Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Maksim Chmerkovskiy
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Maksim Chmerkovskiy made an impact.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy is a celebrated American Latin-ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He gained widespread recognition as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, participating in 17 seasons. During his time on the show, he reached the finals five times, securing two runner-up and two third-place positions before winning his first title with Meryl Davis in 2014. Beyond television, Chmerkovskiy has showcased his talents on Broadway, starring in dance productions such as Burn the Floor and Forever Tango, solidifying his impact on the world of dance and entertainment.
2001: World Junior Championship Win
In 2001, Maksim Chmerkovskiy helped his brother, Valentin, and Diana Olonetskaya become the first U.S. dance pair to win a world junior championship.
2002: Partnership with Elena Grinenko
In 2002, Maksim Chmerkovskiy began competing with Elena Grinenko in the International Latin category.
2005: Ranking in International Latin Competition
By 2005, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, with partner Elena Grinenko, achieved a rank of 2nd in the United States and 7th in the world among professional international Latin couples.
March 2007: Dancing with the Stars Season 4
In March 2007, Maksim Chmerkovskiy partnered with boxer Laila Ali on Season 4 of Dancing with the Stars, making it to the finals and finishing in third place.
December 17, 2008: Dancing with the Stars Tour
On December 17, 2008, Maksim Chmerkovskiy choreographed and performed in the Dancing with the Stars Tour, kicking off in 34 cities.
2008: Choreography for Le Rêve
By 2008, Maksim Chmerkovskiy's contribution to the Wynn Las Vegas's water-based show Le Rêve included choreographing three numbers: "Tango", "Paso Doble" and "Piece Montèe".
February 9, 2009: Dancing with the Stars Season 8 Announcement
On February 9, 2009, Good Morning America announced that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be paired with Denise Richards for the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars.
July 25, 2009: Burn the Floor Broadway Opening
On July 25, 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy was a dancer in the Broadway production Burn the Floor when it opened. He partnered with Karina Smirnoff for the first three weeks.
November 2009: Return to Burn the Floor
In November 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to Burn the Floor on Broadway, this time partnering with Kym Johnson.
2009: Dancing with the Stars Tour
In 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy choreographed and performed in the Dancing with the Stars Tour.
2009: Participation in The Superstars
In 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy participated in the ABC sports show called The Superstars and was paired with Freestyle Skier Kristi Leskinen, winning the competition.
January 2010: Departure from Burn the Floor
In January 2010, Maksim Chmerkovskiy finished his stint in Burn the Floor on Broadway, after partnering with Kym Johnson from November 2009.
May 25, 2010: Dancing with the Stars Season 10 Finale
On May 25, 2010, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his partner Erin Andrews came in third place during the two-hour finale of Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars.
2011: Appearance on H8R
In 2011, Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared as himself in an episode of the CW reality show H8R.
2011: Studio Location Choice
In 2011, Maksim Chmerkovskiy spoke about choosing a New Jersey location for Rising Stars Dance Academy, because he wanted it to stand out in an area without similar studios.
2011: The Bachelor Ukraine
In 2011, Maksim Chmerkovskiy starred as The Bachelor in the Ukrainian version of the dating reality series.
2012: Hosting The Cube Ukraine
As of 2012, Maksim Chmerkovskiy hosted the Ukrainian version of the game show The Cube.
2012: Appearance on The Exes
In 2012, Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared as an actor in an episode of the TV Land series The Exes.
February 2013: Departure from Dancing with the Stars
In February 2013, Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced his departure from Dancing with the Stars for Season 16.
March 2013: Appearance on General Hospital
In March 2013, Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared on three episodes of General Hospital, playing the role of Anton Ivanov.
August 18, 2013: Forever Tango Finale
From July 9 to August 18, 2013, Maksim Chmerkovskiy starred in Forever Tango, a Broadway musical, dancing and performing onstage with Karina Smirnoff.
May 20, 2014: Dancing with the Stars Win
On May 20, 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his partner, Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, won the Dancing with the Stars title.
2014: Return to Le Rêve
In 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to Le Rêve to choreograph for a new scene as part of a $3 million upgrade to the production.
2014: Performances in Sway: A Dance Trilogy
In 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy started performing in Sway: A Dance Trilogy in Westbury, New York. The show stars Maksim, his brother Valentin, and Tony Dovolani and is broken into three distinct sections.
2014: Ballroom with a Twist Performances
In the summer of 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared in multiple performances of the touring dance show "Ballroom with a Twist."
February 12, 2016: Maks & Val Live On Tour Announcement
On February 12, 2016, Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced plans for a 45-city live tour with his younger brother, Valentin.
June 15, 2016: Maks & Val Live On Tour Start
On June 15, 2016, the Maks & Val Live On Tour: Our Way, an autobiographical show, began. The show tells the story of the brothers' lives through dance.
August 25, 2016: Return to Dancing with the Stars
On August 25, 2016, Maksim Chmerkovskiy confirmed his return to Dancing with the Stars on Good Morning America. He was partnered with model Amber Rose for season 23.
2016: Appearance on Fuller House
In 2016, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his brother, Valentin, both made cameo appearances in the Netflix series Fuller House.
February 2017: Return to Dancing with the Stars with Peta Murgatroyd
In February 2017, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his fiancée Peta Murgatroyd announced they would both return as professionals on Dancing with the Stars. Maksim was partnered with Heather Morris.
April 5, 2018: Chmerkovskiy's Departure from DWTS
On April 5, 2018, Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced in an interview that he was officially done as a Dancing with the Stars professional.
2021: The Masked Dancer
In 2021, Maksim Chmerkovskiy competed on The Masked Singer spin-off The Masked Dancer as "Sloth" and finished in second place.
September 2023: Announcement as Contestant on The Traitors
In September 2023, it was announced that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be a contestant on Peacock's second season of The Traitors.
December 2023: Judging Role on So You Think You Can Dance
In December 2023, it was announced that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be a judge on the 18th season of So You Think You Can Dance alongside Allison Holker and JoJo Siwa.
January 2024: Release of The Traitors Season 2
In January 2024, season 2 of The Traitors was released, featuring Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who finished in 18th place.
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