Maksim Chmerkovskiy is an acclaimed American Latin-ballroom dancer, choreographer, and instructor, best known for his appearances on "Dancing with the Stars." Over 17 seasons, he consistently reached the final rounds, securing two runner-up and two third-place finishes before winning the title in 2014 with partner Meryl Davis. Beyond television, Chmerkovskiy has showcased his talent on Broadway in productions like "Burn the Floor" and "Forever Tango."
January 17, 1980: Maksim Chmerkovskiy is Born
Maksim Chmerkovskiy was born on January 17, 1980, in Odesa, Ukrainian SSR.
1986: Valentin Chmerkovskiy is Born
Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Maksim's younger brother who is also a professional dancer, was born in 1986.
1994: Chmerkovskiy Family Immigrates to the United States
In 1994, the Chmerkovskiy family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York.
2001: Chmerkovskiy Coaches Brother to World Junior Championship
In 2001, Maksim Chmerkovskiy coached his brother Valentin, and Valentin's partner Diana Olonetskaya, to a world junior championship win, marking the first time a U.S. pair won the competition.
2002: Chmerkovskiy Begins Competing with Elena Grinenko
Maksim Chmerkovskiy began competing with Elena Grinenko in 2002 in the International Latin category at the professional level.
2005: Chmerkovskiy and Grinenko Achieve High Rankings
By 2005, Chmerkovskiy and his partner Elena Grinenko had achieved the rank of 2nd in the United States and 7th in the world among professional international Latin couples.
March 2007: Chmerkovskiy Returns to Dancing with the Stars for Season 4
In March 2007, Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to Dancing with the Stars to compete in Season 4 with partner Laila Ali, after previously appearing in seasons two and three.
December 17, 2008: Dancing with the Stars Winter Tour
Maksim Chmerkovskiy began the Dancing with the Stars Tour 2008-2009 winter tour on December 17, 2008. He both choreographed for and performed in the tour, which was scheduled to stop in 34 cities.
2008: Le Rêve Choreography
In 2008, Maksim Chmerkovskiy choreographed three numbers for Le Rêve, a water-based show at Wynn Las Vegas. His contributions included the "Tango", "Paso Doble", and "Piece Montèe" pieces.
February 9, 2009: Chmerkovskiy Announced as a Contestant on Dancing with the Stars Season 8
On February 9, 2009, it was announced on Good Morning America that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be returning to Dancing with the Stars for Season 8, where he would be partnered with Denise Richards.
July 25, 2009: Burn the Floor Broadway Debut
On July 25, 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy debuted as a dancer in the Broadway production of Burn the Floor. He and his partner Karina Smirnoff learned their choreography for the production in just two days.
November 2009: Return to Burn the Floor
Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to the Broadway production of Burn the Floor, this time partnering with Kym Johnson.
2009: Engagement to Karina Smirnoff
Maksim Chmerkovskiy was engaged to fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Karina Smirnoff for nine months.
2009: Dancing with the Stars Winter Tour
Maksim Chmerkovskiy continued to perform as part of the Dancing with the Stars 2008-2009 winter tour, for which he also choreographed.
2009: The Superstars Win
In 2009, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Freestyle Skier Kristi Leskinen won ABC's sports reality show, "The Superstars."
January 2010: Burn the Floor Final Performances
Maksim Chmerkovskiy concluded his run in the Broadway production of Burn the Floor, where he had been performing with partner Kym Johnson since November 2009.
May 25, 2010: Chmerkovskiy and Andrews Place Third in Dancing with the Stars
On May 25, 2010, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his partner Erin Andrews placed third in the Dancing with the Stars finale.
October 2011: Chmerkovskiy Makes Controversial Comments to Judge Len Goodman
In October 2011, Maksim Chmerkovskiy made comments towards Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman, after Goodman called his and partner Hope Solo's rumba the "worst dance of the season", which sparked controversy.
2011: Chmerkovskiy Discusses Rising Stars Dance Academy
In 2011, Maksim Chmerkovskiy said that he wanted his dance studio, Rising Stars Dance Academy, to be in an area where people would see it without "preconceived notions."
2011: H8R Appearance
Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared as himself on an episode of the CW reality show, H8R.
2011: The Bachelor Ukraine
Maksim Chmerkovskiy starred as "The Bachelor" on the Ukrainian version of the dating reality series. He later stated that he regretted his participation in the show.
2012: Hope Solo Accuses Chmerkovskiy of Manhandling
In 2012, Hope Solo alleged in her autobiography that Maksim Chmerkovskiy had "manhandled" her during Dancing with the Stars rehearsals. Chmerkovskiy denied these allegations.
2012: The Exes Appearance
Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared in an episode of the TV Land series, The Exes.
2012: Relationship with Peta Murgatroyd Begins
Maksim Chmerkovskiy began dating Peta Murgatroyd, another Dancing with the Stars pro, in 2012.
2012: The Cube Ukraine
Maksim Chmerkovskiy hosted the Ukrainian version of the game show, The Cube, in 2012.
February 2013: Chmerkovskiy Announces Departure from Dancing with the Stars
In February 2013, Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced his departure from Dancing with the Stars for Season 16.
March 2013: General Hospital Appearance
Maksim Chmerkovskiy played Anton Ivanov in three episodes of General Hospital. His character danced with Kelly Monaco's character, Sam Morgan, during the Nurses' Ball.
August 18, 2013: Forever Tango Performance
Maksim Chmerkovskiy concluded his run in the Broadway musical Forever Tango on August 18, 2013. During the show's run, he danced and performed with former dance colleague Karina Smirnoff.
2013: Relationship with Peta Murgatroyd Ends
Maksim Chmerkovskiy's relationship with Peta Murgatroyd ended after 10 months.
May 20, 2014: Chmerkovskiy Wins First Dancing with the Stars Title
On May 20, 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, partnered with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, won his first Dancing with the Stars title after being a competing pro on the show for eight seasons.
October 2014: Reunion with Peta Murgatroyd
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd rekindled their relationship after their breakup in 2013.
2014: Le Rêve Choreography Update
As part of a $3 million upgrade to the production, Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to Le Rêve in 2014 to choreograph a new scene for the show.
2014: Sway: A Dance Trilogy Premiere
In 2014, Maksim Chmerkovskiy began performing in Sway: A Dance Trilogy in Westbury, New York. The show was his father Sasha's idea, and featured Maksim alongside his brother Valentin and Tony Dovolani.
2014: Ballroom with a Twist Tour
The summer of 2014 saw Maksim Chmerkovskiy make multiple appearances in "Ballroom with a Twist," a touring dance show.
February 12, 2016: Maks & Val Live On Tour Announcement
On February 12, 2016, Maksim announced his plans for a 45-city tour with his younger brother Valentin, titled "Maks & Val Live On Tour: Our Way".
June 15, 2016: Maks & Val Live On Tour Premiere
Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy began their 45-city tour, "Maks & Val Live On Tour: Our Way", on June 15, 2016. The show was autobiographical and told the story of the brothers' lives through dance.
August 25, 2016: Chmerkovskiy Confirms Return to Dancing with the Stars
On August 25, 2016, Maksim Chmerkovskiy confirmed he would return to Dancing with the Stars for Season 23.
2016: Fuller House Cameo
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his brother, Valentin, both made cameo appearances in Fuller House, the Netflix sequel to the sitcom Full House.
January 2017: Birth of Shai Aleksander Chmerkovskiy
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd's first son, Shai Aleksander, was born in January 2017.
February 2017: Chmerkovskiy Announces Return to Dancing with the Stars
After stating he would not return for season 24 of Dancing with the Stars, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and his fiancée Peta Murgatroyd announced they both would return as professionals in February 2017.
July 8, 2017: Marriage to Peta Murgatroyd
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd were married on July 8, 2017 in Long Island, New York.
April 5, 2018: Chmerkovskiy Announces Retirement from Dancing with the Stars
On April 5, 2018, Maksim Chmerkovskiy announced he was retiring as a pro from Dancing with the Stars.
2021: Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Tantsi z zirkamy
In 2021, Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared as a judge on both the Indian and Ukrainian versions of Dancing with the Stars, "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" and “Tantsi z zirkamy” respectively.
2021: The Masked Dancer
Maksim Chmerkovskiy competed on The Masked Dancer, a spin-off of The Masked Singer, as "Sloth" in 2021. He finished in second place.
June 2023: Birth of Rio John Chmerkovskiy
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd welcomed their second son, Rio John, in June 2023.
September 2023: The Traitors Season 2 Announcement
It was announced that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be a contestant on the second season of Peacock's The Traitors in September 2023.
December 2023: So You Think You Can Dance Judge Announcement
It was announced in December 2023 that Maksim Chmerkovskiy would be a judge on the 18th season of So You Think You Can Dance.
January 2024: The Traitors Season 2 Release
The second season of The Traitors, featuring Maksim Chmerkovskiy, was released on Peacock. He finished in 18th place.
July 2024: Birth of Milan Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd welcomed their third son, Milan Maksim, in July 2024.