Photo by Benjo Arwas
I’m seriously ‘fangirling’ over here right now, you guys. Today’s interview is with the insanely talented, extremely sexy (just keeping it real) dancing legend that is Maks Chmerkovskiy. Yes, as in Maks that you’ve seen on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Yes, as in Maks the beyond incredible ballroom dancer we all know and love. Yes, as in Maks who, with his business partners Val Chmerkovskiy and Tony Dovolani, just opened a Dance with Me Studio in The Woodlands. Yes, that Maks!
My dream for quite a while now has been to be on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Do I have any formal dancing experience? No. Did my husband and I basically fail our dance classes before our wedding? Yes. But am I glued to my television on Monday nights during DWTS season? You better believe it. I’m addicted. I’m so fascinated with dance, and how stories are told through dance, and the emotions dancing brings out in people. It’s such an art. Hey Maks, if you’re looking for a partner on next season’s DWTS, I’m your girl.
NOW, let’s get to this interview, shall we? Keep on reading for how Maks got into dance, his favorite part about ballroom dancing, what he would be doing if he wasn’t a dancer, and much more.
Maks Chmerkovskiy of Dancing with the Stars
When did you first become interested in dancing? Has it been a passion of yours since you were little? If not, what inspired you to become a dancer?
My parents enrolled me into a sort of finishing school when I was 4 years old. As part of raising little ‘princes and princesses’ we were taught manners, how to use knife and fork at dinner, we did some singing, some acting and a little bit of dancing. One day my parents were offered to enroll me into a dance school; they said ‘sure’. I’ve had extra curriculum activities my entire childhood. Swimming, tennis, Math class, building model ships, Chemistry and Biology club, etc. I’ve been pretty good at everything, but Ballroom Dancing was the only thing that stuck through the years. When we immigrated to United States in ’94 Ballroom Dance became the only ‘language’ I knew as well as source of making some money (we danced shows in restaurants around Brooklyn). I stuck with it and here we are 🙂
What’s your favorite part about your job as a ballroom dancer? Most rewarding? Most challenging?
Most rewarding part about being a ballroom dancer is that it teaches you to work with another person, in a very close proximity, from an early age. My success in competitions depended on my partner and vice versa. I also love how Ballroom dancing teaches boys to be gentlemen and girls to be accepting of chivalry, both of which are unfortunately becoming a thing of the past.
What is your favorite type of dance to perform and why?
Most of my Ballroom career I loved Rumba and Paso Doble and Slow Foxtrot. Throughout my tenure on Dancing With The Stars I’ve had amazing opportunities to perform other styles, choreographed by some of the best choreographers of our generation. Last 10 years made me fall deeply in love with Argentine Tango, any Latin American style of dance as well as Modern and commercial hip-hop.
What advice would you give someone wanting to become a professional dancer?
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! I never liked to practice, but my parents made me do it every day when I was a child. As a teenager I had so many responsibilities as a dancer ( Competitions, dancing for work and I opened my first dance school when I was 16 in NJ) I ended up accumulating my “10,000 hours” faster than most kinds my age. It made me who I am today and heres my advice to everyone: If you want to become best at anything you have to spend more time doing IT than anyone you know! Trust me when I tell you that every minute you’re not practicing, someone out there does and they will take your opportunity from under your nose just because they were better prepared!
Maks and Deborah Duncan on Great Day Houston (watch the entire segment here) / Photo taken by Alex Samusevich, Marketing Director of Dance with Me Studios
Walk us thru a day in your life. I imagine no two are the same!
No two are the same and It is very hard for me to explain my day. I co-run the fastest growing Dance Studio business in the history of our industry, continue my work in Hollywood, oversee corporate projects of my production company (MCProductions), continue my work with ‘LivON’ (vitamin supplement company) as well as my charitable work with ChildHelp and Alfalit, and my first child is due to be born on January 2nd…… My days are pretty crazy 🙂
If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be doing?
I would be a Chemist.
How exciting that you’re opening a dance studio in The Woodlands! What made you decide to open one there?
We want to be in every city around United States and loved The Woodlands when we were presented with this location.
What inspires you?
Success.
What motto/quote do you always try to live by?
‘If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.’
Thanks so much, Maks! And thanks Mad Meg Creative for coordinating this interview!!
Be sure to follow Maks on Twitter and Instagram.
And if you’re in the area, make sure to check out the newest Dance with Me location in The Woodlands!
See previous interviews here.