'It's Outrageous': 'DWTS' Pros Slam Taylor Swift Dancer–Turned–Pro for 'Lack of Training' Lauren AndersonOctober 25, 2025 at 9:19 PM 0 Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images The Dancing With the Stars ballroom is heating up — and not just because of the competition.
- - 'It's Outrageous': 'DWTS' Pros Slam Taylor Swift Dancer–Turned–Pro for 'Lack of Training'
Lauren AndersonOctober 25, 2025 at 9:19 PM
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Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images
The Dancing With the Stars ballroom is heating up — and not just because of the competition. Two former DWTS pros, Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, are weighing in on one of Season 34's most controversial pairings: Taylor Swift's backup dancer–turned–pro partner, Jan Ravnik.
During a candid discussion, Murgatroyd, 39, said she believes Jan's lack of ballroom experience is holding his celebrity partner, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck, back from reaching her full potential.
"Jen has a major disadvantage," Murgatroyd said on her podcast The Penthouse With Peta. "She's not getting taught the base of the dance. He is a Taylor Swift dancer, which is the obvious reason why they hired him. Hiring a non-ballroom dancer to teach a celebrity ballroom dance is outrageous."
Ravnik, 30, previously performed as a background dancer for Swift on her Eras Tour. He joined DWTS as a first-time pro this season. His stage presence and charisma have impressed fans. But longtime ballroom pros argue that traditional training can't be faked.
"He's learning slowly," Murgatroyd continued. "It's his first season. I have to give him grace for not understanding Foxtrot technique. It's very hard to watch."
But Chmerkovskiy, 45, didn't share that patience. "You do not have to give him grace," he said bluntly.
"Jan has absolutely no business being a pro on Dancing With the Stars. There's zero foundation, technique, quality, understanding of the partnership. It is absurd. This is unreal — how blind we have to be to not say what's obviously there."
Still, even Chmerkovskiy admitted the rookie's struggles aren't entirely his fault. "It's not Jan's fault," he added. "He's doing what he was hired to do. I have zero against him whatsoever. [But Affleck] has no partner. It's not his fault."
How far Affleck will make it in the competition remains to be seen. But she does have SLOMW fans backing her up each week. And if Andy Richter is proof of anything, it's that fan support can take you to the top.
Watch Dancing With the Stars on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Stream episodes the next day on Hulu.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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