Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Valentin Chmerkovskiy, a highly decorated professional dancer, established his formidable presence in competitive dance as a two-time IDSF World Latin Dance Champion (Junior and Youth) and a 14-time U.S. National Latin Champion across Junior, U21/Youth, and Adult Amateur categories. In 2001, he and partner Diana Olonetskaya made history as the first American dance team to secure a world junior championship title. Demonstrating a diverse artistic talent, Chmerkovskiy also performed as a classically trained violinist at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, fluent in both Russian and English.

His early competitive success was further marked by winning the Blackpool Open U21 Latin title in 2005. Chmerkovskiy transitioned from the competitive circuit to widespread recognition on television, first appearing on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in Season 2 (2006) before joining as a professional dancer in Season 13 (2011). Throughout his tenure, he has achieved three Mirrorball Trophy wins with celebrity partners Rumer Willis (Season 20, 2015), Laurie Hernandez (Season 23, 2016), and Xochitl Gomez (Season 32, 2023). Beyond his championship titles, Chmerkovskiy has consistently demonstrated his coaching prowess, guiding partners to high placements, including third with Kelly Monaco (Season 15, 2012) and Janel Parrish (Season 19, 2014), and second with Zendaya (Season 16, 2013).

In 2022, he co-founded Baranova 27 with his family, a charity dedicated to providing humanitarian aid and funds, including medical and hygiene supplies, to those affected by the crisis in Ukraine. Most recently, Chmerkovskiy continued his run on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ partnering with Phaedra Parks in Season 33 (2024) and with Alix Earle in Season 34 (2025).