"Miss you too"- Ilona Maher's dance partner Alan Bersten makes his feelings known after the Olympic medalist's adorable gesture amid DWTS tour

Alan Bersten reciprocated Ilona Maher's feelings as she expressed missing her DWTS partner months after the show's conclusion. Maher and Bersten stunned through their performances throughout the season, winning the runners-up title behind winners Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson.

Ilona Maher, the Paris Olympic bronze medalist who won hearts with her rugby expertise on the field and content-making skills on social media, was a celebrity participant in Dancing With the Stars. In the 33rd season of the reality show, she partnered with professional dancer Alan Bersten and channeled some strong characters like Luisa Madrigal from 'Encanto' on the stage.

Through their performances, Maher and Bersten also formed a strong bond of friendship. They continue to show each other love and repost moments from their DWTS days on social media. In an Instagram story, Ilona Maher shared a fan-made video montage and expressed her feelings, writing:

"Miss my dawg @alanbersten"

Ilona Maher expresses her feelings for Alan Bersten; Instagram - @ilonamaher

Bersten, who performs on the DWTS tour now, echoed the sentiments and replied:

"Miss you too. Can we dance soon?"

Alan Bersten responds to Maher's portrayal of love; Instagram - @alanbersten

On January 31, 2025, amid her season with the Bristol Bears in PWR, the 28-year-old rugby player posted a photo of Bersten lifting her and celebrating their winning moment. She reminisced about her time 'dancing in pretty dresses' while showing her love for her dance partner.

"Sometimes @dancingwiththestars feels like a fever dream. Here I am bout to go play one of the toughest sports in the world but for three months I was dancing around in pretty dresses with my buddy @alanbersten," she captioned.

Ilona Maher once revealed the truth about him and Alan Bersten when people speculated about their relationship

Maher reacting to Bristol Bears v Leinster game - Champions Cup Round 1 - (Source: Getty)

Ilona Maher, the body positivity advocate with the most social following than any rugby player, danced for the first time at DWTS. She and Bersten's on-stage chemistry and off-stage shenanigans prompted several fans and media outlets to speculate whether they would make their way into each other's hearts.

In an interview with E News, when Maher was asked about the same, she replied:

"We see it all over. And honestly keep doing it people. If ship means relationship, we are the besties. I think him and I get along truly so well, and we have a lot of fun together. Honestly it’s like my teammate. I love my teammates, I love him. I think we’re building something really beautiful here."

Maher defied the odds by applying makeup before taking the field for rugby at the Paris Olympics. She also encouraged her teammates to embrace femininity despite playing a masculine sport.