Dancing With The Stars Pro Alan Bersten Sticks Up For Ilona Maher After Judges' Harsh Scores
By Priscilla Jepchumba
Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) dancer Alan Bersten has weighed in on the ongoing conversation surrounding his partner, Ilona Maher, who recently showcased her talents during a thrilling Halloween night performance.
Despite their impressive performance on the dance floor, the couple received less favorable scores from the judges than some of their competitors, prompting discussions among fans and commentators alike.
Bersten and Ilona scored 24 out of 30 for their tango performance to “Psycho Killer” but had the lowest score of all pairs in the Halloween episode, while other competitors received multiple 10s.
In his reflection on the judges’ feedback, Bersten conveyed a sense of disappointment and optimism alike, saying, “… even though the critiques were hard, I felt like this was a win for us because Ilona came out there and just did so well with the dancing, in my opinion. And we’re just going to keep going”.
Bersten felt that the judges had taken a particularly stringent approach in evaluating their routines, which he felt Ilona had focused on as she should have.
“I think we were working on so many things this week, and Ilona really did focus on all of them,” Bersten said concerning Ilona’s performance.
Despite his frustrations, Bersten acknowledged the value of the critiques. The duo remains committed to achieving excellence, driven by their ambition to rise to the top of the leaderboard.
“We’re here to learn, and we’re going to keep growing. So next week, we’re going to make sure to take heel steps. That is going to be priority number one,” stated Bersten.
Bersten also expressed a more optimistic outlook regarding Maher's progress, praising her noticeable improvements in frame, head positioning, and overall technique throughout the show.
“But I am so proud of Ilona because her frame was amazing. Her head actions were amazing. Her sharpness, her legs, everything was so pristine. I’m so glad, and I’m so proud of her. I’m so grateful that we’re still here. Thank you to the fans,” added Bersten.
As the couple approached the tension-filled elimination night, their dedicated fans saved them from the dreaded dance-off and allowed them to continue their journey in the competition.
Conversely, the judges’ decisions have sparked considerable debate among fans, with many expressing skepticisms about the validity of the scores.
Some viewers have voiced their concerns, particularly regarding Carrie Ann Inaba's scoring tendencies, which they allege disproportionately favor male dancers.
