Jen Affleck & Jan Ravnik Break Silence After DWTS Exit
Jen Affleck and her professional dance partner, Jan Ravnik, have finally spoken out after their elimination from Dancing With the Stars. The duo, who danced together through week 7, became the center of attention following public criticism from former DWTS champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Last week, Chmerkovskiy appeared on his wife Peta Murgatroyd’s podcast, “The Penthouse with Peta,” and claimed that Jan had “absolutely no business being a pro” on the show. Despite the remarks, Ravnik and Affleck pushed forward, delivering one of their strongest performances before their exit.
Their week 7 dance — a Contemporary routine to Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” — earned them 32 points, plus two bonus points in the Hustle & Lindy Hop Marathon. With a total of 34, it was a solid showing, but not enough to keep them in the competition once viewer votes were tallied.
Support From Fellow DWTS Pros
While Chmerkovskiy’s comments stirred controversy, several Dancing With the Stars pros came to Ravnik’s defense.
Three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas told TV Insider:
“Jan is a great human being. I love him. He’s an elite dancer, and I didn’t make it this far in my first season either.”
Ballas emphasized that DWTS has evolved over the years, adding that Jan “did an incredible job with Jen” and proved that the show’s style now embraces more than traditional ballroom technique.
Professional dancer Pasha Pashkov, currently partnered with actress Danielle Fishel, echoed similar praise:
“Jan had a great first season. I didn’t know him before, but I really like him. We clicked instantly. I’m going to miss his energy in the ballroom.”
Fishel also applauded Ravnik’s steady progress throughout the season, saying:
“Every single pro gets better week after week. Jan continued to grow and improve. I’m going to miss him and Jen.”
Jen Affleck & Jan Ravnik Respond
New pro Ezra Sosa, who joined the DWTS family last year, also related to Jan’s experience as a first-timer:
“[Jan] made it further than I did in my first year. He did a spectacular job and really let Jen shine every single week.”
When Ravnik heard about the kind words from his fellow pros, he told TV Insider:
“It makes me feel great to hear all this. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
Jen Affleck, known for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, added:
“If I could do this again, I’d want the same partner. We had so much against us, but we still pushed through.”
Ravnik concluded by expressing his gratitude toward the DWTS community:
“They all accepted me into their family. Each week I got support from them. This show is all about love — the love from people inside the show.”
.jpg)
.jpg)
