‘DWTS’ Alum Cheryl Burke Reacts To Maksim Chmerkovskiy Calling Jan Ravnik Casting ‘Absurd’

Cheryl Burke is sharing her take on Maksim Chmerkovksiy and Peta Murgatroyd’s viral comments about Jan Ravnik’s “Dancing with the Stars” casting. The couple didn’t hold back when discussing Jan’s performance as a pro dancer this season, explaining on Peta’s “The Penthouse with Peta” podcast why they don’t think he’s the right choice for the job. “I’m sorry, Jan has absolutely no business being a pro on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” Maks said. “There’s zero foundation technique, quality, understanding of the partnership. Bro, I’m getting emotional. It is absurd, and this is unreal how blind we have to be and God forbid say what’s obviously there.” Maks cited Jan’s foxtrot choreography for the show’s “Wicked” night as an example he believes showcases the dancer’s lack of ballroom expertise and Peta agreed, adding her opinion that Jan’s partner, “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Jen Affleck, is “at a major disadvantage” under Jan’s guidance. The spouses and “DWTS” pros, who have won three mirrorball trophies between them, both acknowledged that they don’t consider the situation Jan’s fault and that their criticism isn’t personal. “They hired him. He’s a Taylor Swift dancer. It’s the obvious reason why he is hired,” Peta alleged, referencing Jan’s work as a backup dancer on the Eras Tour. “Apart from that, he’s a lovely guy. He looks great. He obviously is a great dancer. Hiring a non-ballroom dancer to teach ballroom dancing to a celebrity as a job is outrageous.” Reps for “Dancing with the Stars” and Jan himself have yet to publicly address the matter as of Oct. 27. Two-time “DWTS” champ Cheryl is set to return to the show as a guest judge for Halloween week and she told Access Hollywood that she thinks the fact Jan and Jen are still in the competition at this point illustrates that the reality star is in good hands. “They’ve made it more than halfway through the competition already. That’s more than most, right? So, he’s done a great job for his first season, that’s crazy,” she said.