Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson remain one of the best-known married couples in the Dancing With the Stars world, and their relationship continues to attract attention as both professional dancers compete on Season 35. The couple are balancing their careers, family life and another demanding season of the ABC dance competition, with Chmerkovskiy partnered with Jenna Dewan and Johnson dancing with Harry Shum Jr.
Who Is Val Chmerkovskiy’s Wife?
Val Chmerkovskiy is married to professional dancer and choreographer Jenna Johnson. The couple first met through the Dancing With the Stars community and developed a relationship after spending years working in the same professional dance environment.
Johnson has built her own successful career in competitive Latin and ballroom dancing. Before becoming a regular professional on Dancing With the Stars, she competed on So You Think You Can Dance. She later joined DWTS as a troupe member before becoming a professional dancer.
Her career on the show has included several memorable partnerships and Mirrorball Trophy victories. She has also become one of the more recognizable professional dancers associated with the program.
Chmerkovskiy, meanwhile, has been part of Dancing With the Stars for many years and has established himself as one of the show’s most experienced professional dancers. His career includes competitive ballroom dancing, choreography, television appearances and work connected to dance studios.
Together, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson have turned their shared professional background into a family life that frequently intersects with the world of dance.
Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson’s Marriage
Chmerkovskiy and Johnson married on April 13, 2019, after several years of an on-and-off relationship. Their engagement was announced in 2018, and the pair subsequently celebrated their wedding with family, friends and fellow dancers.
Their marriage has remained a regular topic among DWTS viewers because both continue to work in the same competitive environment.
Unlike couples who have one partner working away from the entertainment industry, Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson understand the demands of the show firsthand. Both deal with long rehearsals, live performances, travel, television appearances and the pressure that comes with preparing routines each week.
That shared experience can also give them an unusual understanding of each other’s professional responsibilities.
In 2026, the couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary. Their anniversary was another reminder of how their relationship has developed from a romance within the DWTS environment into a marriage and family partnership.
Their Son Rome
Family life has become another important part of Chmerkovskiy and Johnson’s story.
The couple welcomed their first child, son Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy, in January 2023. Since then, Johnson and Chmerkovskiy have occasionally shared glimpses of their family life with fans while continuing to maintain their demanding careers.
Rome has also accompanied his parents during parts of their professional travels. During the 2026 Dancing With the Stars live tour, Johnson discussed what it was like having her young son on the road.
The experience offered a different perspective on life as a touring professional dancer. Instead of separating her work schedule completely from family responsibilities, Johnson was able to have Rome with her while traveling for performances.
The couple’s approach to family life has remained an area of public interest, particularly because both parents continue to perform at a high level.
The Couple’s New Home
Another significant development for Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson came in June 2026, when the couple announced that they had purchased a new home.
Johnson shared the news publicly, describing it as an exciting new chapter for their family. The move represents another milestone for the married couple as they raise their young son while continuing to work in entertainment.
Their home life has also become part of the broader story surrounding the Chmerkovskiy family. Val’s brother, Maks Chmerkovskiy, is married to fellow former DWTS professional Peta Murgatroyd, making the family particularly connected to the show’s professional dance community.
Maks and Peta moved from Los Angeles to Florida during 2026, a change Johnson discussed publicly later in the summer. She expressed that she missed having the family nearby while also saying she was happy to see them enjoying their new home.
Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson on ‘DWTS’ Season 35
The biggest current development involving Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife is their participation in Dancing With the Stars Season 35.
The 2026 season features an unusual situation for the married professional dancers. Chmerkovskiy is partnered with actress and dancer Jenna Dewan, while Johnson is paired with actor and dancer Harry Shum Jr.
The two celebrity contestants entered the competition with substantial dance backgrounds. Dewan is known for her professional dancing career and her role in Step Up, while Shum Jr. has extensive experience as a dancer and performer.
That experience has become an important part of the conversation surrounding their performances.
Johnson and Chmerkovskiy recently discussed the issue of judging standards and indicated that they believe their partners may be held to a higher standard because of their previous dance experience.
Johnson explained that she does not necessarily view that as a negative. Instead, she said the goal is for experienced dancers to demonstrate proper ballroom technique rather than receive an automatic advantage simply because they already know how to dance.
Why Previous Dance Experience Matters This Season
The comments from Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson highlight an important distinction in Dancing With the Stars.
The competition brings together celebrities from very different backgrounds. Some arrive with little or no formal dance training, while others have performed professionally or have extensive experience with movement and choreography.
A celebrity who already understands rhythm, musicality, choreography and performance may be able to learn certain elements of ballroom dancing more quickly. However, ballroom and Latin competition also require specialized technique, posture, footwork, partnering and styling.
For that reason, previous dance experience does not necessarily mean a celebrity has mastered the particular skills required by DWTS.
Johnson said she and Shum Jr. understand that experience can increase expectations. Chmerkovskiy has made similar observations about his partnership with Dewan.
The discussion is especially relevant during the early weeks of Season 35 because both couples are learning how their celebrity partners’ previous experience translates into ballroom competition.
How Val and Jenna Are Performing in Season 35
Season 35 began with a two-night premiere in September 2026. The large cast includes several celebrities with different forms of entertainment, sports and performance backgrounds.
Chmerkovskiy’s partnership with Jenna Dewan immediately attracted attention because of Dewan’s extensive dance background. Johnson’s pairing with Harry Shum Jr. similarly drew interest because Shum Jr. is a highly experienced performer.
During the premiere, Johnson and Shum Jr. received a score of 21 out of 30 for their cha-cha. The performance placed them among the stronger-scoring couples during the opening portion of the competition.
The season’s format means that performances, scores and viewer voting can change the position of each couple from week to week. Early results therefore provide a snapshot rather than a final indication of how the season will develop.
As Season 35 continues, both professional dancers will be working to develop their celebrity partners while adapting routines to the judges’ expectations.
Val Chmerkovskiy’s Partnership With Jenna Dewan
Chmerkovskiy’s pairing with Jenna Dewan has generated particular interest because the two Jennas on the show have created an unusual situation for the married couple.
Val’s wife, Jenna Johnson, is competing on the same season as Jenna Dewan, who is his celebrity partner. That has created plenty of playful attention around the fact that both dancers are working with someone named Jenna.
Chmerkovskiy has even joked about the situation by using a playful nickname for his wife to distinguish her from his celebrity partner.
Behind the humor, however, the professional situation remains serious. Dewan entered the competition with years of dance experience, meaning Chmerkovskiy has the opportunity to work with a celebrity who already understands many elements of performance.
The challenge is adapting that experience specifically to ballroom competition while continuing to develop new routines each week.
Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.
Johnson’s partnership with Harry Shum Jr. has also attracted attention because of his background as a dancer and performer.
Shum Jr. has worked extensively in dance, television and film, including his role as Mike Chang on Glee. His previous dance experience means he is familiar with demanding choreography and performance environments.
Johnson has emphasized that Shum Jr. is approaching ballroom with a desire to learn its specific technique. That distinction is important because Dancing With the Stars requires celebrities to adapt to styles that can differ considerably from their previous training.
For Johnson, the season therefore involves teaching an experienced performer the technical details of ballroom while helping him connect with the storytelling aspect of each routine.
Val Chmerkovskiy & Wife Continue to Balance Work and Family
One reason the relationship between Chmerkovskiy and Johnson remains interesting to viewers is that their professional and personal lives are closely connected.
Both have demanding schedules, yet they continue to work within the same television franchise while raising their son.
Their careers also extend beyond the weekly television show. Touring, choreography, appearances and other professional commitments can require significant travel and preparation.
Having both parents understand the pressures of professional dance may help explain why their family life has become such an important part of their public story.
At the same time, the couple generally shares selected moments rather than providing constant details about their private lives. Their public appearances and social-media updates have offered glimpses into their marriage, parenting and professional milestones without making every aspect of their family life public.
What’s Next for Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson
The immediate focus for the couple is Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars.
As of the latest update, Chmerkovskiy continues competing with Jenna Dewan, while Johnson is partnered with Harry Shum Jr. Both couples are entering the part of the competition where routines become more demanding and judges increasingly evaluate technical details, performance quality and consistency.
The current season is scheduled to continue with new themed episodes and weekly performances. The outcome for individual couples will depend on their performances, judges’ scores and the show’s voting process.
For fans following Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson, the season provides an opportunity to see the married professionals approach the competition from two different coaching perspectives while simultaneously supporting their family away from the ballroom.
There is no official confirmation of any additional major family expansion beyond the couple’s existing family at this time. Their confirmed family milestone remains their life with son Rome, while their newest publicly announced household development is their 2026 home purchase.
Final Thoughts
Val Chmerkovskiy & wife Jenna Johnson have built a relationship that combines professional dance, television, marriage and parenthood. From meeting through the Dancing With the Stars world to marrying in 2019 and welcoming their son Rome in 2023, their relationship has developed alongside two successful entertainment careers.
Their latest chapter is particularly notable because both are competing in Season 35 with celebrity partners who already have substantial dance experience. Johnson and Chmerkovskiy have acknowledged that such experience may bring higher expectations from the judges, adding another layer to an already competitive season.
As the 2026 season progresses, viewers will continue watching not only the individual journeys of Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr., but also how Chmerkovskiy and Johnson balance competition, family and their long-running connection to the Dancing With the Stars franchise.
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