Artem Chigvintsev Visits 'Dancing With The Stars' Set Amid Nikki Garcia Drama

Artem Chigvintsev has made his return to the "Dancing with the Stars" ballroom, appearing in good spirits despite the personal challenges he's facing.

The professional dancer, who was arrested on August 29 in Napa Valley on charges of corporal injury to his spouse—presumably wife Nikki Garcia—was not initially expected to participate in season 33 of "Dancing with the Stars."

However, that didn’t stop Artem Chigvintsev from making an appearance on the show's milestone 500th episode on November 12.

Artem Chigvintsev made a significant appearance at the "Dancing with the Stars" 500th episode celebration on November 12, 2024, in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, November 12, Chigvintsev was spotted sitting in the "DWTS" audience next to fellow pros Peta Murgatroyd and her husband, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. In a lighthearted video shared on Murgatroyd’s Instagram Stories and later reposted by Chigvintsev, the trio can be seen dancing and clapping along to the music, clearly enjoying the celebration.

Despite the personal turmoil, Chigvintsev seemed happy to reunite with his "Dancing with the Stars" family.

Although Chigvintsev did not perform on the show, "DWTS" surprised fans by bringing back pro dancer Sharna Burgess, who made a special appearance during the iconic opener.

Chigvintsev's public outing is especially notable given the difficult personal circumstances surrounding his personal life. In August 2024, he was arrested in Napa Valley on charges of corporal injury to his spouse, Nikki Garcia, formerly known as Nikki Bella.

Chigvintsev was arrested and held on a $25,000 bail, but he posted bail shortly after his arrest, as he was released from jail within a few hours. Deputies noted that he was "cooperative in the process."

Although the District Attorney’s office decided not to press charges, Garcia filed for divorce on September 11.

In their ongoing court battle, Garcia previously stated that Chigvintsev had been removed from "Dancing with the Stars" as a pro for the 33rd season just one week before his arrest. She also claimed that he had been unable to secure other work as a dancer since then.

"He had begun work at a construction job and felt it was beneath him," an October 3 filing alleged, per People. "Since being cut from 'Dancing with the Stars,' Artem had been growing increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling. We had discussions about his need to control his anger."

Chigvintsev has consistently maintained his innocence and stated in court documents that the media attention surrounding the incident has affected his ability to work.

"It is not true that I have not been able to find other work as a dancer," he wrote in the filing obtained by People Magazine. "I normally start jobs in November and it goes for 20 weekends. After the mug shot and the arrest based on her false allegations, I was taken off the website faculty list resulting in loss of over $100k in income."

"I also lost the social media promotion revenue, which she continues to benefit from as she was more worried about her career when she lied to the police, than mine," he claimed.

Garcia and Chigvintsev first met in 2017 when they were paired together on season 25 of "Dancing with the Stars." At the time, Garcia was engaged to WWE wrestler John Cena, but the couple ended their relationship in July 2018. Shortly after, Garcia and Chigvintsev reconnected.

The pair went public with their relationship in March 2019, and later that year, they got engaged. They welcomed their son in July 2020 and tied the knot in August 2022. Just days before Chigvintsev's arrest, the couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

"This song is our love story. I'll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast," Garcia wrote on Instagram at the time. "And then this song came on. And that's when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be."

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org.