Val Chmerkovskiy is not afraid to share some constructive criticism. The Dancing with the Stars pro shared his thoughts with Danielle Fishel as they recapped the second episode of the new show Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on their podcast. He talks about all of the contestants vying for the coveted Pro position and admits some have slightly put him off. In his opinion, AJ Pritchard came across a bit arrogant.
Is AJ Pritchard showcasing “arrogance” on the Dancing with the Stars spinoff?
Val and Danielle, who previously competed on Season 34, spoke on their podcast Stepping on Toes about the latest episode of the new DWTS spinoff show. According to Val, AJ makes good TV, but he wishes he didn’t come across so strongly.
“It makes good TV at his expense. I guess that’s how I want to say it,” Val admitted when commenting on AJ and his partner Selena Hamilton. “I wish he wrapped that arrogance into a little softer presentation.”
He added that he understood that AJ is already an accomplished professional. However, he thinks the would-be new Dance Pro also needs to respect the spirit of the show.
“I understand if he’s coming in with this feeling of like, I’m not gonna say entitlement, I don’t want to use that word,” Val said. “But if he comes in with not a chip on his shoulder, but kind of like, ‘What am I even doing here? Why do I have to go through this process if I already know I’m good enough? I can appreciate that, but dude, then don’t sign up for the show.”
And despite having multiple awards, Val didn’t think that justified AJ’s over-confidence.
“We’ve all got pedigree,” he shared. “Everyone’s won something. You have to have humility in the sense that you’ve got to prove yourself right now.”
Despite all of this, Val is grateful for the new talent. Dance pros have come and gone, but new blood also infuses a renewed sense of competition.
“We have a lot of incredible talent in the competitive ballroom community,” he said. “Dancing with the Stars is a vehicle to broadcast that talent to a wider audience. It’s nice to not gatekeep this awesomeness and allow a new generation to come in and enjoy it.”
The three-time champion cheekily added, though, “They’ll have to go through me.”
Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro airs Mondays on ABC. Episodes stream on Hulu the following day.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH VAL’S ASSESSMENT OF AJ? OR DO YOU THINK HE’S OFF THE MARK?
