Former Dancing with the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko insists he has no personal issues with Alan Bersten. However, his latest remarks suggest he hasn’t changed his opinion of his fellow dancer’s abilities.
While addressing their rumored rift, Savchenko praised Bersten but made another pointed comparison.
Gleb Savchenko sets the record straight about Alan Bersten
During a November 10 event in West Hollywood, Gleb told Us Weekly that there was no bad blood between him and Bersten.
“I mean, look, I love Alan. I think he’s a great guy, and there’s nothing personal at all,” he explained. However, his next observation sounded less complimentary.
Discussing the professional dancers on DWTS, Gleb compared them to stars in the sky. He suggested that some shine brighter than others.
Gleb acknowledged Bersten’s strengths but stood by his earlier criticism. “I stand by my opinion, and I don’t really care what other people say,” he said. He also described Bersten as a friend and criticized people who comment on ballroom dancing without understanding the discipline.
The disagreement began when Savchenko questioned Bersten’s dancing abilities in October. Bersten had temporarily replaced Val Chmerkovskiy during Dancing with the Stars Season 35.
Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension following his controversial social media remarks about judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Bersten consequently partnered with actress Jenna Dewan for Dedication Night.
Gleb previously suggested Bersten lacked Chmerkovskiy’s technical ability. He later clarified that his criticism wasn’t personal, although he continued to question the comparison between the two dancers.
During the interview, Gleb said he had felt upset about Chmerkovskiy’s suspension. He questioned whether the punishment was necessary and suggested that producers may have wanted to set an example.
Chmerkovskiy subsequently returned to the competition. However, he and Dewan were eliminated during Grammy Night, missing out on the semifinals.
While Gleb insists he respects Bersten, his latest remarks make one thing clear: He still stands firmly behind his original assessment.
