Maksim Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy (Ukrainian: Максим Oлекса́ндрович Чмерковський; born January 17, 1980) is a Ukrainian Latin Ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He is best known as one of the professional dancers on the American television series Dancing With The Stars, on which he first appeared in season two. On Dancing with the Stars, he is often referred to as "the bad boy of the ballroom".

Born on January 17, 1980, in Odessa, in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the former USSR, Chmerkovskiy began dancing at the age of four. His parents are Aleksandr and Larisa Chmerkovskiy. His brother, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, is also a champion dancer.

The challenges of Immigration for Chmerkovskiy and his family included financial and language barriers. A skiing accident as a child broke Chmerkovskiy's right leg. Doctors informed him that there would be difficulties with his leg and that dancing might not be possible. However, he was able to make a successful recovery and went on to become a professional Latin Ballroom dancer.