Val Chmerkovskiy is back at DWTS rehearsals for Horror Movie Night

After his one-week suspension, Val returned to practice with Jenna Dewan. Two couples go home Oct. 27, and fellow pro Gleb Savchenko is in hot water over comments about Alan Bersten.

Val Chmerkovskiy’s time out is over, and just in time for the scariest night of the season.

The Dancing with the Stars pro went back to rehearsals with his partner, Jenna Dewan, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, EntertainmentNow reported, citing The Hollywood Reporter. The two will reunite in the ballroom for Horror Movie Night on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

That episode has a double elimination, so two couples are going home. Here’s the latest.

Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from DWTS?

Because of a TikTok post about judge Carrie Ann Inaba. After Inaba criticized his wife, pro Jenna Johnson, for an illegal lift, Val posted, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” EntertainmentNow reported.

Viewers read it as a nod to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Val deleted the post and apologized.

“I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally,” he said.

“I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it,” Val added.

BBC Studios, which makes the show, benched him for one week, as PNP reported Oct. 19. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show,” the company said.

How did Jenna Dewan do without Val?

Pretty well. Pro Alan Bersten stepped in for Dedication Night with only about two and a half days to rehearse, according to EntertainmentNow.

They danced a Viennese waltz to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” for Dewan’s mother, Nancy, and scored 37 out of 40.

“I learned this early on, in life, but also especially in our business, that the show must go on,” Dewan told Good Morning America after the show. “You rose to the occasion, truly, and you were so amazing,” she told Bersten.

Here’s their Viennese waltz, from Dancing with the Stars:

What did Gleb Savchenko say about Alan Bersten?

He didn’t hold back. During a TikTok Live, fellow pro Gleb Savchenko questioned the pick, The Tab reported.

“He’s just not up to the level of dancing, like, period,” Savchenko said. “He’s a good dancer, I guess, for TV but if we talk about art? Like creating art? He’s like, eh.”

He added that he didn’t have “anything against the guy,” and said he was just being honest. On Oct. 22, the New York Post reported that Savchenko insisted he didn’t “attack” Bersten.

Who stood up for Alan Bersten?

His girlfriend, pro Emma Slater. When a TikTok viewer asked why an eliminated pro was coming back, Slater answered in the comments.

“Yeah that’s what happens,” she wrote, per EntertainmentNow. “We all step in for each other.”

Bersten started the season with chef Giada De Laurentiis, but they were eliminated in Week 2.

Who’s leading Dancing with the Stars Season 35?

Paralympian Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach are in first place on the cumulative judges’ scoreboard after six weeks, EntertainmentNow reported.

Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov are tied for second with Dewan and Val. Here’s the rest of the top 10, in order:

• Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson.

• Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas.

• Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa.

• Jackson Olson and Emma Slater.

• Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess.

• Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik.

• Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold.

Judges’ scores aren’t everything, though. Fan votes count, too.

When is DWTS Horror Movie Night?

Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, and it streams the next day on Hulu. Nobody went home on Dedication Night, so those scores carry over into Week 7, as PNP reported Oct. 21.

Six couples have been eliminated so far:

• Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman.

• Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills.

• Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten.

• Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart.

• Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong.

• Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson.

So if your favorite couple is near the bottom, Oct. 27 is the night to vote. Two of them won’t be back.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• EntertainmentNow, Kayla Aldecoa (Oct. 22, 2026), Val’s return to rehearsals, citing The Hollywood Reporter, plus the statements and Dewan’s quotes

• EntertainmentNow, Robin Reynolds (Oct. 20, 2026), the standings, eliminations and Horror Movie Night details

• EntertainmentNow, Djenane Beaulieu (Oct. 19, 2026), Emma Slater’s comment

• The Tab, Ellie Ring (Oct. 19, 2026), Savchenko’s TikTok Live comments

• New York Post (Oct. 22, 2026), Savchenko’s denial

• Pirates & Princesses (Oct. 19 and 21, 2026), the suspension and the Dedication Night results

• Dancing with the Stars on YouTube (Oct. 20, 2026), the Viennese waltz video

AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.