Brothers Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, known for their steamy, bare- chested dancing moves on Dancing with the Stars didn’t disappoint fans when they brought their dance tour “Maks & Val Live on Tour: Our Way” to the Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center several weeks ago.
The siblings put on a show that was as heartwarming as it was entertaining and the audience soaked it in. This mid-size venue is perfect for enjoying dance performances especially. The show spotlighted clips and photos from the brothers’ childhood in the Ukraine and Brooklyn, along with a boatload of high-energy dance numbers with the siblings and ten professional dancers. One of the clips featured their father who talked about how he and his wife decided to put them in dance lessons when they were young. Maks started when he was four years old and Val, who is six years younger, when he was seven years old.
It was quite obvious throughout the show that Maks and Val have a deep connection with each other and with their family. And, that both have a great sense of humor and comic timing. Both got to show off their dancing talents and Val also demonstrated his professional skills on the violin, playing a song from “Fiddler on the Roof.”
During the second act of the show, Maks talked about love and his fiancé, fellow Dancing with the Stars dancer Peta Murgatroyd. Peta was in the audience in the row in front of this reviewer along with choreographer Mandy Moore and Dancing with the Stars dancer Jenna Johnson. One bold fan asked Peta if the rumors that she was pregnant were true, and she confirmed they were. Up to this point it had just been speculation.
All gossip aside, the show was a huge hit and highlights just how talented and personable Maks and Val are and how well loved they are by their fans. They took a moment to say that they hoped everyone could have the closeness and respect they have for each other and their family. And, they also gave one lucky lady in the audience a chance to come on stage and dance with Maks. She hammed it up and created one of the funniest moments in the show.
The almost two-hour show was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. If you get the chance to see it, book your tickets. Close venues include Fairfax, Baltimore and Durham, North Carolina. Also, keep your eyes open for future star-studded performances at Carpenter Theatre. You’ll be glad you did!
