Artem Chigvintsev Says Returning to DWTS as a Married Man Has Changed His Perspective as a Pro
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Artem Chigvintsev is entering the new season of Dancing with the Stars as a changed man.
The longtime dance pro is currently preparing to return to the ballroom for the show's 31st season, airing Sept. 19 on Disney+. He's got a new partner in Heidi D'Amelio — a.k.a the mom to TikTok sensation Charli D'Amelio, who is also joining the new season and pairing up with Mark Ballas.
But Chigvintsev's upcoming journey on the series also comes after his August wedding to wife and former DWTS partner, Nikki Bella.
As Chigvintsev teased season 31, he explained how it feels to return to the competition series after getting married to Bella, 38.
"Well, you know what the thing is? It's kind of like, because we've been together for quite some time, and I feel like, hey, getting married's not going to change much just because our days is still the same," Chigvintsev, 40, told reporters at DWTS Season 31 virtual press conference Thursday. "But it actually does."
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Chigvintsev has been a part of DWTS since 2014. While involved with the show, he met Bella after they were paired together in 2017.
Bella was dating her now-ex-fiancé John Cena at the time, but they later ended their relationship in 2018.
Later that year, the Total Bellas star reconnected with Chigvintsev. They went on to make their romance Instagram official in March 2019 and got engaged that November.
Two years after welcoming son Matteo in July 2020, Chigvintsev and Bella tied the knot in Paris in August. The ceremony will be featured in a four-part E! special called Nikki Bella Says I Do.
Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
"It's funny when you get this ring on, it just gives you more of, like, filled with responsibilities. When you make this decision, you definitely think through a lot more than I used to," Chigvintsev continued. "But yeah, it feels good. It feels good to be married."
The Russian native added, "I was waiting [for] this for a long time. It's been a long time coming. And then finally it's here, and I'm excited wearing this on my hand."
Although Chigvintsev and Bella failed to nab the coveted mirrorball trophy in season 25, he did eventually score his first win in 2020 with Kaitlyn Bristowe. He'll soon have another chance to do so alongside Heidi later this month.
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Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev on DWTS premiere
The competition is also set to be fierce as Heidi, 50, and Charli, 18, compete against each other, becoming the first mother-daughter pair to appear on the series at the same time.
"I will say we joke around [being] competitive. But yeah, we are. It's a problem. But it's fun. It's all in good fun," Heidi told PEOPLE and other reporters on Thursday. "We love each other. But she wants to win. I want to win. But at the end of the day, there can only be one winner. And I think I would love to see her win."
Heidi also said the two D'Amelio Show stars are "going into it, both of us, going to do our best."
"We're not going to hold back," she added. "We're going to do everything that we can to learn and grow and learn all the dances and perform."
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Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars premieres Sept. 19 on Disney+.
