Watch the impact Derek Hough had on Jan Ravnik's performance. Amidst the pointed criticisms lobbed by former Dancing With the Stars pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd towards current pro Jan Ravnik, Taylor Swift's backup dancer received a special nod of approval from Derek during the October 28 Halloween episode.
As Jan and his dance partner Jen Affleck showcased their contemporary dance to "Look What You Made Me Do," Derek couldn't help but express his support. "Jan, first and foremost, I want to tell you, my friend, that you're killing it in your first season," Derek exclaimed. "Fantastic!"
He further echoed fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba's critique on stretching their feet and watching their limbs. "Just be aware of your whole body," Carrie Ann advised Jen. "I'm not trying to be harsh on you. I say this with love because I want you to improve and I see the potential in you."
Ahead of the Halloween-themed episode of the dancing competition, Jan, 30, and Jen, 26, sent a clear message by seemingly addressing Maks and Peta's opinion that the Slovenian native had "absolutely no business being a pro on Dancing with the Stars."
Jan shared a picture on his Instagram Story hours before the live episode, bending over backward in a spooky, trance-like pose beside Jen, who held her hand in the air over him. Above the snap, he wrote Taylor's lyrics, "I'll be the actress starring in your bad dreams." Jen took a more direct approach, sharing a TikTok the day before miming frustrated typing on her phone, writing, "Me when anyone talks trash about Jan." The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star added in the caption, "We don't tolerate Jan slander in this house."
Days before Maks and Peta—who tied the knot in 2017—criticized Jan's skills as a dance teacher and choreographer while weighing in on his inclusion on season 34 of Dancing With the Stars. "There's zero foundation technique, quality, understanding of the partnership," Maks, 45, said on the October 24 episode of Peta's The Penthouse With Peta podcast. "Bro, I'm getting emotional. It is absurd, and this is unreal how blind we have to be and God forbid say what's obviously there." Peta, 39, agreed with Maks, noting she feels "bad" for Jen because she's "not getting taught the basics that she needs to." "He's a Taylor Swift dancer. It's the obvious reason why he is hired," she said. "Apart from that, he's a lovely guy. He looks great. He obviously is a great dancer." And she ultimately sees the issue as bigger than just Jan himself. Peta added, "Hiring a non-ballroom dancer to teach ballroom dancing to a celebrity as a job is outrageous."
