Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson have been one of the most loved dance couples on 'Dancing With the Stars'. Know about Chmerkovskiy's love story and his recent health scare amid the 'DWTS' Tour.
Dancing With the Stars fans were recently left worried after professional dancer Valentin 'Val' Chmerkovskiy left the show's live tour in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1, 2026. He later shared a health update on Instagram, revealing that he had been hospitalized during the tour for a sudden health scare. Since then, searches like "Val Chmerkovskiy hospitalization" and "Val Chmerkovskiy health update" have been dominating the internet.
As Chmerkovskiy recovers from the health crisis, the attention has also shifted to his wife, fellow DWTS star Jenna Johnson, who has been by his side for over a decade. Read on to find everything we know about Val's diagnosis and the woman he shares his life with.
During the ongoing Dancing With the Stars Live Tour, Chmerkovskiy alarmed fans when he posted a video from a hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois. After he couldn't perform at the show, the 39-year-old dancer took to social media with a short video recorded from a hospital bed. He explained that he had been dealing with severe vertigo, describing the sensation as if “everything was spinning.” He said:
"I'd just been having vertigo for the past couple of days and had it yesterday. I was able to get through the show, and then we ran some tests, and then, again, we're on the bus, so I guess that kind of wants that little crystal in your equilibrium ... Once it goes out, it's like it's really hard to get it back in, and so I'm just spinning everywhere. And so on the bus, when it's moving, you know, I woke up, and I just couldn't get myself together."
Val's symptoms became so intense that he was in no way to perform later that day. He had to skip a scheduled tour performance while doctors conducted tests. Shortly afterward, the DWTS pro revealed that he had been diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a common inner-ear condition that can cause dizziness and balance issues. He reassured fans that the doctors had ruled out any serious concerns. Val said on social media:
"So, I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There’s no tumor in my brain, God forbid. And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury."
While Val has reassured fans that he is doing much better now, fans know that his wife, Jenna Johnson, has been his biggest supporter through the health scare. In case you didn't know, Jenna is also a professional dancer and a longtime star of Dancing With the Stars. Born in April 1994 in California, Jenna was raised in Utah and made a career as a Latin ballroom dancer and choreographer. She is best known for her energetic dance moves on television reality shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, and specializes in jazz, contemporary, and Latin ballroom.
Jenna first joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars in 2014 and quickly became one of its most widely loved performers, earning massive fame for her expressive choreography and powerful ballroom technique. In 2016, she was promoted to the pro status and has since won multiple seasons, adding two Mirrorball Trophies to her name. And now, the 31-year-old is one of the franchise's elite dancers, and rightfully so.
Today, Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy is a well-known name in American entertainment as a dancer-choregrapher, earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her work with Valentin on DWTS season 33. Besides these, she has been a five-time U.S. National Latin Champion, a three-time National Contemporary Winner, and a National Youth 10 Dance Champion. In 2012, she represented the U.S. at the World Latin Dance Champions.
The DWTS pros have been together for more than a decade now, waltzing through the highs and lows of their personal and professional lives. The two pros met through the show and developed a connection that eventually turned romantic. The couple says it all started for them in 2014, when Jenna joined the cast. Val, who was already one of the ballroom dance pros on the show, built an instant connection. Jenna once described her first impression of Val as an instant attraction, joking that she still remembers how he “smelled very good” when they first met on set. Meanwhile, Val often praises his wife’s dedication, especially after watching her achieve professional milestones on DWTS.
After several years together, the couple married in 2019, instantly becoming one of the show’s most beloved real-life partnerships. And now, they are parents to a beautiful baby boy, Rome, who was born in 2023. Since becoming parents, the couple has openly talked about the challenges of balancing their equally demanding dance careers with family life. However, being from the same field has its perks. Reflecting on their connection, Jenna said in a 2025 interview on Meet Cutes NYC:
"We work in a crazy industry, so I think being there for one another and being each other's hype crew, each other's shoulder to cry on, safe place... [be] open to the raw and terrible parts of life that you're going to experience together as a couple."
Chmerkovskiy previously admitted that finding time together as a couple can sometimes be “hit or miss,” especially with touring schedules, rehearsals, and parenting responsibilities. Still, the couple says communication and patience are key to keeping their relationship strong. They often bring little Rome along while travelling for work, letting their son experience their creative world growing up.
According to recent updates, Val is out of the hospital and reassured fans that his diagnosis is manageable. BPPV is typically treated with specialized physical therapy movements, such as the Epley maneuver, designed to reposition crystals in the inner ear that affect balance. Although the dancer admitted he still felt slightly dizzy, he told followers he was well enough to return to the stage and continue the tour. It remains to be seen when Val returns for the rest of the tour.
For now, Val's recent health update has been a huge relief for fans after the initial hospital video sparked concern online. And with Val already back on his feet, it looks like the ballroom duo will soon be dancing again!
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