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Hold onto your leg warmers and pump up the volume, because the latest tea from the world of glitz and glam is hotter than an ’80s dance floor! The spotlight is shining brightly on Taylor Swift’s backup dancer, Jan Ravnik, but not for the reasons you’d expect. Known for his killer moves on the Eras Tour, Jan has stepped into the ballroom spotlight as a professional dancer on the hit show ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ But his casting hasn’t come without its share of controversy.
Critics are quick to point out that Jan’s background is in pop and contemporary dance, not the classic ballroom style that ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fans have come to expect. Former show pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd, who are also a real-life married couple, haven’t minced their words. Maksim blasted Jan’s lack of ballroom expertise, saying, “Jan has absolutely no business being a pro on ‘Dancing with the Stars’. There’s zero foundation, technique, quality, understanding of the partnership. He had no idea what the foxtrot is supposed to look like.”
Peta echoed her husband’s sentiments, lamenting the situation for Jan’s celebrity partner, Jen Affleck, star of ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.’ Peta said, “I feel bad, because [Jen]’s not getting taught the basics that she needs to. He’s a Taylor Swift dancer, it’s the obvious reason why he was hired. Apart from that, he’s a lovely guy, he looks great, he’s a great dancer . . . but hiring a non-ballroom dancer to teach ballroom dancing to a celebrity as a job is outrageous.”
Not one to stay silent, Jen Affleck took to TikTok to defend her dance partner, declaring, “We don’t tolerate Jan slander in this house!!” With the support of his celebrity partner and a legion of Swifties, Jan seems unfazed by the critique, ready to face the music and prove his worth on the ballroom floor.
Only time will tell if Jan’s pop dance background will translate into ballroom success, but one thing’s for sure: he’s already captured the attention of the nation, and perhaps, that’s half the battle in the world of showbiz. Stay tuned as this dance drama unfolds!