The previous “DWTS” champion, known for his outspoken personality, issued a public apology days after his comments sparked online outrage.
He had questioned Ravnik’s ballroom experience, calling his casting a missed opportunity.
After realizing his words had hurt the dancer, the 45-year-old prolonged an olive branch on social media, hoping to resolve the situation and move forward in peace.
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Maks Chmerkovskiy Apologizes And Seeks To Reconcile With Ravnik
On October 30, Chmerkovskiy took to Instagram to publicly apologize to Ravnik, acknowledging that his earlier statements went too far.
He began his post saying, “I would like to apologize to Jan for the best way my words hurt your feelings.”
The dancer added that he wanted to satisfy over coffee and “bury the hatchet,” expressing a desire to maneuver past their tension.
Chmerkovskiy revealed that he hoped to “walk away with knowing me feeling completely different” and even suggested they “may be friends.”
He explained that his comments about dance normally come from a technical standpoint moderately than emotion, saying his “commentary on dance doesn’t include feelings and emotions.”
In keeping with the choreographer, he wanted to elucidate himself personally since the situation had gotten out of hand.
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Fans React To Chmerkovskiy’s Apology
Very quickly, Maks Chmerkovskiy’s video received 1000’s of reactions from fans. Many users emphasized that he didn’t have to apologize as his words about Ravnik were honest and authentic.
“I wish you were a guest judge this yr. The world needs more honest people,” one person wrote.
One other commented, “I respect Maks for being authentic and honest. I can even appreciate his ability to carry himself accountable when he feels convicted.”
Other users slammed Chmerkovskiy, calling him out for being a mean person.
“I was a fan of yours. But I ultimately had to return to the belief that you simply’re not a pleasant person,” one fan noted.
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Maks Chmerkovskiy Faced Backlash After Harsh Podcast Remarks
The controversy began when Chmerkovskiy appeared on the October 24 episode of “The Penthouse with Peta,” hosted by his wife, Peta Murgatroyd.
Through the conversation, he expressed strong disapproval of Ravnik’s skills on “Dancing with the Stars,” claiming that he lacked the basics of ballroom dancing.
He said, “Jan has absolutely no business being a professional on Dancing with the Stars. There’s zero foundation, technique, quality, understanding of the partnership.”
Chmerkovskiy became emotional as he continued, calling it absurd that such a dancer was chosen.
He even stressed that he had no issues in anyway against him, but believed that Ravnik’s casting was “a missed opportunity.”
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On her part, Murgatroyd noted that Ravnik’s background as one among Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dancers was likely the apparent reason why he was hired.
Nevertheless, even she admitted that “hiring a non-ballroom dancer to show ballroom dancing to a star as a job is outrageous.”
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Jan Ravnik Responds Gracefully To Maks Chmerkovskiy’s Criticism
While Chmerkovskiy faced intense scrutiny for his remarks, Ravnik remained calm and avoided engaging within the conflict.
As The Blast reported, he spoke to Entertainment Tonight on October 28, saying, “I even have no comment on that. Look, I got all of the love on this show.”
The 30-year-old highlighted that he received all of the praise from the judges and a lot love from the audience.
Without mentioning Chmerkovskiy directly, he appeared to dismiss the negativity surrounding the situation.
He added that folks attempting to stay relevant and spreading hate weren’t helping.
“I never will spread or take the hate,” he said.
Ravinik’s response drew praise from fans who admired his professionalism and positivity amid the drama.
Maks Chmerkovskiy Reflects On His ‘DWTS’ Journey And Fame
After addressing the feud on Instagram, Chmerkovskiy reflected on his long profession on “Dancing with the Stars” and the criticism he has faced through the years.
He acknowledged the jokes about his record on the show, saying, “You possibly can’t really hurt my feelings by saying, ‘Take a look at you, loser. You simply won once.'”
The dance icon noted that his brother, Val, had won thrice, while his wife, Murgatroyd, and his sister-in-law, Jenna Johnson, each had two victories.
Chmerkovskiy admitted that he was never capable of dominate the general public perception and infrequently struggled with how people viewed him.
Looking back, he confessed that he had made “incredible mistakes” along with his dance partners and had lost his temper during horrible situations.
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Still, the teacher said he hoped to steer by example and use his experiences to remind others to not repeat his past errors.