Most “Dancing With the Stars” pros hope their children will grow up with an appreciation for dance. For Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson, it seems those dreams are coming true right before their eyes.
Val and Jenna are the parents of Rome Chmerkovskiy, 3. Although Rome is still very young, it appears he’s picked up a few things from watching his parents in the rehearsal room.
In an adorable new video, Jenna revealed that Rome has adopted one of Val’s most iconic moves.
Val Chmerkovskiy’s Little Boy Tries Out a Few Steps in Public
Since Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson welcomed Rome into the world, he’s accompanied them on nearly every trip. Right now, the family is part of the “Dancing With the Stars” 2026 Live tour. It’s entirely a family-friendly trip, with Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov bringing their daughter too.
Naturally, Rome has spent quite a bit of time watching his parents rehearse and perform. This week, the three-year-old decided to practice his moves in public.
“Went to a coffee shop this morning and Rome said, ‘Mom, look!'” Jenna shared with her Instagram followers, attaching a sweet video. “How did he learn this lolll?!”
She wrote, “Like father, like son,” on the video as Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater” plays over the clip. In the video, Rome attempts some knee walks, an incredibly difficult dance move often seen in the paso doble. Val beams at his son and offers him a high five.
“Mini Val in the making!!!” one fan wrote, with many others echoing similar sentiments.
Rome Chmerkovskiy Seems to be a Dancer in the Making
The knee walks are just Rome’s latest attempt at dance. Just this week, Val posted another video on his own Instagram page demonstrating his son’s abilities.
“Let me see your outfit,” Val tells his son in a hotel room.
“Look!” the little boy replies, striking a dance pose known as an “attitude.” He stands on one leg while bending his other leg in the air behind him, holding it for extra support.
“That’s an attitude,” Val replies.
“An attitude! What’s an attitude?” Rome asks.
“What’s an attitude? It’s a character flaw,” Val sighs.
The Chmerkovskiy family will be part of the 2026 Live tour until it wraps up in May. Fans hope to see Val and Jenna return to “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 when it arrives on ABC later this year.
