Pro dancer suspended ahead of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Dedication Night

One of the most anticipated nights of the “Dancing with the Stars” season is here: Dedication Night.

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The annual episode features each celebrity contestant dedicating their performance to someone special in their life and some of the performances will also feature special guests.

This year’s Dedication Night episode was preceded by some drama, as one of the pro dancers has been suspended from participating in the episode this week.

Here’s a look at what you need to know about Tuesday night’s episode.

Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from the show this week

“Dancing with the Stars” pro Val Chmerkovskiy has been suspended from participating in the show this week after a social media comment he made about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

After drama occurred between his wife Jenna Johnson and Inaba, Chmerkovskiy made a comment referencing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, which some people interpreted as a threat against Inaba.

Chmerkovskiy has been part of the show since Season 13 in 2011. BBC Studios released a statement over the weekend confirming the dancer’s suspension from the show.

Since Chmerkovskiy won’t be dancing this week, his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan will be dancing with recently eliminated pro Alan Bersten for Dedication Night. Bersten was eliminated earlier this season alongside celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.

“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ is non-negotiable,” said the statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”

During last week’s episode, Inaba had a tense exchange with Johnson pertaining to an illegal lift in her routine with Harry Shum Jr. and what Inaba said was a lack of content in the dances.

After the episode, Chmerkovskiy posted on his TikTok Story, saying, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The comment referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

In an Instagram story later in the week, Chmerkovskiy said he apologized to Inaba and wrote a public apology.

He also made a statement about how he would not be dancing this week.

Who is the guest judge for Dedication Night?

There will be four people sitting at the judge’s table during Dedication Night, as the regular three judges will be joined by guest judge Kym Johnson.

Johnson spent 15 seasons as a pro on “Dancing with the Stars” and won the Mirrorball Trophy twice. She also served as the guest judge for Dedication Night last year.

Johnson is from Sydney, Australia, and she first appeared in the first three seasons of Australia’s version of “Dancing with the Stars.” She then joined the American version in 2006. She won the show alongside partners Donny Osmond and Hines Ward.

During Season 20 in 2015, Johnson was paired with “Shark Tank” investor Robert Herjavec. The couple fell in love and later got married. After the wedding, Johnson confirmed she wouldn’t return to “Dancing with the Stars” as a pro.

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Here are the dances and dedications you will see during Dedication Night

Each of the 10 remaining celebrity contestants will be dedicating their performance Tuesday night to someone or something special to them. Many of the contestants and their pro partners will be joined by a special guest for their performances.

Here’s a look at what we know about each of the Dedication Night performances.

Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa

Actress Julia Stiles and her pro partner Ezra Sosa are doing a contemporary routine to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli.

Stiles is dedicating the performance to her late “10 Things I Hate About You” co-star Heath Ledger. He died at age 28 in 2008 from a prescription drug overdose. The show has not announced if Stiles has a special guest joining her performance.

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson

Actor Harry Shum Jr. will be performing a foxtrot with his pro partner Jenna Johnson to the song “Stop This Train” by John Mayer.

The dance will be dedicated to the actor’s wife Shelby, who will be joining the performance as a special guest.

Jackson Olson and Emma Slater

Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson will be doing a quickstep to “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole with his pro partner Emma Slater. Olson will be dedicating the dance to his mom, Laura, who will be joining her son as the special guest for the performance.

Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess

“The Bachelorette” alum Tyler Cameron and his pro partner Sharna Burgess are doing a contemporary routine to “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran. The performance will be dedicated to mothers everywhere.

Cameron’s fiancée, Tate Madden, will be the special guest for the performance.

Jenna Dewan and Alan Bersten

Since her partner has been suspended for the week, Dewan will be dancing a Viennese waltz with pro Bersten to the song “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers. She is dedicating the dance to her mom, Nancy, who will be joining the performance as a special guest.

Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold

Comedian and podcaster Connor Wood and his pro partner Rylee Arnold will perform a Viennese waltz to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” The dance will be dedicated to Wood’s dad, Pete, who will be joining as a special guest.

Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach

Paralympian Ezra Frech will be performing a contemporary dance with his pro partner Daniella Karagach. The dance, dedicated to Frech’s mom Bahar, will be set to the song “Mon Rovia.” Frech’s mom will also be joining the performance as a special guest.

Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov

Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn and her pro partner Pasha Pashkov will be doing a contemporary routine to Sia’s “Breathe Me.” The dance will be dedicated to the skater’s sister, Brooke, who will be joining the performance as a special guest.

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas

“The Traitors” and “Love Island” star Maura Higgins will perform a paso doble with her partner Mark Ballas, dedicated to Ireland. The dance, set to “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys, will feature special guest Lochlan “Lucky” Howard, an award-winning Irish step dancer.

Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik

Actress Tatyana Ali and her pro partner Jan Ravnik will be doing a Viennese waltz to “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by Nancy Wilson. The performance will be dedicated to the late James Avery, who played Ali’s father on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” She will be joined by Alfonso Ribeiro, who was on the show with her and currently serves as a host on “Dancing with the Stars.”

How to watch Dedication Night on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ this week

The episode will air on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. MDT. It will air live on ABC and Disney+ and will be available on Hulu the next day.

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