‘Dancing With the Stars’ Coach Hospitalized During Tour

A beloved Dancing with the Stars coach was hospitalized during the Dancing with the Stars Live tour.

On Sunday, during the tour’s stop in Peoria, Illinois, the show’s official Instagram account posted an announcement that Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy, 39, would miss the evening’s event.

“Hi Peoria—Unfortunately, due to an unforeseen and last-minute illness, Val will not be able to perform in today’s show. He is under medical care and we are wishing him a fast and speedy recovery," the statement read.

Chmerkovskiy, who has appeared on the show since 2011, updated his Instagram stories with a selfie showing him lying in a hospital bed.

“My apologies to all the fans that came out to see us today in Peoria,” he wrote on the image.

Chmerkovskiy continued, “Thank you to my fellow castmates for rallying. Little bump in the road I’ll be good to go asap. It takes quite literally me not being able to stand on my feet to keep me off the stage. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t make it tonight.”

To ease the fans’ worries, the three-time winner of DWTS, who was a runner-up with social media influencer Alix Earle on season 35 in 2025, made an Instagram video.

“My bad,” Chmerkovskiy said to the camera from the hospital bed, before thanking his “cool” doctor and his tour crew.

“I’ve just been having vertigo for the last couple of days,” he said, continuing, “and I had it yesterday and 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… once that little crystal in your equilibrium—again, I’m learning a lot—once it goes out, it’s really hard to get it back in.”

Vertigo is a condition in which a person experiences the sensation that the space around them is spinning, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Chmerkovskiy said he was “just spinning everywhere.” Understandably, life on the tour bus didn’t help the problem.

“So, on the bus when it’s moving, you know, I woke up, and I couldn’t get myself together,” he explained. “Hopefully—tomorrow’s a day off—I’ll be back on Tuesday.”

“Love you, thank you,” he concluded the video.

The tour kicked off on Jan. 22 and has 74 stops. On Tuesday, March 3, Chmerkovskiy is scheduled to perform in Milwaukee.

His wife, Jenna Johnson, 31, is a fellow DWTS professional on the tour. She commented on Chmerkovskiy’s post with a tearful emoji and a bandaged heart.

Chmerkovskiy also received sympathetic and encouraging messages from other reality stars.

Traitors winner Dylan Efron, who is the brother of actor Zac Efron and a season 35 DWTS competitor, wrote, “Feeling for you Val, Vertigo is awful. Happened to me right before DWTS but it healed quickly. Rest up and get those crystals aligned.” He signed the message with a heart emoji.

Kelsey Anderson, who got engaged to bachelor Joey Graziadei at the end of season 28 of The Bachelor, commented, “Vertigo is the worst. Hope you get better soon!”