“Dancing With The Stars” has definitely made a star out of choreographer Maksim Chmerkovskiy, so fans were shocked earlier this year when he announced he wouldn’t be returning for season 16. However, there’s a rumor going around that Maks actually will be returning, and fans of the show are anxiously awaiting confirmation.

“Maks is part of the family,” ABC’s President of Entertainment Paul Lee told Today.com on Sunday, Aug. 4. “He may well be back. We love having him be part of the show.”

Back in February, Maks released a statement, saying, “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 Dancing With the Stars. 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,” he added. “I also want to thank the entire cast and production of Dancing With the Stars.”

At the time, a rep for the show explained the statement by saying that they rotate the trainers and it doesn’t always mean they won’t be back.

“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. We appreciate each of our dancers’ dedication to the show, so this is a very difficult decision. Anna, Chelsie, Louis, and Maks continue to be a part of the Dancing With the Stars family.”

Since the last season, Maks has been working on Broadway. He has not confirmed a return yet, but the new season begins Monday, September 16 at 8 p.m.