Maksim Chmerkovksiy Interviewed About Judging DWTS In India And More (New Pictures)
Maks Chmerkovksiy was interviewed on Dancing With The Stars and his new judging gig in India. The Pink Villa also asks him about his win in the United states and if he’s coming back next season to Dancing With The Stars in the US. He won’t confirm or deny. Here is more….
We read somewhere that you will not return on next season of Dancing with the Stars. Is it true? What is the reason for you not returning on the show?
I can neither confirm nor deny this statement.
What are the qualities you are looking for a perfect couple in Jhalak? What will be the parameters of judging them according to you?
My opinion of a perfect couple has changed in the last year because of the experience I have had on Forever Tango. I got to learn Argentinian Tango from the best in the world and these people are fascinating. What they taught me is that Argentinian Tango is not a dance, it’s a state of being and the way they approach dance is the idea of allowing the thinking of the audience as someone behind a closed door who you give a keyhole view to the inside of the room. You and your partner dance for yourself. So, whichever couple is able to get me to feel like I am behind a closed door and I get this little bit of a keyhole thing to look into and I am privileged to witness their dance…that is the perfect couple for me.
Traditional Indian style is so different. There are many styles but the Bollywood driven one is very showy and it has a lot of personality…it is very alive and very fun with a lot of laughter and happiness. It’s about what the couple preferred to show me and so I have to judge them on that. I can’t comment on a dance and say it’s not my cup of tea. I have to comment on a dance and say – You did a brilliant job portraying what it is that you wanted to do. But, here are the things that I think you would need to do in order for this performance to be better. And that’s how I approach each couple and which judge I choose to be. I want to be a fair judge – I want to be someone who offers advice and not only offers criticism.
You won the Mirror Ball trophy after doing 13 seasons of Dancing with the Stars, how did you manage to be so patient and work hard every time?
I never thought it would take me 13 seasons to win it. I have had unbelievable partners. I had people who were head and shoulders better than others. And this is how, the hard way, I learnt what this show is about. It’s not always about the best person winning, it’s about what the audience decide is the best dancer or who they like to be holding the trophy at the end. And you know what? That’s great – that’s what democracy is all about, that’s what power to the people is all about. I disagree with a lot of people’s choices but that must have meant that in the format of Dancing with the Stars, I did not do a good enough job for the audience to also love us, not just love what we danced.
More at the Pink Villa including some new pictures!
ETA: Also, have you seen this new shoot with Maks and Social Life Magazine? Be sure to see some “behind the scenes” below. This is a fun read on Maks and the shoot too. Thanks to @DWTSMaksFans via @ChrisMontanti for the heads up!
After reading Maks answers to the questions, I still come to the same conclusion as many others that he still doesn’t get it. Not all the viewers are in love with his looks and his latest showmancing for a win. Granted he is a great dancer especially in the Latin style dances, but it takes more than good looks and great dancing on the pro dancer’s part. I’m not a trained dancer nor do I know all the techniques of ballroom dancing, but I do know from watching many seasons of DWTS that what wows me is a team (couple) who have the “total package” (great costumes, great technique, great personalities, great performing artistry, great chemistry, dancing as though they are One, and NO showmancing or negative drama) Even though these qualities in a couple doesn’t always mean they will take the MBT home; but, it will be the deciding factor on who I will be voting for each week and in the finals.
As far as Maks judging, I think he would be a superb judge for any dance show. My only beef concerning DWTS is that I don’t think anyone coming on to the show should have a family member on the cast teams, because this would be a “conflict of interest” issue and would cause a lot of controversy.
I do think that Maks’ judging skills outrank his teaching skills, at least on these entertainment shows. It would seem to me that him teaching in his dance studios would be a whole different ballgame though.
Talking about his previous partners, this line is very telling to me, “I did not do a good enough job for the audience to also love us, not just love what we dance.”
And thus was born the Maks/Meryl showmance as a way to get the “love us” part of the equation fulfilled.
Some current Bollywood dances are fun and energetic, however way too many consist of nothing more than thrusting, gyrating, jiggling body parts with pseudo hip-hop moves.
I’m not a pearl clutcher by any means, but I prefer the Bollywood songs and dances from the 90’s and early 2000’s.
“I had people who were head and shoulders better than others.” So Maks kinda just annoyed me with one single statement. Love that he is so outspoken but this just baffles me.
I like where he says he metaphorically had to drag certain partners kicking and screaming to the finals and that they really should have been eliminated earlier. Well since before Meryl he only dragged four partners to the finals, that pretty much narrows down who he’s dissing this time.
#2
LOL It was the democracy part that got me. Wow, just wow. Even if I accept the “power to the people” part, how does this explain deceiving the public every week into believing that you are going to marry your dance partner and procreate?
This article is one more reason why I find it hard to conjure up any respect for him.
You know I was saying okay this isnt bad interview until he made the comment that the viewers werent making the right decisions. So more or less no one deserved the trophy unless it was his partner. Keep putting you foot in the Mouth Maks.
Man, I love Maks, he can dance like a God sometimes and in his last IG post he looks like …. I don’t even know what but it’s gorgeous… But he really need to keep his mouth shot. Val at least is confusing, but he is just wrong 😀
ps. regarding MnM shippers… Who still refuse any signs that Meryl might be together with her old bf… I noticed on Ig that Jenna, her travel buddy is back in LA but Meryl keeps posting Hawau sunsets.. Maybe Fedor, the follow uo arrived. Wouldn’t it be the biggest breakdown in history of Tumblr, dwts message boards, IG and twitter if Meryl would also get engaged and maybe post something to confirm it :)) After all, her and Charlie so far in their lives did everything in paralel :))
#7 Annie
Meryl will never confirm or deny anything personal on her twitter or instagram or any other social media outlet. She keeps her distance from the general public while making it seem like she lets you in. She is very closed when it comes to letting her true feelings known about anything. Any pictures with other skaters, dancers or any random people are all friends. She will happily post motivational quotes, pictures of puppies or anything that she is promoting, mixed in with gratitude tweets to whatever she fancies on any given day. Every so often she likes to brag about her knowledge of foreign languages by tweeting in those languages. This is what she has always done and I do not anticipate it to change now.
yes, i realised that, It was just selfish wishfull thinking that it would really be fun and the end of the world on some social media if after all the built up during the show and the crazy crazy (really, it’s a freaky world out there in the minds if certain people )shipping and speculations regarding her and Maks (some already claim to have seen engagement rings or promise rings or whatever hahaha) it would come to such an anticlimatic end. But I’m not counting on it ofcourse. I realised as much that she was always a private person, so I guess now with all raised media and fan interest she will be even more carefull to protect her personal life.
Yes it would be a conflict of interest to have one judging on a family member. Funny when Julianne judged it wasn’t an issue…..
I read the article in Social Life. Maks really does sound like he has made it, or thinks he has. I can’t see him having an acting career though. He just takes himself so darn seriously.
Who said it wouldn’t be an issue to have Julianne as a regular judge? You know very well there would be an enormous outcry. I don’t think that Mr. Showmance, any relative, or recent pro for that matter, should be hired.
Definite NO to Maks as regular judge if Val is still on the show. As for Julianne – the odds of her being a regular judge are slim and none. But beside that, I trust her to be way more objective than anyone from the C-bros family. After all, isn’t their motto “Family above everything?” Yeah…and we’ve seen how they manage that.
And if you didn’t think there was an issue last time Julianne was judge, you’re blind. Funny though – same people who had an issue with Julianne judging were just fine when it was Maks. Those C-bros fans are all about double standards. 🙂
I don’t want maks to be permanent judge but I honestly don’t remember him doing anything when he was the judge but that could be my memory.
I’m not sure what you mean by he did nothing. If you mean his guest judge appearance was insignificant, I would agree, but an entire season is a different thing altogether.
From what i’ve read in the comments, it just sounded like people thought Maks did something during his one night of judging to put him in the “bad/biased/not objective” category and I was just trying to remember what exactly he did because he seemed to be trying to stay out of trouble IMO. I really wouldn’t want him as a judge for the entire season because as we saw this season with Meryl, he can’t stay out of trouble forever.
If we are going on “objectivity and fairness” when it comes to judging then honestly, everyone needs to go. Carrie Ann and Len are so far gone on staying objective, it’s hilarious to take them seriously. Bruno got on my bad side after Chaz Bono.
I wasn’t implying he did anything “bad” during his guest judging spot – but really don’t think he can continue good behavior.
And it is true that CAI and Len would have to go if “objectivity and fairness” were going to be the rule of the day. Len calls Derek out for shit constantly that he lets others get away with routinely – especially Maks and Tony. Now, I think that’s because he doesn’t want to appear biased towards Derek – much like I think Shirley Ballas would do toward both Derek and Mark. Judge extra harsh to appear “fair”. CAI just judges with her vagina.
This is why it’s so stupid for Maks fans to tout his and Meryl’s high average score as if it actually means something. Yeah, it meant the judges were determined that Meryl should win. Combine that with Nicole and Shawn getting hosed (or simply underscored to make it a “competition” – see Charlie, for a more current reference) more than once for ridiculous reasons and you Maks/Meryl get to be the high average.
@Jill L #10
Both Maks & Julianne was a guest judge NOT PERMANENT. I didn’t have a problem because it was ONE night. What my comment is about was Maks coming back permanently as a judge. He or Julianne or anyone, even Shirley Ballas, because their would be a conflict of interest problem; unless, Derek, Mark, Tony, and Val were to move on to something better and no longer be contracted with DWTS. But, I really don’t think they all will be doing that anytime soon.
He loves himself entirely too much.
#19
LOL, yes he does! 😀
Before even getting to the question of whether there’s a problematic conflict of interest, my question is whether he would bring anything of value or interest to judging. I think not. Maks tweeted that he and Meryl WILL dance together again. I’m not interested in listening to the critique of someone so lacking in discernment. Furthermore, he would be the first to say that he’s not particularly adept at expressing himself with words, which of course would become the excuse for everything, and suddenly, ii once again will be all about Maks. No thank you very much.
I wouldn’t particularly care if Maks were a permanent judge on the show, mostly because I don’t think he’d add anything worthwhile with his comments. He’s not always very articulate. I would hope though that he’d be professional enough to not show bias towards members of the “fam.” Giving him the benefit of the doubt. And for what it’s worth, I wouldn’t want Julianne as a judge either because of accusations of favoritism towards Derek if he’s still a pro. I’d think she’d go out of her way to be critical of him in order to seem fair though. (she’s already made clear she wouldn’t hold back on Mark).
Anyways….Lovely photoshoot. Very sophisticated. I liked both Maks’ interviews. Yes, he’s blunt, but he didn’t seem to be suffering from verbal diarrhea like usual. Some parts I commend him for being more self aware. But other parts…eh. It’s kinda hard for me, even as a fan of Maks, to be comfortable with what he says at times. Maybe I’m being picky, but I don’t find it particularly appropriate for him to cast a negative shadow on his past partners. Yes, he nearly always gets the women with firey strong personalities, but calling them very dramatic, and then continuing with his “I am never going to get anyone at Meryl’s level” speech just rubs me the wrong way. Still makes me feel like he did the show for the wrong reasons. I don’t know if he’s fully appreciative of the journey a star makes through the show. As a viewer, I value someone’s journey just as much as their dancing ability. A few of his partners went through rough times and had self-confidence issues prior to the show (Erin Andrews & Brandy). I think he should be more appreciative he helped them work through those obstacles rather than labeling all his partners dramatic. Still think he needs to adjust his attitude about the show.
#22 Kay, that’s been my biggest problem with the crap that spews out of Maks’s mouth about his former partners. He never seems to take into considering what their seasons with him meant to them and how hurtful and disheartening it must be for them to hear him say these kinds of things. Even people like Erin and Kirstie whom I sure he tries to justify and explain himself to still have to read and listen to this stuff and know everyone else is reading and listening to it too.