Jenna Dewan Teases Romantic ‘DWTS’ Dance With Alan Bersten as Val Chmerkovskiy Sits Out Suspension

A last-minute partner swap hasn't dampened one contestant's excitement ahead of one of the season's most emotional episodes. With a classic love song and a heartfelt tribute lined up, the star seems ready to take the ballroom by storm.

Jenna Dewan is giving fans a glimpse of what to expect from her next routine on "Dancing With The Stars" (DWTS) where she'll be paired with temporary partner Alan Bersten following the suspension of her regular partner, Val Chmerkovskiy.

The "Step Up" actress, 45, and Bersten, 32, appeared in a video shared to the competition's official Instagram Stories on Sunday, October 18. "Hi everybody," Dewan began in the behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage.

"It's Dedication Night and we are dancing a Viennese waltz to 'Unchained Melody' by the Righteous Brothers, the greatest most romantic song ever," she gushed. The star, who is dedicating her dance to her mom, Nancy, added that she was "so excited."

Dedication Night is a special themed episode of the hit competition series in which contestants perform routines in honor of someone who has had a meaningful impact on their lives. The tributes are often for family members and loved ones, and some celebrate people who have passed away.

The teaser arrived just days after it was announced that Chmerkovskiy, 40, had been suspended from the show for one week over a comment he made about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

The incident marked the first official suspension of a professional dancer in the show's 21-year history. It began during the October 12 episode, when Inaba, 58, critiqued a dance move performed by Chmerkovskiy's wife, professional dancer and show coach Jenna Johnson, 32.

The following day, October 13, Chmerkovskiy addressed the exchange in a since-deleted TikTok post, allegedly writing, "You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night."

The remark appeared to reference the infamous moment when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Two days later, on October 15, Chmerkovskiy issued an apology on his Instagram Stories. "I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post," he began in the message, which featured white text on a black background.

"I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family," he continued.

The dancer said he "deeply" regretted the original social media post. "I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward," he added.

On October 17, the professional dancer shared that he would sit out the October 20 episode, explaining that he did not want the conversation surrounding his "bad judgment" to overshadow the show.

"The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in," Chmerkovskiy wrote. "Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DTWS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I'll be watching and cheering everyone on!! ❤️."

Bersten, who was eliminated earlier this season, was then announced as Dewan's partner for the week, setting the stage for a fresh pairing on one of the season's most sentimental nights.