Ilona Maher Pens Sweetest Message to ‘DWTS’ Partner Alan Bersten: ‘Best Partner I Could Have Hoped for’

The professional rugby player is ready to give it her ‘all’ in the finale.

Alan Bersten and Ilona Maher / Disney/Getty Images

On Tuesday, Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten made it official: they will be competing for the Dancing With the Stars Season 33 title on Nov. 26. Through nine episodes (and just about as many weeks), the pair have managed to earn enough viewer votes and high enough judge scores to keep their dream alive.

They have had their ups and downs. During Hair Metal Night, Maher broke down in tears following a misstep during her jive. On Halloween Night, the Paris Olympian and her professional dance partner came in last place with 24 points out of 30 but managed to make it through to the next episode, regardless. But for the 500th anniversary episode, Maher came ready to redeem herself. She and Bersten did just that, earning their first 10 of the season for their Quickstep performance.

In the semifinals this week, the couple continued to show their dominance (and Maher continued to demonstrate her improvement on the dance floor). They performed a powerful Paso Doble for the Latin dance portion of the night, notching a 28 out of 30 on the night (and earning another 10—this time from Derek Hough). For the ballroom portion, they choreographed a Viennese Waltz to “golden hour” by JVKE, which earned them two 10s.

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While the performance certainly spoke for itself, Maher doubled down on the emotional tint of the moment in an Instagram post after the fact. “I wanted to dedicate this dance to the best partner I could have hoped for on this show, Alan,” she wrote in the caption, which accompanied a video of their Viennese Waltz. “This experience has been one I will remember for the rest of my life with fondness because of what you made it for me. It has not always been easy and I still can’t figure out how to finish my arms but every hour with you in the studio has been a pleasure. Let’s give it our all this week one last time.”

Maher and Bersten have both brought dedication and passion to the dance floor this season, making it virtually impossible to look away when they take the stage together. With one week remaining, the professional rugby player is locked in. This may not be her day job (or her typical sport), but she’s proven herself willing and able to rise to the challenge. We can’t wait to see what next week’s episode holds. The finale will air on Tuesday night on ABC and stream on Disney+.