Shocking news recently broke about one half of one of Dancing with the Stars‘ showmances-turned-romances, as pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev was arrested on accusations of domestic violence. In the days that have followed, wife Nikki Garcia – known professionally in the WWE as Nikki Bella – has expressed a request from the public while Chigvintsev’s former DWTS fellow pro Cheryl Burke opened up about her own reaction to the news.
Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa Country, California on August 29 for domestic violence, specifically under the CA penal code making it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant, or fellow parent. He was released thereafter on a bail of $25,000. TMZ originally reported that the arrest was made on the scene with injuries reported and the victim requesting total confidentiality.
Nikki Bella’s Request
When the reports first surfaced of Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest, the identity of the victim was indeed kept confidential. Nikki Bella has not commented one way or the other about whether she was present or what happened, but spoke indirectly through her agent in this statement to PEOPLE:
This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.
The pair began dating in 2019 after they were paired for Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars, and Bella gave birth to their son in 2020. She was candid about their life together after she gave birth, and they married in 2022.
Cheryl Burke Shares Thoughts
Cheryl Burke was a Dancing with the Stars pro for many years alongside Artem Chigvintsev, and she actually recorded her thoughts about his arrest on the day that it happened. There wasn’t an abundance of details out around the time beyond his arrest, the bail, the allegations of domestic violence, and that he already wasn’t expected to be part of DWTS Season 33. On her Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, Burke said:
I hesitate to smile right now because of the current news [and] the headlines that have been rolling out, which I’m in complete shock about… Someone who I’ve grown up with, who actually we used to live together in my family’s home in the Bay area, Artem – it’s so shocking. I get kind of emotional. He was arrested… and domestic violence has been thrown in the mix. I’m not gonna say that he was charged or any of it, but allegedly domestic violence was the issue… My heart goes out to everyone involved. It’s just really hard for me, because he’s my family and I don’t know what to say here other than I hope everybody’s okay.
While Burke has said that she doesn’t think her relationship with Dancing with the Stars “could get worse” after her exit, she clearly doesn’t feel the same about her DWTS family and longtime fellow dancers. Understandably, she didn’t take a hard stance on the situation with so few details available, but expressed her hope that everybody is doing okay under the circumstances.
It remains to be seen if she’ll speak out further on the matter, but she has been open about her feelings about her Dancing with the Stars days. That usually involves gestures like sweet messages to former DWTS partners and reuniting with former host Tom Bergeron, but she also hasn’t minced words on occasions like explaining why she’s unhappy with her DWTS mirrorball trophies.
For now, we can only echo Burke’s hopes that everybody is okay in the wake of Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest for domestic violence, and our thoughts go out to the family and friends in what is undoubtedly a very difficult time.