Reality television rarely stays quiet for long, and Dancing with the Stars just delivered a massive backstage drama right before Dedication Night. Val Chmerkovskiy's unexpected one-week suspension left his celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, scrambling to pivot her routines. Instead of letting the chaos derail her progress, Dewan has already offered fans a rare peek at her rehearsals with temporary partner Alan Bersten.
The suspension stems from a fiery social media post where Chmerkovskiy defended his wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson. After judge Carrie Ann Inaba penalized Johnson and her partner, Harry Shum Jr., for an illegal lift during a samba routine, Chmerkovskiy took to TikTok. He referenced Will Smith's infamous Oscars slap in a post directed at the judging panel, prompting BBC Studios to hand down a swift one-week ban for violating production standards.
While Chmerkovskiy has since apologized and stepped back to avoid overshadowing the competition, Dewan's position in the ballroom remains active. Enter Alan Bersten. Fresh off an early elimination earlier in the season alongside celebrity partner Giada De Laurentiis, Bersten stepped in to rescue Dewan's routine for the upcoming broadcast. Transitioning to a new professional partner mid-season is a nightmare scenario for any celebrity competitor. Muscle memory, teaching styles, and frame adjustments all have to be recalibrated in a matter of days.
Yet, Dewan's early preview clips show a surprising level of sync with Bersten. The upcoming episode centers on deeply personal tributes, meaning the pressure to deliver an emotional, technically sound routine is already sky-high. Bersten brings stability and a fresh perspective to the floor, even if the sudden lineup change has sparked backstage chatter across social media. Some former pros, like Gleb Savchenko, have publicly questioned the casting choice of Bersten over other options, but the show must go on. Similar coverage on this matter has been published by BBC.
For viewers tuning in, the main question is whether Dewan and Bersten can maintain the momentum she built with Chmerkovskiy. If the rehearsal footage is any indicator, the transition won't hold her back. Tune in to watch how the new duo handles the ballroom pressure.
