Maks Chmerkovskiy joins his brother Val, and other top dancers like Witney Carson and Sharna Burgess on the 23rd season of the ABC reality show competition 'DWTS.' He last appeared in season 18 opposite ice dancer Meryl Davis. 'Dancing with the Stars' season 23 premieres on ABC on September 12.
After a four-season hiatus, "Dancing with the Stars," Maksim Chmerkovskiy -- or Maks, as his fans call him -- is returning to the dance floor as a pro in the upcoming "DWTS" season 23.
ABC has been rolling out the cast for season 23 since earlier this week. Maks' fiancee Peta Murgatroyd, who snagged the mirror ball last season with Nyle DiMarco, is expecting their first child and will be taking the season off. The celebrity cast will be announced Aug. 30, and the season premieres Sept. 12.
The popular and often fiery Maks, a Ukrainian native who settled in Fort Lee, joined the show in its second season but had never won the coveted mirror ball until the 18th season, when he and ice dancer Meryl Davis were crowned champions. That was his last season as a pro, though he has been a guest judge in recent seasons.
Maks is just coming off a dance tour with his brother Val, who won the 20th season with partner Rumer Willis and is also returning to the show. "I feel great," Maks said Thursday morning on "Good Morning America. "I just wanted this to continue, the feeling, the positivity, so much love out there."
The brothers run a Fort Lee-based chain of dance studios called Dance with Me with fellow pro Tony Dovolani.
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