DWTS’ Jan Ravnik Posts Taylor Swift Lyric Amid Maks Chmerkovskiy Drama

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Jan Ravnik isn’t playing the role of the fool.

Despite criticism from former Dancing With the Stars professionals Maks Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd, the 30-year-old performer hinted at his upcoming routine on the ABC show with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck, and suggested it would be inspired by Taylor Swift.

On October 28th, Jan shared a photo on Instagram of himself and Jen, 26, practicing their performance of Taylor Swift’s 2017 song “Look What You Made Me Do.” Many believe this song is about Kanye West. Jan, a backup dancer on Taylor’s Eras Tour, is performing the song with Jen on Dancing with the Stars for their Halloween night routine. He shared a particularly pointed line from the song on the photo, writing, “I’ll be the actress starring in your bad dreams.”

Some viewers thought the post was a reaction to comments made by Maksim and Peta, who claimed Jan shouldn’t be a professional dancer on the current season of Dancing with the Stars.

Maksim, 45, expressed his frustration on the October 24th episode of his wife’s podcast, The Penthouse With Peta, stating there’s a complete lack of basic respect, good communication, and understanding in their current situation. He found it ridiculous that people seem unwilling to acknowledge what’s plainly obvious.

Peta, age 39, claimed that Jan’s relationship with Taylor, 35, was clearly the reason he got the job.

She commented that he’s a very talented dancer, but thought it was absurd to hire someone who doesn’t specialize in ballroom dance to teach a celebrity how to do it.

Jan claimed his song selection on the October 28th episode of Dancing with the Stars was entirely Jen’s suggestion. He even said he’d initially advised his partner against using a Taylor Swift song, fearing they’d be seen as trying to gain votes through her popularity.

In an interview with Glamour magazine published on October 28th, Jan explained that she suggested they establish themselves before using certain songs. She recalled, ‘She really wanted to use “Look What You Made Me Do.” I told her I thought it was perfect for Halloween, as the song and music video are very powerful and could be used to address the negativity she was facing, given the show’s premise of loving one contestant while disliking another.’

Besides, Jan emphasized he wants no part of the social media chatter surrounding the show.

He admitted he still struggles with anxiety daily. He doesn’t sleep, and feels completely exhausted, saying he’s ‘dying’ from it. Despite the challenges, he finds enjoyment in what he does, but acknowledges the significant amount of negativity online.

Keep reading for behind-the-scenes secrets from Dancing With the Stars…

In 2019, Variety reported that contestants on Dancing With the Stars initially earn $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks of the show, with earnings increasing weekly if they continue. Sources at the time said the maximum payout could reach $295,000.

However, Bobby Bones, who won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018, claimed he earned significantly more.

On Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast in September 2025, Bones revealed the pay scale: no money for the first episode, $10,000 for the second, and increasing amounts—$10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000—potentially reaching $50,000 per episode if a contestant lasts. Adding a base salary of around $110,000, Bones said he ultimately earned close to $400,000 from the show.

ABC has not officially confirmed these figures.

Details about professional dancers’ earnings aren’t widely available, but it appears their pay increases the further they advance in the competition, much like the contestants. Even if a pro is eliminated early on, they still receive payment. Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of The Morning After podcast that dancers are guaranteed pay for a certain number of weeks, though contracts can vary. She noted she couldn’t speak for all the professionals.

Okay, so I’ve been obsessed with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for years, and I just found out something that’s kind of shocking! Apparently, winning doesn’t mean a huge payday for the pro dancers! I mean, Jenna Johnson – who’s won twice, once with Adam Rippon and again with Joey Graziadei – said they don’t get extra money just for taking home the Mirrorball, even though it’s now named after the amazing Len Goodman. But, she did say there’s still a really good reason to fight to the end! She explained on a podcast that getting to the finale means you get paid for the whole season, which is fantastic, plus a bonus! It’s not like winning gets you a million dollars to share with your celeb partner—it’s really just about the trophy, which, let’s be honest, is pretty awesome anyway!

I was really surprised to hear this, but it seems the reports about pay cuts weren’t exaggerated. On the Trading Secrets podcast back in 2022, Lindsay Arnold shared that her salary was actually cut by more than half when she moved from being a professional dancer to a troupe member. It’s just shocking to think about how much of a difference it made!

As a lifestyle expert who’s peeked behind the scenes of shows like Dancing With the Stars, let me tell you, the celebrity pairings aren’t what you might think! It’s surprisingly out of the pros’ hands. Lindsay shared on Maggie Sellers’ Hot Smart Rich podcast that they essentially get told, ‘Here’s your partner, make it work!’ It’s often a complete surprise right up until they meet their celebrity! Jenna explained on The Morning After that the show really strives for a genuine, unscripted reaction, so the pros don’t find out who they’re paired with until the very last minute – they don’t even reveal the full cast list! As for how they do choose? Former showrunner Rob Wade told TopMob News it’s all about a combination of things – height, body type, and, crucially, personality compatibility. They avoid pairing people who they think won’t get along. It’s a high-pressure environment, and unlike shows like The Bachelor, they want to ensure everyone has a good experience – for the celebrity, the audience, and themselves! They’ve definitely learned from past mistakes where clashing personalities made for a miserable time for everyone involved.

Dancing With the Stars demands a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who partnered with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis that rehearsals typically last four hours – either from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. But the work doesn’t end there; she often meets with producers, works on choreography, or studies dance videos. Rylee says her life is completely dedicated to the show, but she loves it and that makes her happy. It’s a demanding schedule with no days off – rehearsals run from Wednesday to Sunday, followed by camera blocking on Monday, and then another show on Tuesday.

Emma Slater and Britt Stewart shared in a September 2025 Instagram video that they were mostly in agreement, but it involved working with the show’s producers.

If you think the quickstep is fast-paced, the costume department works even faster! Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner explained to TV Insider that they collaborate with set, lighting, and dance teams to create a story for each dancer’s outfit. Then, they have just five days – often only half a day per costume, before even adding rhinestones – to make everything. The department employs around 20 people, plus an external tailor shop, to manage this huge undertaking.

Steven Norman Lee, another costume designer, revealed that dancers often don’t try on their costumes until just hours before the show. While some basic pieces might be reused, most outfits are custom-made each week.

As Gschwendtner added, they’ll reuse items for group performances or promotional shoots, but never for the actual competition. The goal is to keep everything fresh and new each week to maintain visual interest for the audience.

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2025-10-28 18:18