“I remember thinking, I was like, oh, this guy’s very like… not animated,” Ilona Maher said with a laugh. What started as a mismatched pairing on paper turned into one of the most unexpected success stories of the season. Ilona and Alan Bersten, her DWTS partner, went from an uncertain foxtrot to a show-stopping freestyle that had the ballroom roaring, finishing just three points shy of the Dancing with the Stars crown.

And now, after Ilona’s recent retirement announcement, Alan is reflecting on the nature of their connection, revealing what made her stand out both on and off the dance floor. It wasn’t just the dancing that made their partnership special. Behind the scenes, something deeper was forming. For Alan, this wasn’t like any past connection. There was something rare about Ilona. Her willingness to show up fully, especially on the days when she didn’t feel her best.

In the recent episode of House of Maher, Ilona Maher reunited with Alan Bersten for their first real sit-down since the season ended, and right away, the sparks of their unique bond were back in full force. Alan didn’t hold back when it came to what made Ilona stand out. As someone who’s danced with celebrities from all walks of life, he’s used to showbiz facades, but Ilona? She was something different.

“What makes you stand out is how genuine and vulnerable you are. You’ll go on Instagram, you’ll cry, and you’ll say you have a hard day. You don’t just make everything so ‘oh, I have the best life’ and this, yeah… you know? And I think that was really awesome,” he said in the YouTube video. This wasn’t even about choreography. It was about character.

That kind of realness is rare, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Ilona, for her part, had her own fears going in. She expected someone ‘great and 6’2”,’ she joked but feared the mask might come off once rehearsals began. “I was scared that all of a sudden, like the mask would be ripped away and you’d just be like, ‘All right, let’s do it.’ I was so happy that how you were is how our time would be.” That authenticity, from both ends, laid the foundation for something deeper than dance.

Alan, who’s been through more seasons of DWTS than most can count, admitted he didn’t even want to know who his partner would be this time. Past seasons had brought switches, drama, and letdowns. What began as a roll of the dice pairing a high-octane Olympian with a calm, composed dance pro became a season-defining duo.

Perfection and pressure behind the DWTS bond between Maher and Bersten

Mistakes are part of the journey. Especially in the glittery chaos of Dancing with the Stars. But for Ilona Maher, they’ve always felt a little heavier. On the latest episode of House of Maher, the Olympian also peeled back the curtain on how hard she is on herself when things don’t go perfectly. She shared how, even in her rugby days, a small error like knocking the ball on would instantly spiral into self-blame. While she’s quick to give her teammates grace, forgiving herself hasn’t come as easily.

For Ilona, a mistake isn’t just a misstep. It’s a weight she carries, convinced she’s let everyone down. That perfectionist pressure, she revealed, has been a constant shadow, even when she’s the one championing others through their flaws. It was a confession that hit home for Alan Bersten, maybe more than she realized. He saw himself in her reaction, right down to the inner dialogue.

“I’m very similar in that. When you mess up, I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s okay.’ If I mess up, I’m like, ‘Oh, my idiot, what did I just do?’ he said. That shared pressure to be perfect didn’t drive them apart. It became common ground. And when things got tense, they both knew how to reset. “If there was ever a moment of tension, I think we were both like, ‘Yeah, it’s okay, we’re going to get over it.’ And we got over it.”

Their secret weapon? Not always grace under pressure. Sometimes it was just steak burritos. “Food was really our connector,” Alan joked, laughing about the behind-the-scenes moments that kept them grounded. Spending every day in a rehearsal room can test even the strongest bonds, and Ilona admitted, “There’d be days when we would not like each other.” But whether it was through shared vulnerability or post-rehearsal meals, they kept showing up. Imperfect, real, and ready to try again.