While Ilona Maher is used to dominating on the rugby field, she’s gearing up to face some stiff competition in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom.
The Olympian, 28, chatted exclusively with Us Weekly on the 2024 Emmy Awards red carpet on Sunday, September 15, revealing which of her fellow DWTS contestants she thinks will be the hardest to beat.
“Dwight Howard has such a charisma about him, and he’ll probably have some great dance moves,” she told Us. “Even Chandler [Kinney] is just such a great dancer, technically sound. So, I think they’re all gonna bring something. I think it’s about how you perform and how you do it on the day.”
Maher is one of several athletes set to compete on season 33 of the ABC series, including Howard, 38, Danny Amendola and fellow 2024 Paris Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik. However, having an athletic background is something Maher told Us doesn’t always translate into dance skills.
“Rugby is so different than dance,” she stated, noting her athleticism does “not at all” give her an upper leg in the competition.
Maher said she viewed joining the show as a “new challenge” and was excited to break out of her “comfort zone.” She shared: “I’m always telling girls to go try something new. So, for me, it was like, ‘Try rugby.’ So, I’m gonna try dance. And it’s tough, but I’m excited to see how far I go.”
Ilona Maher. Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Any challenge comes with a fair share of hard work, and Maher is putting her all into her dancing journey with her pro partner, Alan Bersten. “It’s long. It’s four hours a day of dancing, pointing my toes, shifting my weight, smiling,” she explained. “So, it’s different than what I’m used to and it’s a lot more time, too. But I’m learning and I love my partner, so it works out.”
Maher told Us she hopes to come out of the experience with new skills and personal connections.
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“I hope I learn to dance and just to, like, [know] the people I’ve met. I mean, it seems like a really great environment, just the work environment, the people you meet,” she gushed. “So, I just hope I get to learn so much and also really leave with some great friends.”
Maher made waves earlier this summer with her viral social media posts about the Paris Olympics and for helping the U.S. women’s rugby team bring home Team USA’s first Olympic bronze medal in the women’s rugby sevens. In addition to joining DWTS, she followed up her Olympics success by gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s digital September issue.
Alan Bersten and Ilona Maher.
She has continued her popular posts by sharing glimpses into her DWTS preparation via social media. “It’s a tight race for the hottest duo of the season,” she captioned a Thursday, September 12, Instagram pic of herself and Bersten, 30, recreating one of Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader’s steamy rehearsal pics. Bersten copied Nader’s pose by sitting on Maher’s lap and touching her thigh.
Dancing With the Stars season 33 premieres on ABC Tuesday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on Disney+.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
