Ilona Maher made a dazzling debut on the 33rd season of “Dancing with the Stars” on Tuesday night. This season’s premiere featured 13 new contestants and their coaches, all eager to showcase their talents and make a lasting impression.
Although Ilona Maher wasn’t widely recognized at the beginning of 2024, her role as the captain of the U.S. Olympic rugby team during the Summer Games catapulted her to social media stardom. Not only did she display her athletic prowess on the field, but she also charmed audiences with her humor, ultimately contributing to Team USA’s historic bronze medal win.
Following the Olympics, Maher leveraged her newfound fame, even gracing the red carpet at the Emmy Awards where she interviewed celebrities. Her foray into “Dancing with the Stars” was highly anticipated, and fans were eager to see how she would fare on the dance floor.
For her debut performance on the show, Maher chose the iconic song “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain as her personal anthem, reflecting her desire to be an empowering figure for young girls and challenge traditional notions of femininity. Despite showing initial nerves and some concerns about her flexibility, Maher eventually found her groove, earning a solid score of 18 from the judges and sparking an eruption of excitement.
Partnered with Alan Bersten, a seasoned professional Latin and ballroom dancer, Maher is in good hands. Bersten, a familiar face from the 10th season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” previously clinched the championship in the 28th season of “Dancing with the Stars” with former “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown. His experience and expertise bode well for Maher’s journey on the show.
Born in Burlington, Vermont, in 1996, the 28-year-old Maher spent her formative years in Vermont before pursuing a nursing degree at Quinnipiac University and obtaining an MBA from DeVry University in 2022. With a background in rugby that dates back to her college days, Maher’s athleticism and determination are sure to be valuable assets as she navigates the world of competitive dance on “Dancing with the Stars.”
