‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Val Chmerkovskiy ‘Shocked’ Sharna Burgess and Artem Chigvintsev Were Cut

Sharna Burgess and Artem Chigvintsev aren’t the only ones who were “shocked” to learn that they would not be returning for Dancing With the Stars Season 28. Just two weeks after the ABC dancing competition announced the celebrities and professional dancers who will be vying for the prized Mirrorball Trophy, Val Chmerkovskiy is speaking out about the shocking absence of the two longtime pros.

“We’re a family. We’re like this little group of Avengers, we’re our own little Marvel dance characters. It sucks when Spider-Man gets written off the show,” Chmerkovskiy told Us Weekly. “Of course, I’m disappointed [and] surprised, for sure.”

When the fan-favorite competition series announced the lineup for the upcoming season, fans were disappointed when Burgess and Chigvintstev’s names were not among the other pros, which, along with Chmerkovskiy, include Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Cheryl Burke, Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, Jenna Johnson, Keo Motsepe, Lindsay Arnold, Peta Murgatroyd, Sasha Farber, Witney Carson, Pasha Pashkov, and Daniella Karagach.

Chigvintsev, who first appeared on DWTS as a member of the troupe in Season 18 before being promoted to pro status for Season 19, later admitted that his absence was a “massive shock” even for him.

“It’s not even a job, it’s a lifestyle if you’ve been doing it for a very long time. There was never a thought in my mind that I’m not going to be doing it,” Chigvintsev said. “There’s always a chance, as a pro, you might be doing some performances on the show and there’s still an involvement in some sort. But getting this call, [hearing] ‘There’s gonna be no involvement in the show from now on,’ it’s like going through a breakup after 10 years.”

Chmerkovskiy, however, doesn’t think that Burgess and Chigvintsev’s Season 28 absence is foreshadowing a trend, as he feels confident that they will return for future seasons.

“I don’t think their relationship with Dancing With the Stars is over,” he said. “It stinks for a second because it’s natural. It’s like a really fun sleep-away camp and all of a sudden, you’ve got to go home or do something else and be kind of separated. It’s a combination of all those things but life goes on. They’re super talented. Dancing With the Stars doesn’t define their careers, it’s just one of the highlights in their careers…I think were going to continue to collaborate in the future!”

Dancing With the Stars Season 28 premieres on Sept. 16, 2019 on ABC.