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Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) partners Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater have shut down dating rumors after the two were allegedly spotted holding hands. On Thursday, October 26, 2023, the real estate broker and his professional dancing partner took to Instagram from a New York City dance studio to thank their supporters for voting them through the next round and added:
"We do want to address this story, this whole thing that's going out and about, about whether Emma and I are dating... About whether we went out on a date. For full clarity, we are not dating."
He further added,
"We are really good friends. We've been dancing together for six weeks, four hours a day, every single day."
Emma Slater echoed his sentiments and explained that they were really good friends. She remarked that, due to their intense rehearsal schedule for the last six weeks and similar personalities, they developed a special bond. She added that she has a "super supportive relationship" with the 53-year-old star, and they are there for each other.
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater sparked dating rumors last week after they were photographed holding hands
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater are part of season 32 of Dancing with the Stars, a TV show where celebrities pair up with professional dancers and compete in ballroom dancing.
The duo has been dodging dating rumors for over a week since they were photographed together leaving a sushi restaurant on Sunday, October 22, 2023. Photos showed the 53-year-old star and Slater smiling and laughing as they exited. Adding fuel to the fire was a Page 6 article that claimed a source saw Mauricio and Emma also going to a bar and later kissing.
However, Mauricio Umansky explained in his Instagram video that they were holding hands after they had an emotional conversation about their performance for the "Most Memorable Year" themed night on the show. The duo did a contemporary number to Andra Day's Rise Up. He stated:
"Just to clarify, we went to a restaurant to go get some sushi right after rehearsal. We were in our rehearsal clothes... Lots of the stories are wrong. Yes, it was a very intense week, a very emotional week."
He adds that following their intense conversation recapping the week, he reached out to grab Emma Slater's hand, who proceeded to grab his hand. The paparazzi unfortunately "caught that moment," and it was "blown up."
Following his clarification, he encouraged his followers to vote for him and added that they were going to crush their upcoming performance.
Mauricio Umansky's video comes days after his estranged wife, Kyle Richards, whom he separated from earlier this year, revealed she was "hurt" by the photographs. In her interview with Watch What Happens Live on October 25, Kyle stated that despite them being amicable, it was "hard to see" and that she loved Umansky very much, but it "hurt her."
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star ended up deleting her post supporting Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater from her Instagram. Richards shares three daughters with the celebrity broker.
Dancing with the Stars airs on ABC, every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
