Jenna Dewan Teases Upcoming “DWTS” Routine with Alan Bersten as He Steps in amid Val Chmerkovskiy’s Suspension

Chmerkovskiy will be sitting out of the Oct. 20 Dedication Night show following a controversial comment he made about judge Carrie Ann Inaba

NEED TO KNOW

• Jenna Dewan shared a sneak peek of her upcoming Dancing with the Stars routine with step-in partner Alan Bersten ahead of Dedication Night on Oct. 20
• Bersten is filling in for Val Chmerkovskiy, who was suspended for one week after making a controversial comment on social media about judge Carrie Ann Inaba
• Chmerkovskiy apologized for the remark, which referenced Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap, and said he would cheer Dewan on from home

Jenna Dewan just gave a sneak peak of her upcoming Dancing with the Stars routine with her temporary partner, Alan Bersten, following Val Chmerkovskiy’s suspension from the show.

Dewan, 45, and Bersten, 32, appeared in an Instagram Stories video together on the DWTS account to tease their routine on Sunday, Oct. 18.

“Hi everybody,” Dewan began in the behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage. “It’s Dedication Night and we are dancing a Viennese waltz to ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers, the greatest most romantic song ever.”

The Rookie actress — who is dedicating her dance to her mom, Nancy — added that she was “so excited.”

Dedication Night is a special themed episode of the popular competition show in which contestants perform dances dedicated to someone who has had a meaningful impact on their lives.

Performances are often dedicated to family and loved ones, sometimes honoring someone who has died.

The teaser video comes days after it was announced that Chmerkovskiy, 40, was suspended from the show for one week following a comment he made about one of the show’s judges, Carrie Ann Inaba. The incident marked the first official suspension of a professional dancer in the show’s 21-year history.

During the Oct. 12 episode, Inaba, 58, critiqued a dance move made by Chmerkovskiy’s wife, professional dancer and show coach Jenna Johnson, 32.

Chmerkovskiy posted about the exchange in a since-deleted TikTok post the following day on Oct. 13, allegedly writing, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night” — seemingly a reference to the infamous incident in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards for making a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chmerkovskiy apologized for the post two days later in a message shared on his Instagram Stories on Oct. 15.

“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” he began in the post, which featured white letters over a black background.

“I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family,” he continued.

Chmerkovskiy said he “deeply” regretted making the initial social media post.

“I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward,” he added.

On Oct. 17, the professional dancer shared that he would be sitting out the Oct. 20 episode, stating that he did not want the discourse surrounding his “bad judgement” to overshadow the show.

“The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in,” Chmerkovskiy wrote.

He continued, “Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DTWS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!! ❤️.”

Bersten, who was eliminated earlier this season, was announced as Dewan’s new partner for the week.

BBC Studios, which produces the show, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, “The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Chmerkovskiy’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show,” the statement continued.

Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST/PST on ABC and Disney+.