Peta Murgatroyd really misses the small things that came with having Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy as their Los Angeles neighbors.
“I think the little stop-ins when they would just knock on the door, and we didn’t know they were coming. It was just a really nice surprise all the time,” Murgatroyd, 40, exclusively told Us while announcing a new version of Burn the Floor Presents Maks and Peta Live! “Just to sit in the kitchen and chat and just hang out and do sauna together and have Rome come over. Proximity.”
Murgatroyd and her husband, Maks Chmerkovsky, announced their move from Los Angeles to Florida earlier this summer. Johnson, 32, Val, 40, and their 3-year-old son, Rome, remain in Los Angeles, where they’re currently filming Dancing With the Stars season 35.
“I miss Rome. I miss Romashka. I love the kid,” Maks, 46, told Us. “I think people don’t realize how much time Dancing With the Stars takes away, and it’s a lot of fun. It’s an incredible opportunity to look back on, but it does take 24/7. And so what ends up happening is if we don’t live a block and a half away, we may not see each other for seven months.”
In August, Johnson told Us she was “so happy” to see Maks and Murgatroyd thriving in Florida. At the same time, the DWTS pro couldn’t help but feel bummed to have some of her extended family so far away.
“Are we heartbroken? Yes, because we literally lived in the same neighborhood for two years, and you forget how much you take advantage of that until they’re gone, and then you’re like, ‘What the heck were we doing?’” Johnson explained. “It just makes sense for their family, and it just fits them.”
While Johnson admitted she and Val are “very content” in Los Angeles, both Murgatroyd and Maks would welcome the pair to the Sunshine State with open arms.
Peta Murgatroyd, Val Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson Getty Images (X2)
“I don’t know if they’re Florida people, though. I mean, I don’t know,” Murgatroyd said. “We would love them to be here.”
Maks added, “Val and Jenna are at the absolute peak at the moment of their professional dance careers, and they need to stay focused. They got two incredible, if not the best, partners on the season. It’ll be a lot of fun to see them duke it out in the finale if that is going to happen. … When the time comes, they’ll make a decision.”
As Johnson and Val compete in the ballroom with their respective partners, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan, Murgatroyd and Maks are ready to star in a brand-new dancing show titled Burn the Floor Presents Maks and Peta Live!
The production will bring together a new cast of ballroom and Latin dancers with thrilling choreography showcasing artistry and athleticism like never before. The North American tour begins in March 2027 and will continue for two months, concluding in May. (Click here for a complete list of dates and locations.)
“This isn’t a Maks and Peta family trip around America … and it’s not a competitive opportunity,” Maks told Us. “It is an opportunity to bring the cast of Burn the Floor, professionals who have been lighting up the floor all over the world.”
Murgatroyd added, “There were no doubts. There was no, ‘Can we do it? Are we able to dance like that still?’ There were no ifs, buts or howevers. It was just a very straight-up, ‘Yes, please take us. We will do this.’”
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