And the dancers are off! Ilona Maher and partner Alan Bersten have debuted on the premiere of the new season of Dancing with the Stars. Their routine helped the Olympic athlete showcase what she could do while highlighting her feminine side, something she wanted to do in the dancing competition.
The highly anticipated new season of DWTS has finally begun and the competitors are showing the public the fruits of their hard work. Ilona, an Olympic bronze medalist rugby player, was looking forward to showing a new side of herself on the show.
Ilona Maher is a role model for all girls
Ilona told PEOPLE after the new season premiere that her partner Alan was helping her showcase her more feminine side. She explained how Alan has “led and facilitated an environment that makes her feel very feminine and womanly on the dance floor.”
And she thinks it’s a great way to see that girls can do everything.
“I think it’s going to be for girls to see a muscular, strong woman out there, like being feminine dancing with a gorgeous man like Alan,” she said. “I think it’s going to show a lot and I think girls will really love to see it.”
After the cast reveal and ahead of the premiere, Ilona told Alan she wanted to come onto the show as a role model for young girls.
“I’m this very big, muscular woman,” she started. “But I also feel so beautiful and feminine too. I mean, you know. I grew up not very comfortable. But I want to now make it easier for young girls to love your body.”
Ilona also shared that even as a professional athlete, the competition was still tough. She didn’t know what her body could do in dance. But she’s confident that it will be something good.
During the premiere, she and Alan danced the Cha-Cha to “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain and scored an 18 out of 30.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+.
TELL US – DID YOU ENJOY ILONA AND ALAN’S DEBUT PERFORMANCE? DO YOU THINK SHE MAKES A GOOD ROLE MODEL?
