Chmerkovskiy’s Critique of Pritchard’s Conduct

Longtime Dancing With the Stars professional Val Chmerkovskiy has voiced his disapproval regarding the behavior of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro contestant AJ Pritchard. During a recent episode of his podcast, Stepping on Toes, co-hosted by Danielle Fishel, Chmerkovskiy analyzed the second episode of the competition, specifically highlighting his concerns about Pritchard’s demeanor.


The Source of the Friction

The tension stems from a recent performance in which Pritchard and his partner, Selena Hamilton, were tasked with choreographing a routine based on a personal narrative. Pritchard chose to center the performance on his 2015 British Open Youth Latin Championship win. During rehearsals, Pritchard took a dominant role, providing constant corrections to Hamilton’s form—an approach that Chmerkovskiy found problematic.


«It makes good TV at his expense. I guess that’s how I want to say it. There’s a part to it that I like,» Chmerkovskiy noted during the podcast. «I wish he just kind of wrapped that arrogance into a little softer presentation. I get it; you did your thing, you won some awards… we all got pedigree. Everybody’s won something.»


A Call for Humility

Chmerkovskiy acknowledged Pritchard’s background as a competitive dancer but emphasized that past achievements do not exempt contestants from needing a respectful attitude. The three-time DWTS champion specifically criticized a moment where Pritchard used his foot to adjust Hamilton’s hip during rehearsal.


Addressing the contestant's mindset, Chmerkovskiy added:

«But if you are gonna show up, you’ve got to have humility in the sense that you’ve got to prove yourself right now. There’s a reason why you’re here and no longer have a job there. So be here, be present. Don’t live in the past.»

Background Context

AJ Pritchard is a former professional dancer from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, where he appeared for four seasons between 2016 and 2019. He is also known for being the older brother of Love Island U.K. star Curtis Pritchard.