Former DWTS pros criticize adding Jan Ravnik as pro coach

Former Dancing With the Stars pros have sharply criticized the show's decision to add Jan Ravnik as a professional coach this season, saying his lack of ballroom training has left his celebrity partner, Jen Affleck, at a competitive disadvantage. Affleck responded publicly on social media, defending Ravnik and the pairing as the debate over casting and technique continues into late October.

The dispute intensified after a foxtrot performed by Affleck and Ravnik during the show's Wicked-themed episode on October 21, which earned a combined 32 out of 40 points from the judges. On October 24, Maksim Chmerkovskiy told a podcast that Ravnik "has absolutely no business being a pro on Dancing with the Stars" and criticized what he described as a lack of foundation, technique and understanding of partnership. His fellow former pro Peta Murgatroyd added that Affleck was "not getting taught the base of the dance" and called it "outrageous" to hire a non-ballroom dancer to coach ballroom routines.

Affleck, who is competing eight weeks after giving birth to her third child in July, posted a TikTok video in which she and Ravnik appeared to mock the criticism and captioned the post, "We don't...