Season 33 “Dancing with the Stars” professional dancer Gleb Savchenko has vocalized his support for his long-time friend and former DWTS pro Artem Chigvintsev.
After the September 17 “Dancing with the Stars” season 33 premiere, Savchenko spoke with E! News. “He’s my brother and I just send him love,” Savchenko said of Chigvintsev.
As TMZ reported on August 29, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chigvintsev after a 911 call from his Napa Valley home.
TMZ reported that Napa County online jail records available at the time of Chigvintsev’s arrest indicated authorities booked him on a felony charge of domestic violence.
On September 12, TMZ reported that Chigvintsev’s wife, former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Nikki Garcia (formerly Bella) had filed for divorce from Chigvintsev.
Gleb Savchenko Considers Artem Chigvintsev ‘Part of the Family’
Savchenko told E! News that Chigvintsev is “Part of the family.” He continued, “He’s such a great dancer that people don’t realize. He’s the quality. It’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality.”
In addition to sending Chigvintsev his “love and positivity,” Savchenko revealed he talks to Chigvintsev “all the time.”
The two men have been close for a long time. In February 2023, Savchenko posted a photo on his Instagram page showing him at Chigvintsev and Garcia’s wedding. He wrote, “Congratulations to @theartemc @thenikkibella I love you guys!”
The caption continued, “The most gorgeous wedding I’ve ever been to and what an honour to be a best man for my bro.” Savchenko thanked the couple for “an amazing time celebrating your love” and noted he and his then-girlfriend Elena Belle“had a blast.”
The first photo in Savchenko’s post showed him posing with Chigvintsev, Garcia, and Garcia’s twin sister Brie, who was the matron of honor. Another pair of photos showed Savchenko giving his best man speech and Chigvintsev wiping a tear from his eye.
Savchenko Lauded Chigvintsev’s Talent
Savchenko also noted how well Chigvintsev knows “how the show works” and “how to create a beautiful routine” with “Dancing with the Stars.”
As TV Insider noted, “Dancing with the Stars” had already determined Chigvinsev would not be a pro for season 33 before his arrest.
Chigvintsev participated in 14 prior seasons of the show, winning the Mirrorball trophy in season 29 with Kaitlyn Bristowe.
Chigvintsev met Garcia when they were partners for season 25 of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017. Most recently, he made the finale in season 22 with partner Charity Lawson.
Savchenko is partnered with model Brooks Nader for season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars.” As Entertainment Weekly noted, the duo scored 18 out of 30 points for their debut performance during the September 17 premiere.
According to ABC, everybody will dance a second time during episode 2 of “Dancing with the Stars” season 33 before anybody is eliminated. Despite landing in the middle of the leaderboard with their first performance, the duo feels confident about the season.
“I’ve never won the Mirrorball, but this is the time,” Savchenko told E! News after the premiere. “This is the year,” he declared.
Savchenko also noted that both he and Nader are “super competitive,” and it seems they have their sights set on claiming the Mirrorball for themselves.
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