Artem Chigvintsev Returns to 'DWTS' Amid Divorce From Nikki Bella

Artem Chigvintsev is back in his old stomping grounds ... hanging with his "Dancing with the Stars" family amid a rough patch in his life.

Artem surfaced Tuesday night in Los Angeles for the taping of the celebrity dance competition show's 500th episode ... but he wasn't on the dance floor, he was in the crowd.

The 'DWTS' alum's former colleague Peta Murgatroyd posted a video showing Artem dancing in the stands as the episode films ... alongside Peta's husband and Artem's buddy, Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

It's a rare outing for Artem during his nasty divorce with Nikki Garcia (Bella) following his domestic violence arrest in August in Napa Valley, California.

Artem wasn't brought back as a dance pro for the 33rd season of 'DWTS' ... but he kinda looks happy to be back in the studio here ... smiling into the camera and throwing up a couple peace signs.

As we reported ... Artem says his DV arrest led to $100,000 in lost income, claiming the incident is affecting the dance gigs he used to work on the weekends ... but he's doing construction work now and says it's enjoyable.

Lots of chaos in Artem's life right now ... and it looks like some familiar faces and spaces are doing him some good here.