It is the next step for Ukrainian-American professional ballroom dance champion, choreographer and instructor, Maxim Shermakowski, who is joining the Hit Fox series, So You Think You Can Dance. You know his incredible style from his time on ABC's dancing with the stars. Now that So You Think You Can Dance is in its 18th season. Maxim has joined the judging panel alongside Allison Holker and Jojo Siwa as they each mentor dancers from across the country. Let's take a look.

So You Think You Can Dance, a produced incredible terrible amount of talent. It's a huge honor. I'm part of a decision that will, without a doubt, change someone's life.

Oh, I like the slick down hair. Maxim joins us now here in studio. Season 18, It changed up the format a little bit. Tell us how it's going to be different.

Season 17 ended, in my opinion, in a way as it ended up being more about choreographers, people of highly named people that made it, that would come back to, so you think, as a homage to their starting to their roots. That was the format, and it was amazing. It produced a lot of dance talent. For the general audience, it lost the what it was about in the beginning. It's about understanding and learning about dance. This season 18 has come back with a format that is completely about the participants. I love to be being a part of this type of project because I'm a small part in someone else's journey, not the other way around.

What are you most excited about, in particular, about this upcoming season?

That, I think, just to show the new 10, make them present themselves. And instead of picking out the best professional dancer, we're picking out the person that's going to go on and be an employed dance professional. I'm very proud because I feel It's like, sometime from now, I will look back and say, I was part of that person's come up, and now they're a star.

And you really lean into the role of mentor. I want to take another look.

If you're going to come out to put your best ballroom foot forward, you better have a partner because the best part of a ballroom is connecting with that person and creating something together.

I do want to see how you can lead someone and just move on the floor with another person in your hands.

Yeah, me too. I'll dance with you That's a nice moment there.

How do you plan on supporting and really guiding some of the participants to the challenges they'll face on the ballroom floor and off?

First of all, I have to admit, I'm learning. I'm learning my position. I'm learning every day, every week, that every time We have to eliminate somebody. This is just the three people that are on the panel, and we decided. So there's a lot of that pressure. But I want to lead with, Here's my note. And if you remain, you can get better. I'm trying to be a mentor that can give a very small short bite to someone who can then apply it right away. I think that's very important to me.

Switching gears here for a moment. Two years ago, you were actually in Ukraine when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of your country. Now, when you look at the current status of events, what do you think about the global support for Ukraine?

I hope it continues, first and foremost. I think these people deserve it. They've proven themselves on the front lines in actuality. Again, same people that I've mentioned in the past interviews whenever I mentioned Ukraine, I mentioned my friends who used to be dancers, who used to be actors, who used to be journalists, who used to be dentists or whatever you have it that are fully integrated into a war. I for them for it to be over. But as far as the global response, people are tired, people are exhausted, people want to see results. As far as my time in the beginning of the war and me being in Kyiv and me presenting it on social media, and I had an opportunity to pull myself out there because I just had a young son.

Before I let you go, I know that you and your family have created a nonprofit organization to benefit Ukraine. Tell us about that and how it works.

Burn Over 27. I guess it's an outcry. It's my family. It really is me, my brother, and our father who created this, who saw this through, who put together this incredible website site, which is put together by Ukrainian refugees included. But most importantly, it's about fundraising.

Maxim, thank you so much for your time and all that you're doing there. I want to let our viewers know once again that season 18 of So You Think You Can Dance premieres Monday, March fourth on Fox, and will also stream on Hulu.

Hi, everyone. George Stefanopouls here. Thanks for checking out the ABC News YouTube channel. If you'd like to get more videos, show highlights, and watch live event coverage, click on the right over here to subscribe to our channel. And don't forget to download the ABC News app for breaking news alerts. Thanks for watching.