'DWTS' Pros Maksim & Val Chmerkovskiy Sued by Ex-Employee Over Agreement Not to Steal Dance Clients

Maksim and Val Chmerkovskiy’s former dance studio employee has filed a lawsuit against the "DWTS" pros, demanding a judge let him out of a deal he had with the brothers.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Gregory Hightower says the agreement he signed when he left their studio is unenforceable. He claims the arrangement prohibits him from soliciting clients away from the Chmerkovskiys New York dance studio and requires him to not work at a studio within 10 miles.

Hightower says the "non-compete" clause is unnecessary and says the provision to not solicit customers is unnecessary to protect Maksim and Val’s business.

He is asking for the court to find the employment agreement he signed with the Chmerkovskiy brothers void.

The former employee is also demanding the lawsuit filed by Maskim and Val against him be dismissed.

As The Blast first reported, Maksim and Val struck first in this legal battle and sued Hightower for allegedly trying to steal clients away from them. They accused Hightower of soliciting clients away from their studio for his own personal gain.

They claimed Hightower is “diverting business away, along with conducting dance lessons” near their flagship studio in NYC.

Maksim and Val sued for unspecified damages.

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