In a candid and deeply personal confession, Dancing With the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy is revealing what many couples are too afraid to admit — that love can be shadowed by comparison, and even the strongest bond can be tested when one partner’s star seems to rise faster than the other’s.
For Val, that partner was his wife and fellow dancer, Jenna Johnson.
“There was a time I’d watch her get all this praise — fan love, standing ovations, viral moments — and instead of just being happy, I felt… left behind,” Val confessed. “It’s hard to admit that, but it’s the truth.”
A Love Tested by Fame
Val and Jenna are both no strangers to the spotlight, but as Jenna’s star soared — especially after her emotional season with JoJo Siwa and groundbreaking performances — Val says he struggled privately with feelings he never expected.
“She was on fire. Everyone saw it. She was redefining what it meant to be a pro on that stage,” he shared. “And while I was so damn proud, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me that asked, ‘What about me?’”
Val was quick to clarify that his envy wasn’t about Jenna — it was about himself.
“It was my own insecurity. My own ego. She wasn’t doing anything wrong — she was just being brilliant. And I had to confront why that made me feel small.”
Choosing Growth Over Ego
Instead of letting those feelings create distance, Val leaned into them — and began the work of unlearning the idea that love is a competition.
“I realized I was measuring my worth through someone else’s spotlight. That’s not love, that’s pride,” he said. “And when I let that go… I saw her more clearly than ever.”
What he saw? A woman who worked harder than anyone. A wife who never once diminished his light to shine hers. And a partner who never stopped rooting for him — even when he was silently wrestling with his own self-worth.
“She inspires me,” Val said. “Not just on the dance floor, but in life. She’s strong, bold, radiant… and the more she rises, the more I fall in love with her.”
A Marriage Reimagined
Now, with a child in their lives and new chapters unfolding, Val says he no longer fears Jenna’s success — he celebrates it as part of their shared legacy.
“She’s not just my wife. She’s my muse. My partner. My greatest teacher. And every time she steps into that spotlight, I thank the universe that she chose me to stand beside her.”
Because in the end, Val says, the real dance isn’t about who gets the loudest applause.
“It’s about staying in sync, even when the music changes.”
