Jan Ravnik is determined to bring more “energy” to Dancing With the Stars next week following his awkward moment with host Julianne Hough on “Super Bowl Night” and amid the drama surrounding the hit reality TV show’s first pro-dancer suspension.
On Saturday, October 17, Jan, 31, hopped on a TikTok trend with a hilarious video where he emphatically coached celebrity partner Tatyana Ali to work on her “passion” and “footwork” in the DWTS rehearsal room.
“Going into week 6 like … #dtws,” he captioned the video.
The pair parodied a 2023 viral video, in which a man dancing to “Faded” by ZHU is instructed by an offscreen voice to show “more passion, more energy, more footwork.”
@janravnik Going into week 6 like… #dwts
♬ original sound – MORE ENERGY 😎
The couple’s joke occurred on the same day as pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from performing on next week’s upcoming “Dedication Night” for his controversial comments about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
In light of Val’s absence, his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan will temporarily partner with pro Alan Bersten in Week 6 as they perform a Viennese waltz in honor of Jenna’s mother, Nancy Bursch.
Jan’s tongue-in-cheek video also comes on the heels of his own Tuesday, October 13, interaction with Julianne, 38, in the skybox going viral during “Super Bowl Night.”
Julianne chatted with Jan and Fresh Prince actress Tatyana, 47, moments after their Salsa set to Kendrick Lamar‘s “Squabble Up,” received a score of 29 out of 40 from the judges.
The DWTS host asked the couple whether they planned to bring more “power” to the ballroom floor on “Dedication Night” if “you’re here next week.”
“We have a dance that has no power, so I don’t know,” a deadpanned Jan replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
Julianne laughed off the pro dancer’s joke, assuring viewers, “There’s always power, come on!”
Jan and Tatyana ultimately survived “Super Bowl Night” and they were able to make light of their slightly awkward interaction with Julianne while exclusively speaking to Us.
“I’m gonna say, ‘Julianne, nobody’s safe. Nobody knows who’s getting fired. Maybe you will not be here next week,’” Jan quipped backstage on Tuesday night, adding. “No, I’m joking.”
Tatyana offered a serious explanation for Jan’s quibble with Julianne, noting that it’s always a challenge to look ahead to next week minutes after a performance.
“I will say one thing: Asking about next week when we’re up there is really hard, because I don’t even know what day it is on this day,” Tatyana told Us. “Like, I know it happens on Tuesday, but there’s nothing in your mind but that one minute, those 60 seconds that we’re on the floor. So when we get up there and it’s like, ‘Next week?’ You’re like, ‘That doesn’t happen until tomorrow,’ God willing.”
The couple were satisfied with their score of 29 out of 40 on “Dedication Night,” especially since they earned their first “8” of the competition from guest judge Joe Buck.
“I really loved what we did last week [for ‘Mariah Carey Night’],” Tatyana explained to Us. “I loved the dance. I thought we executed it really well, actually. But I’m here to learn, so I took the notes. You know, more precision, more power, and that’s what we tried to work on and bring into this dance this week.”
Tatyana’s “Dedication Night” routine is sure to be a tear-jerker, as she and Jan will dance the Viennese waltz in honor of her late Fresh Prince of Bel-Air costar James Avery.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
