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A “Dancing With the Stars” pro is ready for a new role.
On the November 13, 2023, episode of Cheryl Burke’s “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast, Louis van Amstel said he’d love to judge the show.
“I truly hope, and I have a feeling you would want the same, I would like a fourth seat,” van Amstel said. “I would like them to go back to four. … I’m kind of being selfish here. I would like to be a judge and the show knows it, I would like it. I mean, I trained most of the pros on the show, I have the most choreography experience, I’ve done my own Broadway show,” he continued.
“There’s so many sides that I would like to talk about. I just love ‘Dancing With the Stars,'” he added.
Van Amstel sat out season 32 as a pro, though it’s unknown if the decision was his own or if it was made by production. He was part of season 31, dancing with actress Cheryl Ladd. The two were sent home early on in the competition, finishing in 14th place. Van Amstel has never won the Mirrorball Trophy.
Here’s what you need to know:
Louis Van Amstel Shared His Thoughts on the Current Judges
Earlier in the podcast, van Amstel shared his opinion on the current panel of judges, which consists of Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. Head judge Len Goodman retired at the end of season 31. He died a few months later.
“I get it. They’re personas, especially Bruno and Carrie Ann who have been there for 32 seasons. They bring in an element other than ballroom. I get it. But when you do these shows for so many years, I would like to see a little more diversity in comments. And Derek, I think he’s improving every single season,” van Amstel said.
“What I would like to see is more layers coming off of trying to be a persona, rather than just be,” he continued. While van Amstel acknowledges that Hough is a very talented dancer, he said that he doesn’t have much teaching experience.
“It’s hard. Having judged the Dutch version, I have a whole new perspective,” van Amstel said. He explained how judging requires a person to say something “constructive” while staying “within your lane.”
“I believe there could be more depth mentioned to the celebrities and the couples — even the pros,” he added. He and Burke both agreed that the pros could use some guidances as being one half of the couple that is performing each week.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy & Cheryl Burke Have Both Shown an Interest in Hosting ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Van Amstel isn’t the only pro who has shown an interest in joining the judges’ panel.
Longtime pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy was never shy about his desire to sit at the table and critique the dancers.
“I would have loved to judge and transition into that, but it’s not my call. It’s not up to me. Everything that is up to me, I do at 100 percent and then give it my all,” he told MassLive in 2018.
In March 2023, Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Peta Murgatroyd, also said that her husband would be a good fit for the role.
“He would love to do that. I don’t know. I think that’s his next step. I think that he’s born to do that stuff. He loves to talk. You know Maks, he will talk your ear off,” she told Us Weekly.
Meanwhile, Burke herself has also been candid about wanting to be a judge on the show. After announcing her retirement from the show during season 31, Burke told ET that she’d love to judge.
“I think the whole world knows at this point that I would definitely love to. But it’s not up to me,” she said. “What is up to me is my future, and I do know that it is time for me to evolve and see what else there is. Because there is life after Dancing with the Stars, so I’ve heard. I don’t know yet. I’ll let you know,” she added.
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