Jenna Dewan's Fiancé Defends Her Amid DWTS Partner's Suspension
Steve Kazee pledges support for Dewan after Val Chmerkovskiy's week-long suspension from 'Dancing With the Stars'.
Steve Kazee, fiancé of dancer Jenna Dewan, expressed his unwavering support for Dewan following the suspension of her "Dancing With the Stars" partner, Val Chmerkovskiy. Kazee took to his Instagram Stories on Saturday to share a message of encouragement for Dewan, who was preparing for the show's "Super Bowl Night."
"Everytime I think I can’t love you more, your grace, your class and your heart prove me wrong," Kazee wrote, accompanying his message with a photo of Dewan. He added, "You got this baby! We got you!"
Kazee, who became engaged to Dewan in 2020, has been a consistent supporter of her "DWTS" journey. This latest show of support comes after Chmerkovskiy's suspension from the competition. The pro dancer received a one-week ban for a social media post that referenced the infamous 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. Chmerkovskiy had used the reference while defending his wife, Jenna Johnson, after a critique from judge Carrie Ann Inaba regarding a lift performed during Johnson's dance with actor Harry Shum Jr.
Inaba had stated the definition of a lift according to the show's rules and also advised Shum Jr. to "put more content in [his] dances." Chmerkovskiy's deleted TikTok post, which drew parallels to Smith's reaction to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, led to his suspension.
A statement from a BBC Studios producer confirmed Chmerkovskiy's removal from the following week's show, citing that his post was "inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show."
Chmerkovskiy later apologized for his remarks, acknowledging that he "made a poor decision" and that his intention was not to cause a distraction for Dewan or the competition. He specifically apologized to Inaba for her being caught in the middle of his "bad judgment."
Dewan is scheduled to dance with pro Alan Bersten for "Dedication Night" on Tuesday. The pair will perform a Viennese waltz dedicated to Dewan's mother, Nancy Bursch.