we had a kid's school for a while, and then we opened up. Now what we have now, which is a social dance studio catering to adults.

[Danielle Fishel]

Catering to adults like me, like yourself, want to learn how to dance and no experience in it at all.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That again, that are using dance as a vehicle to better themselves, challenge themselves, find community, find interaction. Right. We're so connected, but we're so disconnected physically. You know, dance, I think, is a great way to just, yeah. You know, like, feel another human and having that intimacy without, you know, the sexual intimacy, you know, And I think that's something that there's a lot of loneliness. There's a lot of people. You know, we have a lot of clients that, you know, maybe lost a lifelong partner and just don't know where to even begin to. To heal. I think dance allows you to heal.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

That way, so it's so beautiful.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thanks.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cough and cold season is coming, so make sure you're prepared and stock up on your family's favorite personal wellness products. Now through October 7th. Shop in store and online for savings on products like Mucinex Kickstart Combo, Zyrtec Allergy relief tablets or liquid gels, Halls, cough drops and Mucinex Fast day and night, so you and your family are armed and ready for the season ahead. Offerings October 7th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Scott Hanson]

And Doug, here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[Matt Rogers]

Uh, Limu is that guy with the.

[Scott Hanson]

Binoculars watching us cut the camera they see us only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Justin Richmond]

This is Justin Richmond, host of Broken Record. Lexus is a company that believes in the importance of setting a standard, which I can appreciate as someone who holds themselves to lofty, if not ridiculous standards, especially with the car I drive. The standard Lexus has set for themselves is to experience amazing. Lexus measures success by the feeling and emotions evoked in a driver, like exhilaration and joy. Amazing can only be achieved by knowing people on a deeper level. The standard of amazing results in a feeling in drivers that their car was built in anticipation of them. Machines that make you feel more human because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing. Experience amazing at your Lexus dealer.

[Matt Rogers]

This is Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds are for those who don't conform to the standard.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, I mean if you want to get into some touchscreen technology, how about the smart charging case clear sound. These are not standard things. You're only going to get them with the JBL Tour Pro 3, baby.

[Bowen Yang]

And I love the sound of JB and goes. These earbuds are packed with innovation because you can't stand out by following others.

[Matt Rogers]

Touchscreen smart charging case for one touch control, instant EQ customization, true adaptive noise canceling and the one of a kind audio transmitter which can plug and play with everything from game consoles to in flight entertainment.

[Bowen Yang]

The audio transmitter also allows for JBL Spatial360 sound that takes any audio and turns it into a 360 immersive experience.

[Matt Rogers]

What more could you want? First doesn't follow. Grab a pair of. @jbl.com.

[Danielle Fishel]

We had Jenna on the podcast recently, your beautiful wife, and she was telling me that you had started dabbling in standup comedy.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

I need to know everything about this. What made you want to do that? And is it scarier than dancing in front of millions of people live every single week?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Well, let's start with the scary. It's definitely more terrifying than dancing in front of millions of people. Part of it is also putting myself in a position to, to really feel how you guys feel as well. You know, I, I, this, this, this project has put me in, into this position of authority and direction and leadership and I'm teaching you. And you know, sometimes I want to learn, like teach me, you know, Sometimes when I see a celeb on our show that's taking it for granted, I'm like, what?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I wish I was on a project where a master of their craft took their entire life and gave me their undivided attention and effort.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

To teach me their expertise. Please. I mean, I did a cooking show. It was the greatest experience of my life because I was like, I had a chef teaching me a craft that has always evaded me, that only empowered me as a human, you know, So I was like, so grateful that you're sharing that with me. So. Same thing with this comedy thing. I, I preach a lot, like, go out there and do it, you know, go outside your comfort zone. I'm like, well, how often do you go outside of your comfort zone?

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And so this was my comfort zone that I exited because stand up comedy, I just love storytelling. I love comedy. I think it's a great vehicle for people to express their trauma in a digestible way. I, it builds bridges with people. It's a way to, you know, again, maybe touch on a topic matter that people have felt but never felt that way or never expressed that way. So. Yeah. And I'm a big fan of others that do stand up. So. Yeah. And it also, my whole life I've, I'm, I'm in partnership, you know, even when you tell a three time mirror bowl champion, world champion, this champion, I've never, I didn't do any of these things by myself.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right, right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, and I love that. I love camaraderie.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love the collaboration.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I love that. That makes me so happy because I, as much as I want things to be mine, I also want to be of service to others, you know, and so I love being on a team because I get to do both, you know, I get to triumph or if it's a win, triumph and feel great about myself, but also at the same time, be of service and, and, and share this feeling with somebody else. So I love that.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But again, it's, I've been a, a partner with somebody in everything I've accomplished, even creative projects. I, you know, Max and Val tour, we did three tours together. We. I teach a lot, you know, I teach with my incredible wife Jenna. That's, that's another partnership. So there's a lot of partnerships in my life.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I wanted to do something by myself. You know, when I go out there, I can't rely on anybody. It's just me, the mic, and that's it. You know, and that also was something that Intrigued me. It's like, go, put, put yourself out there. It's scary. And so I, again, I was on Dancing with the Stars. I was in the finale with Sochi. It was a long blocking day. We have stand ins, you know, so one of the stand ins, her name is Sheila, Sheila Ratner. She's an amazing comedian, which I didn't know at the time, but she did stand, stand and work on this one. The stars. So she was Sochi for like a two hour blocking of an opening.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And her and I were just sitting there and just roasting everybody that we were watching amazing to each other. And I was just like, yo, you are so freaking funny. You should do comedy. She was like, I do. I'm a stand up comedian. I was like, what? I was like, that's on my bucket list. Like, I've always wanted to do it. I just didn't even know where to start. And she was like, what, you're professional world renowned dancer whose real passion is stand up? Yes. Like, well, actually that's the opening of my whole set. Anyway, so one thing led to another off season. She hit me up and she invited me to, you know, kind of like an open mic. And I said, sure. This is like Thursday. I was like, sure. And it was on Tuesday. And I again, I try to exercise that spirit of like saying yes and then figuring it out up. So I was like, yes, I'm in. And then, and then Monday, you know, Monday rolls around. I'm like, I need to material. Yeah. And so, yeah, I mean, I've always been a creative writer. I wrote poetry ideas in Ukraine. Again, the city that I'm from was kind of the New Orleans of the Soviet Union. There's a big comedy scene, there's a huge like jazz comedy, just melting pot of Jewish and Slavic and other cultures kind of. But. But the energy of, of the city that I'm from is it's kind of in us to be sarcastic and funny and, and you know, a lot of comedians came out of that city. So, yeah, I mean, I. On tours, I gravitate to open mics and just kind of.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Going off the cuff. But anyway, the point is, I was terrified and I almost pulled out like a hundred times because again, in my mind I'm like, like, Val, you don't need to do this. Like, why are you putting yourself through so much anxiety right now on a random Tuesday? It's like, because, you know, because you have to do that. And then I showed up and I did it. And I did it pretty well, and the feeling that I felt driving back home after literally a five minute set, by the way, I'm not doing a 45 minute. Yeah, exactly. Nothing in the big scheme of things, but it was just such a moment of accomplishment.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That I was like, I gotta do this again. And it's been, you know, I've done it like six, seven times. It's just been so fun and exhilarating. And I've also learned a lot about myself like that the anxiety is. Until I got there.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

As soon as I got there, I'm like, oh, okay. I feel natural here.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

And.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And rightfully so. I've been performing and entertaining people since I was 12 years old.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

For money, like, professionally. So I feel really comfortable in that space of pressure.

[Danielle Fishel]

Like you said, so much of dance is storytelling, comedy is storytelling, acting is storytelling. It's all just different forms of storytelling. So even if it's a form you've never done before, once you get up there and start doing it, you're like, actually, it feels very similar. It's just a different dial or a different channel than I'm used to being on. Talking about partnerships, I wanted to talk to you about season 16, when you were paired with Zendaya, arguably the biggest star to ever participate on the show for where she is now. But a lot of people consider you two coming in second to be a crime against humanity. Did you guys assume that you would win or do you know it by the time season 16 rolls around to never assume.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah, no, I wasn't assuming that. Plus, I mean, first of all, thank you to all the fans that, you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Know, crime against humanity's been said more than one time.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That's a lot. But again, out of context. Yeah, sure, that seems a little bit much. But if you paid attention to that season, you knew that Kelly Pickler was killing it. And Derek did an incredible job, again, creating her season and telling her story and given her a chance against a juggernaut like Zendaya. But no, I, I don't. I don't think we were so far ahead.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That this was a huge shocker. It was incredibly disappointing.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And I, I take a lot of responsibility for that. But they definitely, you know, again, in hindsight, you look back and just how massive she is and how great her performances were. No, no doubt.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But seeing those isolated performances doesn't show you the big picture because Kelly also had some great performances and she did a great job.

[Danielle Fishel]

What kind of teacher do you think you are? How would you describe yourself to somebody who's never seen you as a pro. How would you describe your teaching style?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I. Again, first of all, you're at least a reflection, maybe not a full product of the. The guidance and the influence that. That you were brought up with, but you're gonna be a reflection of that unless you make a very conscious choice.

[Danielle Fishel]

Not to go against it.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So, you know, I'm. I'm a product of, you know, a preacher. Preacher dad. You know, you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. Like, you know, he coached me through life as a father. He never coached me in dance, but he, you know, I feel like his. His coaching, you know, if it doesn't hurt, you're not doing much. You know, you're not doing enough. Like, if you want to be successful, you got to be hungry and desperate and, you know, broke and, you know, it's just like all these socialist values, Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

A socialist.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That's how you describe it. No, he's the big. I mean, this guy is the biggest patriot. I mean, we love America, just for the record, but it's okay. And capitalism and.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Oh, God.

[Danielle Fishel]

You don't have to say that. It's okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Please don't me. It's the truth. Yeah, but he grew up in an environment where, again, there are values or human values that are really great that come out of that there's no shame in, again, where we're from and the Soviet values, whether they're practical to build a. Build a community and structure around, maybe not, but as a human being, to hold yourself accountable to certain principles and hard work and like those, that's the household I grew up in. And then my brother was a coach, and he was a coach that lacked information and experience. And what I mean by that is how great of a coach can you be at 18?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah. You know, so he's figuring it out.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

With me, you know, as I. As a kid, he was coaching me, and so then I had other teachers that were great. So how am I as a teacher? I'm not the type of person that is going to force you to do anything. I want to inspire you. I want to give you the tools, and then you have to pick up these tools and do them. And that's the difference between a teacher and a coach. You know, I think a coach doesn't ask you much. He tells you and. And really, you know, kind of pushes you to execute. A teacher is someone that guides you and teaches you and gives you. And then you have to have the passion and the. And the work ethic to. To Actually execute that. I try to find a balance because in this project, it's, you know, it's teaching, it's therapy, it's, you know, nutrition. It's like all of it. But I think that's where I'm at. And I don't. I wouldn't say I'm the best teacher. You know, I. I try to be.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I'm always getting better, but, yeah, I. I love teaching. I love motivating, inspiring, but I love performing.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, I like back to LeBron. You know, LeBron didn't dream of teaching one day or coaching basketball one day. He dreamed about performing at the highest level. So that those were my aspirations, but really grateful that I'm able to enjoy all facets. Right at the core is dance. And it has so ways that it's bettered my life and has shaped my life, you know, But. But being a teacher is one of them. Being a performer is another one. Being an entrepreneur in the space of dance is another one, you know, but again, my favorite part about teaching is. Is being of service to this person. And the truth is, a great coach, I don't think even approaches it that way. Yeah, he's not at the service. He's more the service of the game. And you got to, you know, we're all here to accommodate the game. And in regards to Dancing with the Stars, I don't have that type of approach.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

You know, I do. I think we both should be invested in the bigger picture, which is, let's get the best performance out there. But ultimately, I still lean towards. I'm here at your service. You know, you only get this. This thing once.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

How can I make this the best thing you've ever experienced?

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And exactly how you wanted to experience it in the first place. Know? So what are those creatives? What are those dresses you want to wear? What are the songs you want to dance to? Whether I like them or not, obviously, I'm going to give you my direction and opinion, but really, I'm here to make your dreams come to life.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can we talk about the double cartwheel? Was that one of Alex's dreams, too?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yes, that was Alex's dreams. It was. It turned into my nightmare, but it was definitely.

[Danielle Fishel]

Please tell me what happened. What? I literally couldn't believe it when I saw the video and you guys just slamming into the ground. How did this start?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Well, we were doing our quick step, and I was, you know, I had, like, this one cartwheel, which ultimately what we ended up doing, which looked phenomenal. Thanks. And she was like, what if we went? Like, Like, I went, then you went. Then I, you know, it's like, probably saw it on Tick Tock somewhere. I was like, that's really cool. I can't do it. But, you know, let's do it. Because again, so that's the thing is, like, you know, there's pressure on us.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I want to be good, you know, I want to be good enough for you, you know, and she's challenging me, which is, again, if I preach this, the spiel of, like, then I gotta walk the walk, you know? And so that was one of those situations where I was like, all right, that is the most terrifying thing in the world. I have neck surgery two years ago. Like, I definitely don't want to land on my head.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Right.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But I will do this because you're doing this, so how can I not do this? You know? So let's do this. How do we do this?

[Danielle Fishel]

So then I started thinking of a mat or anything.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

A mat. I. I immediately thought, like, she'll slip on the map.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

This would be worse.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

So, yeah, so we just youtubed some instructionals and I was like, let's go for it. And, yeah, we went for it a bunch of times. And I mean, she, you know, that. That's the part that I wish showed up more in the packages. And just like, I want to communicate that to our audience is like, this pretty put together, young Barbie looking thing is an animal in the studio that's like, like, let's go try this. Throwing her body around. Like, I mean, you saw her do the baby freeze in the jive. Like, yeah, she's down. You know, she's down to play. She's down to, like, get messy. And like I said, I. I would be a hypocrite if I didn't match that energy and reciprocate that energy. Even as irresponsible as it was for us to do this week, but that move is still there. There's still promise.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Because we're close. We. I just need to become significantly more flexible in my.

[Danielle Fishel]

Are you working on that?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I am, I am.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

And she just potentially needs to be just a little bit stronger.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

So she needs to. She needs some strength training and you need some flexibility work. But there's still a possibility we could see a double cartwheel from you guys this season. Fingers crossed. Not even because I want to. Not even because I want to see it in the performance, but because I want for both of you to feel like you pushed yourself in the direction and that you checked that box. Like, she presented something that was a challenge for me, and you got what you wanted out of it. Like, I'm. I'm so rooting for that.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

This show. The. You're not successful on the show unless you have moments like that.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah, exactly.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

That's what I realized. It's like, anytime I was successful, it's when I said yes to some crazy thing, and we pushed through and we did it.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Because that is so contagious. People at home feel that. They see that. They see the stakes, really. That is back to the. The two camps and what we were talking about. The quality dance doesn't matter. And that's where it could be a little bit of a disadvantage, because if you've already reached the peak, what do we. Where are the stakes? Where are you headed now? Yeah, and. But you got to reach for those peaks, and. And that's what's fun to watch. So I appreciate Alex for. For that idea. And again, we'll. We'll still execute it, hopefully in a couple of weeks.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can we talk fashion for just a brief second? What are some of your influences? I think you have incredible style.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

We.

[Danielle Fishel]

Every time we see each other, we do a full little fit check.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

What are some of your influences, and what are you into? Right now?

[Val Chmerkovsky]

I'm infl. You know, again, I'm a product of so much, you know, combustion of different cultures. You know, I'm an Eastern European kid that grew up in Brooklyn, New York, listening to hip hop while playing violin and being, you know, educated and dance and dance introduced me to a Latin culture in which so much of our bravado. Because, again, I. I specialized in the Latin styles, not the ballroom styles I did born, but the Latin styles were my expertise. So I'm mimicking the bravado of all these, you know, Antonio Banderas and desperados. And so there's a fashion and, you know, that kind of, like, peacocking of that energy, plus my dance aesthetic. You know, I've been wearing chiffon since I was 12 years old, you know, 10 years old. So it. It's. It's a bit of everything. It's. It's so. So. And I traveled to Europe for competitions a lot as a kid, throughout my teens as well. So I saw the, you know, the kind of the fitted fashion. Then I would come back to New York and obviously be surrounded by, I mean, late 90s Jankos. It's crazy to see all this wide fit now coming back. So, yeah, I mean, I love pop culture. And I love dance.

[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

But.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

But I, you know, I live beyond dance, you know, and ballroom dance. I love, like I said, hip hop music, Latin music, you know, I played in an orchestra. I played classical music my whole life, you know, so I just love it all. And I love where we live now, where it's like anything goes, you know, as soon as sneakers were acceptable with a three piece suit, you were like, I'm happy. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, Val, I want to thank you so much for coming on the show. I can tell you that from the moment I agreed to do Dancing with the Stars, you and your brother were a major reason why I have just been such a fan for so long and you guys are very inspiring. So I have so appreciated getting to know you and spending time with you.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thanks, Danielle.

[Danielle Fishel]

And you're just an absolute joy. So thank you for doing the show.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm glad we made it happen.

[Danielle Fishel]

You sure did.

[Val Chmerkovsky]

Thanks.

[Danielle Fishel]

Danielle with the Stars Produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel Executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman Executive in charge of production Danielle Romo producer, editor and engineer Tara Sudbaksh Theme song by Justin Siegel. Follow us on Instagram at daniellewithstars and vote for me.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Interviewer (possibly Danielle Fishel's guest or co-host)]

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