Cheryl Burke, Val And Maks Chmerkovskiy Interviewed On Ballroom With A Twist And Dancing With The Stars

In a new Ballroom With A Twist interview with Equality 365, Val Chmerkovskiy chats about why he loves doing the show. His favorite part is the “human element” and how “inspiring” it is to share the stage with such “passionate” talent. Val also talked about his brother Maks and the new season of Dancing With The Stars. Below is more….

ED: How do you feel about returning to DWTS next season?
VC: I am very excited. The announcement was just made Wednesday. I feel very fortunate to be able to perform on a show that provides me the platform to share my talent and passion with an average of 20 million people a week. I am incredibly lucky for that. I am very grateful to be called back. I love all the work that goes into the show. It is a lot of work. It isn’t easy. I am also very excited to meet my new partner. I have no idea who it might be. I love the process of meeting someone new and finding out more about them while building a lifelong relationship with them. This journey that we go through each season is the greatest thing ever.

ED: What do you think about your brother (Maksim Chmerkovskiy) leaving the show?
VC: About time man, he is always hogging the spotlight (laughing). I am joking. It is rare these days for siblings to work in the same city much less the same industry. To be able to work in the same industry at the same job that also happens to be the number 1 TV show in America is just crazy. For me it has been an incredible ride. We are super close and it has been great for our family to witness that and watch us together. I think it will be amazing for our future children to know that we had that experience. Our lives didn’t start with Dancing with the Stars and it certainly isn’t ending there. My brother and I have a lot of projects that we want to do together. We are very close. We love one another and support each other. I am sad that this chapter of our life has come to an end and we won’t be able to share the stage on DWTS anymore. But at the same time, there are plenty of other projects that we will partner in. I do think it is a great time for him to exit gracefully. Leaving on top after last season is an incredible blessing. He has a decade of commitment to DWTS and I think it is time for him to work on other projects.

More at Equality 365.

There is also a new Ballroom With A Twist interview with Maks Chmerkovskiy and Cheryl Burke at Honolulu Pulse. Both dancers talk of why they love to do Ballroom With A Twist. Cheryl said, “It’s a very high-energy, two-hour show. We go into the audience and get them moving. It’s really a chance for them to connect with us. A lot of people have questions, and they’re always interested in (the) behind-the-scenes of ‘Dancing With the Stars.’” Cheryl and Maks also talked on Dancing With The Stars. Here is more from Maks and why he decided to retire from Dancing With The Stars and how shows like Ballroom With A Twist are a better fit for him now.

Though he will continue dancing, he has announced that he is retiring from “DWTS.”

Part of that decision is the grueling nature of the show.

“By week seven, no matter who you have, no matter how brilliant they are, no matter how easy they are to work with, your body is exhausted and you just want to die,” he said.

Nonetheless, his victory also has given him a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for what he does so well.

“I never really appreciated myself or the talent that I have, till now,” Chmerkovskiy said. “So now I do a show like ‘Ballroom With a Twist.’ I never would do this kind of thing before.

“Finally I said yes to these things because I just want the stage. I love the stage, I love to move, I love the audience interaction. I want to say thank you — live.”

Lots more at Honolulu Pulse.

If interested in seeing Ballroom With A Twist before Dancing With The Stars begins, see this link for ticket information. This weekend they are in Seattle and then they go to Hawaii next week!!

ETA: You can also listen to Karina and Val talking on Dancing With The Stars and Ballroom With A Twist at Komo News. Note how Karina mentions there will be a bigger digital presence and a “Q & A” on Dancing With The Stars this season. ABC and BBC have something special planned this season and they are excited. Hmmmm….