Maksim Chmerkovskiy Out of 'Dancing With The Stars' Cast, Heads To Hollywood; Caught The ‘Acting Bug’

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is out of the newly released cast of "Dancing With The Stars" season 16.

Rumors had been circulating about Chmerkovsky's departure from "DWTS," and today the professional ballroom dancer released a statement addressing why he is out of the pro lineup.

Chmerkovskiy said, "I just want to set the record straight to all of my amazing fans that I will unfortunately not be returning for this season of 'Dancing With the Stars'."

"I've been a pro dancer on the show for about seven years now and am eager to explore other opportunities that have been made possible because of the show. I'm going to take this time to dive into producing and acting, while fulfilling my sponsorship obligations. A big thank you to all of my fans for your never-ending support. I also want to thank the entire cast and production of 'Dancing With the Stars'," he concluded.

Seattle PI reported that Chmerkovskiy's contract with "DWTS" doesn't technically end until 2015. Chmerkovskiy may return next season, but it is clear that the dancer will pursue other opportunities this year.

He told Access Hollywood, "I'm still part of the show. I'm still under contract. I'm not on this season. A lot of things were considered and they were gracious to let me pursue other things. There are a lot of projects that I'm interested in. When the time comes for the next season, we'll talk about it then. I'm pursing some things that I've always been interested in."

33-year-old dancer and choreographer Chmerkovskiy has been in the "Dancing With The Stars" lineup since the second season in 2006. Although he has never won first place, he has made it to the podium on a few occasions.

A spokesperson for ABC said, "We frequently rotate the professional dancers, so it is not unusual for them to rest a cycle. As we consider who will be matched up each season, there are a lot of factors that dictate which couples make the best pairings."

Maksim may be hoping to emulate the big-screen success of his ex-colleague Julianne Hough, brother of season 16 "DWTS" pro Derek Hough. Julianne is starting an acting career, landing roles in films "Rock of Ages" and "Safe Haven."

Chmerkovskiy has appeared on the Ukranian version of "The Bachelor," and reportedly has landed the lead role of a dancer in a romantic comedy that begins shooting this year, according to The Daily Mail.

Recently Chmerkovskiy told the New York Post, "I never thought I was ready [for movie acting]. Then I had a whole day of reading with the director and casting director and I enjoyed it so much."

He continued, "I caught the [acting] bug, as they say. This is something I really want to do."

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