Ilona Maher And Alan Bersten's Friendship, Explained

Rugby titan and iconic Olympian Ilona Maher may have found her new calling. Her skillful moves while dancing the foxtrot and rumba on "Dancing with the Stars" have made the Olympic athlete a fan favorite on the show. What's more, her relationship with her dance partner Alan Bersten, one of the internet's favorite "DWTS" pros, scores full marks for being the season's best duo, on and off the stage.

Since the show's 33rd season premiere in September 2024, we've seen Maher evolve from the coy smile she gave in her first cha-cha with Bersten to a powerful commanding presence in her tango.When they're not in front of judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli, the pair post wildly entertaining behind-the-scenes clips of what it's like being besties with your dancing partner.

During the show's Dedication Night episode, fellow contestants Danny Amendola and Witney Carson performed a viral dance move — where Amendola seamlessly picked Carson up off the ground by one of her legs — and Bersten and Maher found that it made a great TikTok moment. In the video, they goofily attempted to emulate the lift. "Easy," Maher quipped after failing to get off the ground.

Alan Bersten and Ilona Maher's bond as partners has transformed into a coveted friendship, with dozens of other social media moments to prove it, including when they attended a fall 2024 football game at SoFi Stadium between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams. The pair seemed too busy goofing around to pay attention to the game. Maher even posted a TikTok where she tackled Bersten to the ground — a rugby staple.

With all the fun these two have together when they're not dancing, fans have speculated that maybe Maher and Bersten are more than just friends. Like many "Dancing with the Stars" romances before them, Bersten and Maher's chemistry (from what folks have seen on the show and on social media) has them asking the question: Are these two a couple? When the Rams posted a photo of the stars at the game to Instagram, one commenter wrote: "This looks like the cover of a rom com book ... just saying." Another simply said, "Please date." The dance partners will occasionally play into it, like when Maher was listing the qualities she wants in a romantic partner to "Good Morning America" and Bersten said, "You're listing a lot of things about me," to which Maher responded, "Please stop talking." 

Other users feel like they are perfect friends and nothing more. "These two have besties vibes not dating vibes. I'm here for it tho!" one user said on Maher's Instagram reel. Whether they're dating or just pals, the consensus is that these two must keep up the hilarious social media content, even after their finale on the show.