Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Ukrainian-born Maksim Chmerkovskiy is not just a gifted dance instructor and choreographer, he is also a Latin-ballroom dance champion.

Early Accomplishments

After moving to the US in 1994, he danced to earn some income at a Russian restaurant to make money when he was 15. 

With his dad, he started a dance studio at 16 years of age and his first big success came after he coached his brother and his partner to become world junior champions in 2001. 

In 2003, he and Elena Grinenko won the All England championship.

Best Known For

He has spent 17 seasons on Dancing with the Stars and has made the top 3 finalists 5 times. He won the 2014 edition with Meryl Davis. 

In 2011, he became the 2nd most searched person in Ukraine after starring in the country’s version of The Bachelor.

Sexual Orientation

Maksim is straight and became espoused to Peta Murgatroyd in 2017. The couple began dating again in 2014 after their 10-month relationship in 2012. In that time, he and Kate Upton were in a “serious” relationship. 

In 2008, he had dated and was engaged to Karina Smirnoff who is also Ukrainian and a DTWS regular, but it ended in 2009. 

Family

He is the older of the 2 sons of Larisa Chmerkovskaya and Aleksandr Chmerkovskiy. 

His brother is Valentin and he became a father in 2017 with spouse Peta Murgatroyd to a son, Shai.

Religion 

While his dad is of the Christian faith and his mom is of the Jewish faith, he has indicated that he is more Jewish.

Worth To Know

In 2015, he proposed to his wife during a Broadway performance they both were starring in.

He revealed he only learned English language by reading street signs while moving around Brooklyn.