Reuniting with Alan Bersten

Speaker 1 Chronic spontaneous urticaria or chronic hives with no known cause. It's so unpredictable.

Speaker 2 It's like playing pinball.

Speaker 1 Itchy red bumps start on my arm, then my back,

Speaker 1 sometimes my legs. Hives come out of nowhere

Speaker 1 and it comes and goes. But I just found out about a treatment option at treatmyhives.com.
Take that, chronic hives. Learn more at treatmyhives.com.

Speaker 1 Honestly, that made my time on the show so good because I was afraid of like, what if I don't like my partner?

Speaker 2 Would you want to be with anyone else?

Speaker 2 No.

Speaker 1 Unless.

Speaker 1 Come on in and welcome back to House of Marr, a wave original presented by the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here's one of your hosts, Adriana Marr.

Speaker 1 She recently got a haircut, which she is calling a bob because she doesn't go any shorter than that.

Speaker 2 I'm calling it a Marr Bob. A Mar Bob.

Speaker 1 You're such long hair people that this feels like a bob. Of course.
I'm Adriana Maher. This is Olivia Maher, one of your co-hosts as well.
And she should trademark this eye look.

Speaker 1 You can do it in your sleep.

Speaker 1 Thank you so much. Yeah, so I'm Olivia Maher, and this is your other co-host, Ilona Maher, a wonderfully talented person who still uses bunny ears to tie her shoelaces.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Hey.
And it works.

Speaker 1 What about it?

Speaker 1 And I am very, very excited to introduce our first ever guest, my good friend, my dance coach, dance partner, Alan Burston, a Dancer with the Stars Pro, a lover of crafty and cream cheese, and a very good coach, I would say.

Speaker 2 Some would say.

Speaker 1 Some said. I've said it.

Speaker 2 I've said it. I'm the first guest.
We finally got first, Delona. We did it.

Speaker 2 Woo!

Speaker 1 Yeah!

Speaker 1 Feels good. Feels great.

Speaker 2 Oh, yeah. There you go.
Some bring out a mirror ball.

Speaker 1 And in to honor of Alan, actually, I'm wearing my Latin ballroom dance shoes.

Speaker 2 It's true.

Speaker 1 I would show more of my leg, but I did not shave. She did not shave her legs.

Speaker 1 Which funny story about that, on some of our dances, Alan would have to like run his hand up my leg, and I was like, sorry about this, buddy. I did not shave again today.

Speaker 1 So you're like, ow, ow, ow, ow.

Speaker 2 Dance is a context sport.

Speaker 1 Dance is a context sport. Some would say full context sport, yeah.
But I put these on in case we did need to break out and dance. Just in case.
A little bit of space here for you guys.

Speaker 1 A A little space. And touchgrass, we are back in the States.
Olivia and I's first stop was getting chilies. Yeah.
Wow. I saw them.
Had to do a cheese pull. I love the tripoder.

Speaker 1 I had to really taste all those. What everyone in the UK likes to call chemicals.
You know what I mean? They're all ready for it. Oh, you've got dyes and chemicals.
Well, it's delicious.

Speaker 1 So had to touch down and get that stuff immediately. But then we went in the airport.
We hadn't even left the airport. But then we went right from that into eating courage bagels in LA.

Speaker 1 So two very different vibes.

Speaker 1 But Alona had been dreaming dreaming about those bagels for weeks now. You were like, that's the first thing I want to do when I get back to LA.

Speaker 2 I'm still upset because you went once without me.

Speaker 2 You went twice without me.

Speaker 1 Is this courage bagels? What do you do? Do you like courage bagels?

Speaker 2 Do you go?

Speaker 2 I frequently.

Speaker 2 I love a good open-faced bagel for you.

Speaker 1 Alona said, You're a freak for cream cheese.

Speaker 2 I love cream cheese. I put that on everything.

Speaker 1 Flavored or just plain?

Speaker 2 All of them. Garden vegetable is the best, though.
But I'm not going to turn down any cream cheese. Right.

Speaker 1 It'll be like

Speaker 1 except for strawberry it'll be like during breaks of dancing i'm like where's alan i'll head over to crafty he's like dipping pretzels and cream cheese he's got a celery stick he's always like you ready to go i'm like yeah yeah i was ready you weren't there let's hit it buddy i don't remember he's always fueling up we crafty was a big place we met up that was our meeting point that was our safe space actually our safe space for sure but before we made it back to the states though we had a quick trip to germany yeah where you went to the Adidas headquarters as their newest global icon athlete.

Speaker 1 It was very nice. A massive headquarters.
It was like, it looked like the best college campus you've ever seen. I got to meet so many people.

Speaker 1 I met Michael Schiffrin, who was like, that was so cool to meet a legend like that. Turns out we're like about the same age.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 To me, she's an icon, but she's just been doing this for so long and been such a name in the sport and in the world. It was so fun.
We got to get so much cool gear.

Speaker 1 I have so many different specials and sambas and all these I gotta wear gazelles.

Speaker 1 We met great people and then it was also cool to be in Germany. Yeah.
Having some beer. You've never been.

Speaker 2 Whoa.

Speaker 1 I've never been to Germany, but that was awesome. We had little sausages.
That's what they're famous for in Nuremberg. These little tiny sausages, you get like a plate of 12.
You know what?

Speaker 1 I also went to a sauna in Germany.

Speaker 2 Yes in June? Yeah.

Speaker 1 Alan and I,

Speaker 1 we would go to the sauna in LA after dance practice. Just tons of old dudes in there.
It's just him and I. We put on these special hats.
What are they called?

Speaker 2 The hats. Hats.
Go hats. Right.

Speaker 2 We got a little wolf.

Speaker 1 Anyway, this sauna gets extremely hot.

Speaker 2 It It does. It's like 200 degrees.

Speaker 1 Something wild. And so we're in there sweating.
And I think we're both like, I'm not leaving until he's leaving. So I'm going to stay until, oh, to be honest.

Speaker 2 And one random old dude is just there for like 30 minutes. He's breathing.
Yeah, he's chilling out.

Speaker 1 Was it Sauna cold plunging?

Speaker 1 It was like contrast theory.

Speaker 2 Oh. I heard you guys love to cold plunge, actually.

Speaker 1 I love it. I think it's great.

Speaker 2 It was an experience. Yeah, I'm glad I did it, but it was...

Speaker 1 I don't like... I'm not jonesing to go again.
But if you drag me to it, I do it. But the sauna in Germany was quite an experience for you.

Speaker 1 Well, the thing about the sauna in Germany is that they go in naked. So I was like,

Speaker 1 got in there.

Speaker 2 I'm like, that guy might be naked.

Speaker 1 And so I'm just sitting there. I was in a full workout year because I just got done.

Speaker 2 Where in Germany, just for the viewers?

Speaker 1 Just for the viewers to know. Just if you want to know this one specific sauna.
But so I was like, okay, this is different, different.

Speaker 1 So the guy gets up.

Speaker 1 I kid you not. an outprint of his of his balls on the on the seat.
Not the sack scan. Not the sack on the seat.
And I was like, right, this is a different level.

Speaker 1 And then you just just showered right ahead. So I like our spa the week.

Speaker 2 Everybody's fully clothed.

Speaker 1 It's all a vibe. One guy one time was like, do you want me to, what is it?

Speaker 2 They call it vanyiki.

Speaker 1 Vaniki. In Russian.

Speaker 2 They're like little bundles of leaves.

Speaker 1 Is that what they do? They're hitting? Oh, what does that help with? Circulation?

Speaker 2 Honestly, it's probably like one of those folk tales. Like, it's really good for your skin.
But I think it just makes your skin hotter. And so it...
exudes the toxins from your body.

Speaker 2 You're just smacking yourself with some leaves?

Speaker 2 Alan loves it. I do love it though.
It is really good. He's just smacking.

Speaker 1 Smacking himself with a wooden thing.

Speaker 2 I bought one from Amazon that is not leaves. It's just like bamboo.
Oh, oh.

Speaker 1 It's like, I think almost like a cupping thing, like bringing blood to the surface.

Speaker 2 How good does it feel though?

Speaker 1 No, he's like, take this. Like, your archer shirt, take it.
So I'm hitting my arches with it.

Speaker 2 It feels good.

Speaker 1 It is. It's a cool thing.

Speaker 2 She brought one. Oh, my God.
Let's all pass it around.

Speaker 1 I was one time, one time you had to like leave earlier, so I was just in there. Some one guy came up to me.
He's like, Do you want me to do that to you? It's how we make friends.

Speaker 1 I was like, I'm okay, sir. I'll be fine that's a maybe another time my friend alan isn't here but he's coming white bag

Speaker 2 i usually come here with my friend alan

Speaker 2 he's in the bathroom yeah

Speaker 1 he goes to another school but he's coming right now

Speaker 1 despite alona's exciting news about adidas uh for those that are only listening and can't see this alan is wearing a something not celebrating her new her new partnership year i guess you're just gonna have to get him a couple pairs i feel like you should have brought me a pair of yeah something from germany you were in

Speaker 1 you were in the archives no and that's a good point that's a good point i should have the sambas at at least. No, I'll get you a bare minimum.
Yeah, they have to make sure you're decked out.

Speaker 1 Make sure they're bedazzled. Well, you know what? Two shoes, though, is funny.
Share our shoe thing.

Speaker 2 Listen, this season, when I was partnering with Alone, I was like, okay,

Speaker 2 we're either getting eliminated first or we're going to make it really far. And that.

Speaker 2 So I bought blank converse, just white converse, and after every dance, before we performed it, we would, she would write down week one, name of the song.

Speaker 2 And I still have them somewhere in my trunk and his car trunk. Yeah.

Speaker 2 But let's give our closet.

Speaker 2 I still have it. It was really cool.
And

Speaker 1 I'm going to

Speaker 2 keep doing that. Put it in a box.
It was going to go in the box with the Mirabell trophy, but

Speaker 1 they can still go in a box, though.

Speaker 2 Yeah. It's okay.

Speaker 1 Well, let's get into tea time because you talk about, you know, not knowing how far we're going to go. What were your first impressions? Of me as a dancer?

Speaker 1 I've learned that he did not think highly of my dance skills.

Speaker 2 That's not your first impression. How did you find that out?

Speaker 1 What do you mean?

Speaker 2 I was very excited. You were my partner.
We walked in. We started dancing.
Then he wasn't excited. I was like, okay, yeah, this is going to be fun.
It's going to be a long season.

Speaker 2 No, honestly, I didn't know what to expect. We've never had a rugby player on the show.
Yeah, no. And I never realized how athletic you could be, which is such a blessing, especially on the show.

Speaker 2 But I think the best part about you was the hard work ethic. You know, you never gave up.
You always tried really hard. And then you ended up getting it.

Speaker 2 You know, I feel like for you, and i don't want to speak for you but i feel like what was harder was more mentally yeah as opposed to physically yeah like you by the end of it you were amazing you were honestly our last i improved our last quick step week on no no we did we did got we got much better you crushed it that was because the haters were coming for us i think the when the confetti when the confetti hit you yeah it really knocks us off yeah yes no but honestly the last like three weeks were just unbelievable and i think you surpassed not only my expectations, but probably your own and everyone else's.

Speaker 2 The nations. But yeah, the first week was...

Speaker 1 But you also, so I think you didn't know, you'd never know who's going to part, your partner's going to be.

Speaker 1 And then there was rumors that I would be on, but you also one time had a thing where you hoped somebody was a partner and then it got messed up for you.

Speaker 2 I legit, this time I was like, don't tell me my partner because one season I was told who my partner was. I was about to go there and they're like, ooh, there's a switch.
Didn't turn out great.

Speaker 2 So this time I was like, I'm just going to walk in without any expectations. And it worked out perfectly.

Speaker 1 But you were hoping it was her.

Speaker 2 I was hoping it was her. Really?

Speaker 1 Why so?

Speaker 2 Oh, just because I already saw her in the Olympics and I was like, she's got a lot of impact. She's funny.
If I'm going to spend five hours with somebody every day, I want to have fun. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 You know, you don't want to be miserable.

Speaker 1 We were kind of told like who a partner could be for us.

Speaker 1 Well, first we had like some requires, which I make fun of, you know, the 6'2 thing that I make fun of because we were like, well, we want a taller partner.

Speaker 1 And the amazing producer of Dancing with Star Dina. She's the best.
She was like, oh, I got something for you. He's great.
He's 6'2.

Speaker 1 And they gave us like, they told us about a couple that could be who we think. So Olivia had me watch the season before with you just to get a vibe for you.

Speaker 1 And I remember thinking, I was like, oh, this guy's very like, not animated.

Speaker 1 But that's how Dance with the Stars is. It's very animated.

Speaker 1 And I wasn't sure if that's like, if it was all a front and I was here, like, this guy could be really animated and nice on the show, or he could just be, and then be a total, like, not fun, actually.

Speaker 1 So we kind of knew it was you, I came into the studio for our meet and you were just sitting there and I walked by the studio and I was like, well, it's Alan.

Speaker 1 So then I walked by and then it was this whole thing of like, oh, it's Alan. I'm so excited.

Speaker 1 And we kept that up, but it was also, I was scared that all of a sudden like the mask would be ripped away and you would just be kind of like, all right, here we go. Let's do it.

Speaker 1 But it was, I was so happy that it was how you were is actually how. our time together would be.

Speaker 2 I remember that first meeting really well. I still get nervous.
I don't know how many times I've been a pro, probably like 10 years now. Yeah.
And I still get like super nervous.

Speaker 2 And then I remember you walking in and you were pretty nervous. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I was so stressed too because I knew it was going to be hard work though. I've never been like, oh, this is just going to be a fun show.
I knew it was going to be hard.

Speaker 1 And I had heard rumors that you can be tough on your partners. And I was like, okay, I wasn't scared of that though.
I was like, okay, perfect. I think you took, what did you first teach me?

Speaker 1 Was the New Yorker the first thing? And that's where he was like, whoa, I think you went and told people I was really bad too.

Speaker 2 Oh my god.

Speaker 1 He went on the group chats and was saying we could have the next, like, you know, worst dancer.

Speaker 2 No, no, no. No, you don't.

Speaker 1 I wasn't good. I was ready to learn, though.
But, like, for those first, I was nervous. I didn't know what's happening.
And it's like, you got to go, go, go.

Speaker 2 I'm going to be honest. You're only as good as your teacher.
So if you don't have a good teacher, it's not your fault. So I was a little nervous as well.
I was like, oh, God, did I teach her bad?

Speaker 2 No, but you honestly, I think after the first day, we had that little break to do promos. Yeah.
we went to New York We came back and you were like a different person.

Speaker 2 I think you were just nervous Do you remember that promo shoot?

Speaker 1 Yeah, I had a what is your thoughts of how I was on that day?

Speaker 2 It was hard because I think you were in heels for the like the whole day whole day and we were just being hurted like

Speaker 2 Yeah to like different areas It was long. It was fun, but like I also think it was the first time you got to meet like everyone else.
Yeah. Well, some of the other people.

Speaker 1 Well, I just remember they were like, okay, now dance. I was like, I thought I was learning to dance.
Why? And so I had to dance for the camera. And like, you know, they try to make it fun for you.

Speaker 1 So they start, yeah.

Speaker 2 I was like, shut up. Olivia was there.
And I was like, oh, Olivia, she's doing great. Don't worry about it.
She's doing great, sweetie.

Speaker 1 But Olivia saw me. I'm watching the monitors.
I have videos of it still where I'm like trying to be like, oh, she looks so beautiful. And I'm like, oh, she's actively having a panic attack right now.

Speaker 1 Could you pick up on that?

Speaker 2 Like her nervousness? Yeah, I could tell she was nervous, but I also think it was great that you were there.

Speaker 2 You know, you kind of went on this journey with us. Yeah.
Adriana did it from New York. Yeah, she was there.
Virtually. I was remotely.

Speaker 1 She was there.

Speaker 2 She was there remotely, but you were there almost every day.

Speaker 2 And I think that was nice, having that comfort, you know, having the sister, having, you know,

Speaker 2 whenever she didn't want to do something, Olivia would walk in and be like, hey, yeah, we're not doing this. Yeah, she's not going to do that.
Cool, Loda, just tell me.

Speaker 2 No, I'm kidding.

Speaker 1 We got better at that. It was just the beginning of learning how to work with each other.
And because all of a sudden, you're like, you meet this person. The next day, you're thrust in with them.

Speaker 2 That's a strong word.

Speaker 1 Sorry. The next day what's the

Speaker 1 i feel like i use that word a lot too it's a dance word

Speaker 1 thrust thrust the next day you're really like forced to spend time together like we spent that promo shoot we were for hours together and then we had to do this together and like you this person you don't even know you've just met and all of a sudden you're with them every single day yeah i mean we literally did not have a day off no no except for that week for we had like two days off yeah and then even then you made me come in to to train on my off day i was like he's like he's like, we got to do this quick step.

Speaker 1 Please give me an hour and a half.

Speaker 2 It was intense. How did you guys feel watching her?

Speaker 1 I, for your first one, I was so excited. I had like seven friends come over in my living room and I was like, everyone, Alona's going.
And I remember just like seeing you on my screen like that.

Speaker 1 I was like, this doesn't feel real. Why is my sister on my screen? And it was really amazing.
Like, I could tell how nervous you were during your first dance.

Speaker 1 Like, all my friends afterwards, like, she did so good. And I was like, she was shitting bricks.
Well, ask Alan, I messed up.

Speaker 2 No.

Speaker 1 No one saw it. And then he brings it up and he's like, that's what happens when you don't balance your weight.

Speaker 2 And I'm like, oh no!

Speaker 2 No, because it wasn't dragons.

Speaker 1 It was the foot dragon where I just balance it.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 2 I don't know how cruelty I can see.

Speaker 1 I can't even watch that dance. The editors on TikTok love that clip too.

Speaker 1 That would have been a perfect clip. They use it all the time anyway.

Speaker 2 What's funny is Ilona was like, I'm not much of a practice person. I like to just go in and do it.

Speaker 2 Yeah, we're practicing.

Speaker 1 We practiced that dance for two weeks.

Speaker 1 That one was bad.

Speaker 2 I agree. The first episode is hard because on a normal week, you only get like three days to learn the dance.
On the first week, you get like a week and a half and then you're practicing it.

Speaker 2 And you don't want to get that expectation of doing it taking that long to learn it every week. So I was like, okay, let's learn it.
Okay, let's learn the next dance.

Speaker 2 But then by the end of it, you're like, oh. I'm kind of tired of doing this dance and we haven't even done it yet.
But it's okay. You did crush it.
You did the dance. It was your first experience.

Speaker 2 You don't know what to expect on your first experience. And you did a really good job.
You didn't run off the floor.

Speaker 1 so that's a win that's a win never did that you didn't maybe i cried maybe i messed up but i never ran off no for me i loved obviously watching you and watching you go on that journey and the confidence that you gained every week and i think that you were such an exemplary like person that does the dancing with the stars journey you got better right like that's what you're there to do we wanted to see you struggle we wanted to see you do it and do it like a normal person or you know olympian that might look like a normal person that has a normal olympian person it's just normal it's just whatever but then i also just loved watching your guys's partnership like grow and flourish.

Speaker 1 And kind of from the moment, like the moment you got together in that first meeting, there was this conspiratorial energy that was like, all right, let's do this thing.

Speaker 1 Like from the get-go, we're going to make, we're going to make, we're going to do, we're going to do the social media, we're going to do the practicing, we're going to take this seriously.

Speaker 1 And I think that was awesome.

Speaker 2 I 100% agree. I think it was more than, you know, some seasons you just do your job, you go in, you rehearse, you leave.
I feel like we became friends.

Speaker 2 We went to eat all the time. We went to the spa all the time

Speaker 2 we worked out yeah we're not giving that free promo sorry guys sorry no uh and we worked out together like it was it was more than just like oh let's just dance yeah and i think that's what made the relationship really fun and the partnership really good it's weird because again i've done this so many times you never know what to expect right and so i got very very lucky with you lona i'll tell everyone she is one of those people where i'm like she is what dancing with the stars is you want to take somebody who doesn't dance who doesn't know what they're doing, who goes out there, who's nervous.

Speaker 2 I'm just keep going. Yeah.
Nervous, really, really bad. Horrible.

Speaker 2 And you turn them into somebody with the glimmer of hope. No, you turn them into somebody who can actually dance.

Speaker 1 But that's what you talked about. You'd always like, even if I did, I'd be like, it's fine.
This show is about improving.

Speaker 2 Yeah. It's fine.
That's what it's about. And I will safely say, I don't think there's ever been somebody who has came on the show.

Speaker 2 and embraced it more and has learned more and came out a different person in regards to dancing at least. I don't know how you feel about yourself, but as a dancer, you came out as a different person.

Speaker 1 I don't really feel like a dancer, but

Speaker 2 I'm wearing my lane

Speaker 2 right now.

Speaker 1 I think you're right about it. It was mostly the mental thing for me because physically, everyone's like, is it tough physically?

Speaker 1 I'm like, I usually get hit and I have to run and I get toggled and be tackled. So that wasn't tough.
It was like mentally that I couldn't figure out.

Speaker 1 Cause it was like, you would tell i say this all the time but you would tell me to do something and i would do it but then i wouldn't do the the toe thing and then you would tell me, okay, now do this.

Speaker 1 And so I think that was really hard for me because it wouldn't link up. Like, I've never played a sport where you had to do a routine.

Speaker 1 My sport was always, this happens, so what are you going to do next? You have to adapt to it. Whereas dancing is like, this happens, then this happens, then this is going to happen.

Speaker 2 It's also very different for team sports and rugby, especially. Like you said, you make decisions on the fly.
And you have so much time to like, if they score, you can, we can

Speaker 2 score as well.

Speaker 2 On a dance, on this, you get a minute and a half, one time live. Yeah.
If you mess up, you mess up. Like, there's no like, oh, I'm going to fix it again.
Figured that out.

Speaker 2 No, so it's, it's a very different mentality

Speaker 2 because you're not able to just like fix it on the fly.

Speaker 1 And the thing is, you can practice so much, but then that one time you do it, it's the one time I do it. I'll do it.
perfectly. And then we do it on in the show.

Speaker 2 Rehearsals, but in rehearsals, I could see your confidence. You know, by the end, by the end of the week, you were ready.
And then I I think sometimes you just were like, oh, God, I got to do it now.

Speaker 2 Yeah. And I think that extra pressure is what gets to you, but it's not just you.
It's everyone.

Speaker 1 Did you like get any tricks on like how to like help her before show?

Speaker 1 Well, after my big breakdown

Speaker 1 jive week, care metal. Care metal week.

Speaker 2 Care metal night. We don't speak about that.

Speaker 1 We don't speak about that week.

Speaker 2 I think we realized like.

Speaker 2 You started thinking of it as a game. Yeah,

Speaker 2 as a rugby game. And we would do the same thing before we would walk on the stage.
There's a little staircase there, and she would sit down there and visualize, and you would say something.

Speaker 1 I just say words that I say before rugby, composure, undisturbed, like things like as the outside, because there's, I think, undisturbed was like there's so many outside factors.

Speaker 1 Like, I would have problems when I got in the ballroom and start dancing, and the crowd would get so loud. So, like, week two, when we did those flips,

Speaker 1 the crowd was so loud that I like lost my place, and I loved it.

Speaker 2 It's

Speaker 2 100%,

Speaker 2 and it was loud for me, too. And I experienced it on the regular.
I don't want to brag.

Speaker 2 I don't want to brag. It gets really loud.
You walk in this crowd. Yeah, I just love them.
But, you know,

Speaker 2 it was really loud. And when we were dancing, I was like, holy beep.
I don't swear, guys. No.
I was like, holy shit, they are loud. Yeah.

Speaker 2 And I remember, like, we both looked at each other and we're like, oh my God.

Speaker 1 Yeah, I got, I'd get a little in my head with that, I think, because like people, and then you get lose your place a little little because it's so exciting.

Speaker 1 But I just started doing that in the hallway before. I'd always sit down, have water,

Speaker 1 try to like, I would count to breathe and count to 10 because I was just like game-based. Like, even when I got on the floor, I was like hitting my shoulders, like revving up to go.

Speaker 1 It's a whole process. Like, you have to this to this, you have 15 seconds here, 30 seconds there.
So there's so many time in between where you can just think about it, and your heart gets going.

Speaker 1 You're watching other people perform. It's a real

Speaker 1 mind challenge for me. It's a doozy, yeah, which you do all the time.

Speaker 2 But even for me, like with you, like when I dance, especially on the show, I don't care about myself. You know, my whole purpose is to make sure you feel good and look good.

Speaker 2 And so when you get nervous or you get upset, it makes me like, oh, I failed her. You know, so I never got frustrated with you.

Speaker 1 And I said, that's what he says.

Speaker 2 I say this, and I will say it all the time. I never get frustrated with you messing up.
I get like sad and upset with myself that you messed up because maybe I didn't prep you well enough.

Speaker 2 You know, like it's a weird feeling because when you're in rugby, I'm sure you guys train really hard. You know, if somebody, if somebody

Speaker 2 messes up, you can pick up the slack. Yeah.
You know, but it's hard for me to pick up the slack when you're standing there by yourself. Yeah.

Speaker 2 And my whole job is to make sure that you are prepared enough. Yeah.
So like I would start getting like emotional and frustrated with myself. Like, oh my God, did I do enough?

Speaker 2 Is she ready and you are ready every time you were ready every time and I think you know like I think looking back at it you're like okay yeah there was a few times where the nerves got to you but overall like you rocked it you went in there and I never realized how many people could support somebody and I feel like you really not only took that support but you also bring it back to everyone and that's what's different about you and you guys about like than than other people that are on the show yeah you know you very much care about everyone you know i i want to realize how to make sure that you feel safe in that we're teammates if you like and i said this a lot but words don't mean a lot you know it was like i was like if you mess up i don't care and i feel like even after you did mess up i was like i still don't care as long as you know that like i got you You ever try to take a picture and no matter what, it just doesn't look as good as it does in real life?

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Speaker 1 I've never been getting mistakes. Even in rugby, like when I knock a ball on, I'm like, well, I'm the worst player.
I hate myself. And, but I allow other people to make mistakes.

Speaker 1 So I'm okay if my teammates knock on. I'm okay if they're like, that's okay.
Hey, guys, that's all good. But when I do a mistake, I'm like, I've messed it up for everybody.

Speaker 2 I see that. And I'm like, I see that a lot because I'm very similar in that.
When you mess up, I'm like, oh, it's okay. If I mess up, I'm like, oh, my idiot.

Speaker 2 What did I just do? No, but it's crazy to have that similarity. And I think we were so similar in certain things.
If there was ever a moment of tension. I think we were both like, yeah, it's okay.

Speaker 2 We're going to get over it. Like, it's not a big deal.

Speaker 2 And we got over it. And we had some, I don't know, what what was it? What do we call them? Come there.
No, steak burritos fairly. Oh, yeah.

Speaker 2 No, food was our really our uh your connector.

Speaker 1 Well, we would have some times where we'd be like, because again, guys, every day I'm in the room with him having to learn these dances.

Speaker 1 And so there'd be days when we would not like each other and be like, All right, you still want to go to the spa?

Speaker 2 You still want to go remote.

Speaker 1 Yeah, but it's an interesting time.

Speaker 2 That was a good Thai food.

Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was really good.
My style place. We're not going to say that place now.

Speaker 2 We don't shout anyone out.

Speaker 1 This is not the gatekeeping, but

Speaker 2 we

Speaker 1 did

Speaker 1 the thing about I think people don't realize is like I do a lot on social media.

Speaker 1 Like that was my thing in the Olympics, but Alan also was a big driver of it and also a big creative of it because we both, I think, saw the impact of it. We saw what it could do.

Speaker 1 And also like it allowed people to connect with us. Like people got to see Alan in a different light.
They got to see me. They got to see like us having fun, us crying, whatever it was.

Speaker 1 Like, I think that was a big help to us, but also we just wanted people to see.

Speaker 2 I think I've never been with a partner that was so open. And I think, again, what makes you stand out is how genuine and vulnerable you are.

Speaker 2 You'll go on Instagram, you'll cry, you'll say you have a hard day.

Speaker 2 You don't just make everything so, oh, I have the best life.

Speaker 2 Yeah. You know, and I think that was really awesome to see.
Yeah. Because I think so many people connected with you on that.
Yeah. And I wanted to be a part of that.

Speaker 2 And, you know, in my past seasons, I'm like, oh, okay, let's, let's film a video with you. I'm like, yo, let's film a video.
Like, get a living here.

Speaker 1 What do we film today?

Speaker 2 Yeah, what's going on?

Speaker 1 We're going to ran this, this, this, and this.

Speaker 1 You guys were pumping video.

Speaker 2 She was really, I'm going to say, you don't give yourself enough credit. You bring a lot of video ideas.

Speaker 1 Yeah, but people don't give you credit for it as well.

Speaker 1 Owling is very funny.

Speaker 2 No, but it's, you know, it was fun to be able to take breaks when we're dancing and be like, oh, let's film something. Yeah.
And then also be like, okay, let's get to work. Yeah.

Speaker 2 Like, that was something that, again,

Speaker 2 you don't always click with. Sometimes it's you're dancing with somebody and I'm like, hey, let's film a video because you want the fans to know who you are.

Speaker 2 And people are like, oh, no, I don't really, you know, I'm tired.

Speaker 1 Or keep, yeah.

Speaker 2 And you're always just like, yeah, let's do it.

Speaker 1 We also noticed people, some people trying to keep a persona up, right? Like of wanting to appear this sort of way. I think what Alan and I really got along well is like.

Speaker 1 This guy would put on a skirt and be like, all right, sweet, what are we doing?

Speaker 2 How do you want me to act? High rock. Here's the idea.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 1 You did.

Speaker 2 I was asking for a a wig so I could turn you over

Speaker 2 the long hair, but it didn't work out. Didn't work out.
I also, what I noticed is like,

Speaker 2 and this goes back to like the dancing part.

Speaker 2 A, I remember in the beginning of the season, you were like, I don't really want to be lifted. Yeah, I wasn't.

Speaker 1 I had my feet on, two feet on the ground.

Speaker 2 I don't get lifted.

Speaker 1 Yeah, why? We're the same size. So you were scared? I was very scared, yes.
You didn't trust him enough, Alona?

Speaker 1 I grew to trust him.

Speaker 2 And I grew to trust her. She lifted me more.

Speaker 2 I was freaking out.

Speaker 1 He liked it, though. Once he got lifted the first time, he's like, this is really beautiful.

Speaker 2 Honestly, I like it turnaround.

Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 It's really funny, though, because I've always been like to a partner, hey, just let me lift you. You'll feel what it feels like.
Yeah. And Lona's trying to lift me.
I was like, yo, what are we doing?

Speaker 2 Put me down. Put me down.

Speaker 1 I think he might apologize to Danielle. He's like, so sorry, man.
Dan, lifting is really hard. Or being lifted is very hard.

Speaker 2 All the girls that I've ever lifted, now I'm like, yo, sorry for like just lifting you.

Speaker 2 That is vulnerable. And the loader's like, Alan, get over here.
I'm like, no, no, no.

Speaker 1 We had to do a lot of practice. I mean, there are some videos of him going down hard.

Speaker 2 Oh, hard.

Speaker 1 But the one time he went down, he was like, great, great stuff. Ow.

Speaker 1 I think my elbow's about a place.

Speaker 2 Can you post it?

Speaker 1 I think I have it somewhere. I literally fell.

Speaker 2 Okay, that's great. Wow, we're so good.
We're so

Speaker 1 astonishing thing. You now, like, I'm a different body type than all the other partners.

Speaker 1 You've had, I mean, you've had a tall partner, like a, you know, but I am a very strong woman, like the same size even i think val talked about on podcast we aren't your average looking dance couple i think you really took that and were like okay cool i can do something different with this yeah and the thing is also about dance with stars is like alan's choreographing everything himself so every week that guy's making his own dances which i think is crazy so he's like in his head having to craft a dance for me but his and i i love for you to talk about it like taking me taking my body type and also making it feminine while doing the lifts and whatnot you know i think it's it's easier towards the end of the season.

Speaker 2 Cause, like, I know you so well already. I know what works, what doesn't.
In the beginning, it's hard because, you know, we'll make a dance.

Speaker 2 And for example, the Cuban break move where we cross and you know the Cuban break. I know the Cuban move.
The Cuban break. She actually really good at it.

Speaker 2 For some reason, even on week one, her hips were freaking moving.

Speaker 2 That's what people online are saying. I don't know.
Book talk is all over it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 But it was like, I don't know what you can do. Yeah.
But then like towards the end of it, I'm like, oh, she looks really good with this. Her arms are really strong here.

Speaker 2 But yeah, creating it, it's hard because, again, you don't have a lot of time.

Speaker 2 We do the show on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we got to start learning the dance.

Speaker 2 By Thursday, we have to have a video of the full dance. Yes.
So a lot of the time, even I'll prep something and then we get into the studio and I'm like. Okay, this has to change.

Speaker 2 How do you feel about this? Or this? You know, there's a lot of like, even afterwards, I'm like, just sleep on it. We'll get better tomorrow.
And if it doesn't, doesn't, I'll change it. So, it's

Speaker 2 a lot more collaborative than you think. Like, a lot of the things, like, I would ask Alona, like, what do you want to do here? What do you feel comfortable doing here?

Speaker 2 And, um, it was nice that you had an opinion. Yeah.
You know, you knew what you liked to do. You knew what felt good for you.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 Like, even I think in the salsa, you were like, oh, I wanna, like, I wanna.

Speaker 1 I was always trying to be sexy. I was like, this is too sexy.

Speaker 2 I want you to go up my leg here. I don't know if I said that.
Oh, next time shave. shave.

Speaker 1 No, I love that idea. How about you make it nice and clean?

Speaker 2 No, but, you know, it was, I don't know. I look back at it and I'm like, oh, this was just fun.
I really wanted to make sure that, like, oh, I'm not trying to hide you.

Speaker 2 You know, you bring so much to the dance floor. I really want everyone to see not only how much you're growing, but like how good you are.

Speaker 2 So a lot of the times, and I'm not going to speak on other people, all their pros, but like they'll try to like dance in front of their partner, like hide them.

Speaker 2 With you, I was like, oh i want her to be the star i want you to shine even if it's not perfect you don't got to be perfect you know people love you because because you try not because you're perfect not saying that you're not perfect yeah

Speaker 2 but but you know what i mean like so i really made sure that like even if it might have not been the best move like you're going out there and and you're selling it because i think that means more to people watching than you getting a perfect score or you you know it's more inspirational to me at least for you like going out there out of your comfort zone, really working hard for something and achieving it.

Speaker 1 What was everyone's favorite dance of the season? Of yours,

Speaker 1 of course, on the count of three.

Speaker 2 Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. She's forgotten.

Speaker 1 Not the song name, the actual dance.

Speaker 2 Okay.

Speaker 1 Three, two, one. Vanie on the dance.

Speaker 2 All right.

Speaker 2 What did you say? I don't think anybody picked up.

Speaker 2 She said Rumba. Rumba was a great low.
Why so?

Speaker 1 Why so? The dedication to the song, your outfit, how good the dance was, especially from the week uh prior. Like, you could just see like such a huge improvement.

Speaker 1 And that's the journey that you were on, you know. You had she did the splits, it was like a crazy difference.

Speaker 2 She did the splits.

Speaker 1 That was a bake for me, too. I love and by splits, we mean almost there.
But look, Alan would bring her a little lower every time.

Speaker 2 What the hell is going on? Give me up, give me up.

Speaker 2 No, that rumble was really good, and you're right. It felt like a breakthrough.
It was a breakthrough.

Speaker 2 And like, it was just, I think, the first time where you showed, like, a very sensitive and vulnerable side. Not just like, oh, I'm going to go out here and be athletic and do the jive.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Because the jive is very athletic.
The salsa, we did the lifts. You know, you also were very good in the fox truck.

Speaker 1 I did. I didn't mind the fox truck.

Speaker 2 What song was that one? I think that was Lady Marmalade. Lady Marmalade.

Speaker 2 But the rumble was like the first time where I was like, oh, shit.

Speaker 1 She's got a lot of stuff. I like the rumba.

Speaker 2 I liked it a lot.

Speaker 2 The hair was down.

Speaker 1 You crafted it beautifully for it, too. Yeah.
With like the spin and the end of it, I think was like really nice.

Speaker 1 And my outfit for that, I have a quote saying where I was like, I want to be as naked as possible.

Speaker 1 Cause I just, I didn't feel this, but like I felt very covered up at times by some of my outfits in the previous weeks. And so I went to the wardrobe department is amazing there.
I went to them.

Speaker 1 I was like, I want to be naked. I want to be like those other girls and I want to wear less, less, less, less.

Speaker 2 And I remember you posted, I'm pretty sure Sizza commented. Yeah, she did.

Speaker 1 She did. That's my girl.
But I wanted to feel very beautiful because, even like showing off, like Alan was creating this dance, these dances for my body type to look so beautiful.

Speaker 1 I also wanted to show it off in such good lights. And I think that was a perfect dance, perfect outfit for that.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 2 So, what was your favorite? Well, what was your favorite?

Speaker 1 I said the paso. The paso.

Speaker 2 I also loved that one.

Speaker 1 That was that was a really good fit.

Speaker 2 That was a good one.

Speaker 1 Full body chills.

Speaker 2 Like, you would so straight that was into your power, and you just felt it just rolling off of you. You know what?

Speaker 1 Because before that, when I got, I was getting angry angry because everyone was saying I didn't deserve to be not everybody, dramatic, but a lot of people online were saying, like, I didn't deserve to be there or anything like that.

Speaker 1 Cause, like, oh, she doesn't have the best dancers. And I was like, I'm improving every week and constantly trying.

Speaker 1 And so, I think this one, the way that he crafted it, like, to be so powerful and like sexy and all these moves. And, like, you know, there's a moment where I walk and everybody's behind me.

Speaker 1 Like, what a cool, that was a cool moment. Cinematic.
And like, me on, me up there on stage again, putting me front and center, like, doing the move in the beginning. I loved that.

Speaker 2 I mean, the paso was honestly one of my favorite dances for sure.

Speaker 2 And it was in the semifinals. And we had two dances that week.
Super stressful.

Speaker 2 But honestly, the two best dances I think we've done.

Speaker 1 It was the semifinal.

Speaker 2 Yeah, and then the Beanie's waltz.

Speaker 1 I love that one. I thought that was, that one took us a minute to learn as well.
Remember that first day? Was that your answer? It was not happy. Was that what you said?

Speaker 1 Well, Beanie's also my favorite, but like, I couldn't get these steps down. And then, and then Emma helped again, and I was like, oh, my god, no, it's true, that's how it happens.

Speaker 2 And then, like, by Friday, it was like, Oh, these dances are special. I knew

Speaker 2 when we started doing those dances towards the end of the week and like actually running into music, I was like, Oh shit, this is this is the right time to have good dances.

Speaker 2 I think we slayed that week for sure. No, honestly, that was probably the best week.
Probably the best week. I chose the freestyle because it was really cool.

Speaker 2 I loved the whole monologue in the beginning. I loved like you walking, talking,

Speaker 2 going down like memory lane and the been better, never been better, Carrie-Annis.

Speaker 1 Yeah, that was great.

Speaker 1 I messed it up for the timing.

Speaker 2 Did she, but I, yeah, every day I was like, no, she changed the words to what I wanted originally. Yeah, I didn't.
Really? She's like, no, I think this sounds better.

Speaker 2 I'm like, okay, do whatever you want. She rips away, never been better, Carrie Ann.
Yeah, it was. That was your idea.

Speaker 1 I was supposed to say, and Carrie Ann, and then there's a little background noise, never been better. Yeah.
But I missed that. And the background noise was like, that's what I was saying.
Okay.

Speaker 1 And so I said, never been better.

Speaker 2 It works so well. Perfectly.
Also, you looked incredible with the ribbon.

Speaker 1 Yeah, that was fun.

Speaker 1 Well, again, I was like, I want something sexy and I want something glittery.

Speaker 1 And for people that maybe don't know what we're talking about, though, can you explain the never been better carrying or okay, right?

Speaker 1 In the week we don't speak of hair meddling.

Speaker 1 You know, it's a jive. It was a very...
Jive was tough for me. Yeah.

Speaker 2 Gene Simmons was there. Gene Simmons was there.
She was calling everyone sexy. They're making

Speaker 1 so much uh anticipation for our dance right right right right and so I kind of got because the jive's a very fast dance is like no breaks this to this to this to this this

Speaker 1 and I was I got off I got off from like get from I think jumping down I was off huh and then slightly got it lost it again slightly got it

Speaker 2 lost it again yeah and it was just a tough week it was a tough dance

Speaker 2 the week actually wasn't even that bad you were really good in the week but i think the

Speaker 2 if i remember craig if i remember craig no but i i remember i was like oh you're good at the jive like you got that high energy

Speaker 2 no i'm thinking about somebody else

Speaker 2 no you weren't bad i know it was tough because it was fast and you said from the get-go you were like if you mess up one step it's hard to catch on

Speaker 2 but i will say i was like oh you're gonna be good at it and then the show happened and and we just got lost but it was okay But in the judge's comments,

Speaker 1 so Carrie-Ann goes, well, I'm crying at this point. So she goes, Are you okay? I'm like, I didn't hear.
So I was like, What'd you say? She's like, Are you okay?

Speaker 1 I'm like, uh, been better, Carrie-Ann, because I'm like crying in front of national television.

Speaker 2 Yeah, honestly.

Speaker 1 Like, I just gave a terrible jive. Iconic.
In wild outfits and hair. Wild outfits.

Speaker 1 I didn't actually feel good with the outfit on. I didn't, that was my favorite.

Speaker 2 After that outfit, she was like, Okay, I need to be sexy outfits. Yeah, yeah, I was like, only sexy outfits.
But yeah, that line was iconic.

Speaker 1 It went viral, huh?

Speaker 2 It went viral. And I felt like after that, I was like, oh, in the freestyle, you got to say never.
You got to bring it back.

Speaker 2 But yeah, no, and then other than that whole awesome Ted Lasso moment of you just talking. Like, to me, it was just so, like, so reminiscent of something that's just that.

Speaker 1 Well, people also connected with us talking and like our personalities coming through. So I think him choreographing that in with like having my personality come through was so like

Speaker 1 a sweet ending to the journey, I guess.

Speaker 2 But then also when you ripped off the jumpsuit, the track suit,

Speaker 2 you the Adidas track suit. Yeah.
You were

Speaker 2 you were just so good.

Speaker 1 Like you was a little off when I watched it back.

Speaker 1 Yeah, I was going too fast on the moves and whatnot, but it's okay.

Speaker 1 I was also like, it was me. So I never understand these because it's me, an amateur dancer, and I'm dancing with all pros around me.

Speaker 2 I was like, can we find someone?

Speaker 1 Beyonce's lead dancer was in it. I was like, can we get some other people in here? But so it's like Daniella and Emma and all the, I'm like, okay, here we go.

Speaker 2 But it was. You were good.

Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was, it was fun and it was personality driven.
And there was moments where I got to speak and we added in like a little bit of rugby stuff.

Speaker 1 We, he took all the little dances from the, they put Fox Shot number in there, Apostle number in there. Yeah.

Speaker 2 I really wanted her to tackle me.

Speaker 1 We did try to do that. She wouldn't let you, right? They wouldn't let us because of like insurance or something.
They also like refused to let you guys go to a field.

Speaker 2 I'm pretty sure they thought Ilona was going to take it. Yeah, they thought that

Speaker 2 Ilona was going to like kill you.

Speaker 1 They were like, Alan can't take it. I was like, get him to a rugby field.

Speaker 2 He'll do it right now.

Speaker 2 You did tap.

Speaker 2 I will say, I took it like a chance. You took it like a channel.

Speaker 1 Well, let's get, that's your, so you were only a ballroom dancer. Yeah.
You never did any contact sports.

Speaker 2 My mom would not let me do sports. She's like, you're going to get hurt.
And then a few years ago, we were, me and I think me and Val or somebody else, we were playing basketball.

Speaker 2 You know, pick up basketball.

Speaker 1 Yeah, like the boys do.

Speaker 2 I dislocated my finger and broke my finger.

Speaker 1 My mom is right.

Speaker 2 And I'm at the hospital. I'm like, mom, I'm

Speaker 2 like three years ago.

Speaker 2 I'm like, mom, I broke my finger. I told you not to play sports.
I was like, I know.

Speaker 1 Well, it worked out for you. You're now an amazing dancer.
But we have a funny story because Danny Amandola is like actually the same size, if not a little shorter than Alan.

Speaker 1 So Alan's like, man, I could have, I could have gone to the NFL.

Speaker 2 I really could have gone to the NFL, guys. Dang.
Another universe.

Speaker 2 I might be delusional, but I truly believe all the answers.

Speaker 1 it could have been the next dance.

Speaker 2 I could have been a star athlete. I could have been

Speaker 2 a star. Tom Brady would have been passing it to me.
It's interesting. There's so many different styles of dance, and it's not like, oh, if you're good at this, you're good at that.

Speaker 2 It's not like, oh, if you're good at rugby, you're probably good at football. You're probably good at running.
You're probably good at this. You know, dancing is so different.

Speaker 2 They're like contemporary is so soft. We never did it contemporary.

Speaker 1 What us both lifting each other?

Speaker 2 Just the whole time.

Speaker 1 Just constantly lifts.

Speaker 2 Just airplanes.

Speaker 2 We'll do it after. We'll do it for the podcast.

Speaker 1 Right, right, right. You took a dance class in England.
It was almost like salsa in a way, like

Speaker 1 the feet, how you do it. And it took me a minute to get it.
And then I was like, I got this.

Speaker 2 You brought it up.

Speaker 1 And I was like, your teammates, right? I brought my team.

Speaker 2 Yeah, we all went.

Speaker 1 I did. I genuinely took a class.
Yeah. And I was like, please don't, nobody knows me for dancing with stars.
Please, no one knows me for dancing with stars.

Speaker 1 No, thankfully, nobody in this class did, which is crazy because like all of Bristol was knowing me. But I was like, I am now better at picking things up.
Yeah, 100%.

Speaker 1 Like I can now, oh, you teach me a few steps. I can kind of get it.

Speaker 2 I noticed it like week five. I was like, oh,

Speaker 2 like, before it would take like 30 minutes to learn a step and like solidify it. I think you became more comfortable and confident in yourself.
Yeah. And you probably were like, oh, you know what?

Speaker 2 I can do this. So then you learned it and you would like pick up steps a lot easier.

Speaker 1 It was crazy when we went from week one to the, again, week, I think it was maybe Tango week where I was like, we picked up on one day.

Speaker 2 Like, oh. Yeah.
Okay.

Speaker 1 No, I actually got, I got fox shot in like two days.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Remember what?

Speaker 2 You guys were watching.

Speaker 1 I think it was because I had people watching me.

Speaker 2 Yeah, you guys were all sitting there.

Speaker 1 Your first day on Wednesday, we came in. Yeah.
And then the next day we had like a news outlet came to record us and like, and just do a part of your dance. And I, kid you not, locked in.

Speaker 1 Ellen and I got up and I did the whole dance perfectly. We were laughing the whole time.
Ellen like, no, no, no.

Speaker 1 Like we got through the whole dance perfectly.

Speaker 2 It was the second day. But also you have to dance when there's press.
You have to dance without music. So we're kind of like, oh, you just hear them breathing.

Speaker 1 And then then I start laughing because I'm like, what the fuck?

Speaker 2 Are you counting your feet or just going, oh, yeah, sometimes, yeah.

Speaker 1 Do you ever see those? I love those videos online, but it's like you like, one,

Speaker 1 two, because he's yelling at me. A lot of times, like in the Viennese waltz, you had to tell me when I did the

Speaker 1 thing. And so a lot of times he's talking to me, like, one, two, like, he'll tell me that so loud.

Speaker 2 And, you know, we have like keywords. Like, when we're rehearsing, like, okay, head back or like heel step.
Frame, whatever. And then

Speaker 2 I just, I guess I get so used to it. And like, I'm like, oh, this is going to be a good trigger for her to remember.

Speaker 2 So, like, when we're dancing live and the music is loud and the people are loud, I'm like, head back.

Speaker 1 As a Lona's manager, it's important that I wake up refreshed and instantly ready to tackle the day.

Speaker 1 That's why I love Now Brief and Galaxy AI on my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra because they give me all the important stuff before I've even had my coffee. My schedule, boom, it's right there.

Speaker 1 I don't have to scroll through a million emails to know where I need to be. The weather? Now I know whether I need an umbrella later or if I can finally wear that cute skirt without freezing.

Speaker 1 With my phone on my Galaxy Watch 7, I even get my energy score so I know if I'm thriving or if it's a three coffee minimum kind of day. And the best part, it updates throughout the day.

Speaker 1 Got a last minute change in plans? Now brief keeps me on top of it. Need a heads up about traffic before heading out? Already handled.

Speaker 1 Basically, Now Brief handles the organization for me so I can just be present. And honestly, that's kind of amazing.
S25 Ultra is my brain's new favorite teammate.

Speaker 1 Disclaimer, Now Brief displays daily select information from select apps. Some apps may require internet connection and/or consent to access data.
Personal data intelligence must be enabled.

Speaker 1 Galaxy AI features by Samsung are free through 2025 and require Samsung account login. Alona was telling us that dancers have a certain sound that they each make for each beat.
What is yours?

Speaker 1 Is that the way to describe it?

Speaker 2 Ooh.

Speaker 1 Yeah, he does a lot of that. Like Emma does ka, ka.
Khashul, silshai, ka.

Speaker 2 And then

Speaker 2 you do a lot of that.

Speaker 1 And then even when you're dancing with like, like pros, pros, you love to, you like to make noise and you're like pointing, winking, like you're very much so in.

Speaker 1 It's almost like fighters have a sound. Like boxers, they make a

Speaker 1 they make a sound with it as well.

Speaker 2 Or like tennis. I'm like,

Speaker 2 yeah. No, I told you though, for like the New Yorker, I was like, make a noise.
Oh, yeah. Hey!

Speaker 1 And then it was, wait, hey, ha, ooh.

Speaker 2 And it works. I don't know why, but it works.

Speaker 1 I could feel like you didn't want to do that to start with. No, she didn't.
I did not. I still don't want to do that.
I still would rather not like make it. It wasn't natural to me.

Speaker 1 Whereas, like, it gets to be natural. Like, I don't know, I'm doing like fighters, it gets me natural.
Like, when I lift, when I lift in the gym, I have a sound.

Speaker 2 I make like I do, like, but when you're running on the pitch and you're some girls chasing you, you don't make noise. You're just like, no, I'm too busy.
Heavy breathing, yeah. Yeah, I'm like,

Speaker 2 but like, when I run, I'm like, oh, oh,

Speaker 2 interesting. You can probably sort that out, actually.

Speaker 2 Like, Makana ham. Yeah, right, right.

Speaker 1 But I do think it's interesting, and I think we should talk talk about is like we get a lot of shippers online of us, like shippers, but I think what we built was like a really beautiful friendship.

Speaker 1 And I think people like aren't used to seeing that of like a man and a woman who are just genuinely enjoy time.

Speaker 1 Like we built, like, first off, we're very similar at times to the point where I was like, I'm going to punch this guy in the face because he's too much like me.

Speaker 2 I'm surprised she did it.

Speaker 1 Yeah, there was moments I did it. But I think what was special and people don't get to see often is a sort of friendship like that.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Where it's so like people who enjoy spending time together for a common goal. And like, we love the shippers.
It was so funny to us, but like, we just

Speaker 1 genuinely, I hope, were friends for life.

Speaker 2 Yeah, no, I think until you get your new partner.

Speaker 2 Oh, she's gonna show, you're gonna show up there.

Speaker 2 Little sign, boom, I'm at boo. She's with the bar off.

Speaker 2 You can't even lift him.

Speaker 2 No, I think like our friendship was so special. Again, it's because, you know, we were just having fun.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 There's a lot of platonic chemistry, and that's what people picked up on. It's like, that's so cool.
You guys could build a friendship and relationship like that.

Speaker 1 Which I think also, like, I went into this show, like, knowing like you're around this person all the time. You're, you're constantly spending time with them.
I was like, I kind of treated Alan.

Speaker 1 I was like, Alan's my coach. Like, whenever somebody becomes my coach, that's like.
I start to respect him and look up to them that way.

Speaker 1 And I think that what's made us flourish is like knowing like this is not a working relationship, but like we're here for a common goal.

Speaker 1 We're here to create something and we're here for a bigger purpose of like inspiring America, whatever it was.

Speaker 1 And that, I think, allowed us to get even closer because you are, you're doing, you're spending time together. You're doing dances where you have to get super close.

Speaker 1 It's like knowing what our, our vibe was and what we wanted to do, I think really just like bonded us as well. Yeah.

Speaker 2 And then also in that one guy message, you really bothered us.

Speaker 1 Yeah. So somebody,

Speaker 1 you know who messaged me.

Speaker 2 She called you right away.

Speaker 1 Okay, I got a DM. I can't say who it was from.

Speaker 1 But I freaked out. And then I was was like, Alan, do you see who this is?

Speaker 2 Oh, Alan?

Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I went to the producer.
I was like, everybody, take a look. Everybody take a look.
I think I danced the best.

Speaker 2 Yeah, we did the dance right after that. I was like, do it for him.
The best dance.

Speaker 2 If she did it like that, we would have won the show week five. It would have been over.

Speaker 1 I had to dance for him after that. I was like,

Speaker 2 not that guy. No.

Speaker 1 It's interesting. And I mean, you know, you've been through so many partners, but it's like, you have to build a relationship in some ways with this person.

Speaker 2 No, I think that's what it is. It's like, when people say the word relationship, it's not always romantic.
Yeah. You know, it's a friendship.
It's a

Speaker 2 family, it's a relationship.

Speaker 2 And our friendship, our relationship was very like,

Speaker 2 I'm going to look out for you no matter what. You know, you're honestly family.
Like, I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you. I want to see you happy.
I want all this.

Speaker 2 And I felt that from you. Not so much from Olivia.
She's rude. She's rude.
No, I know. She was awesome.
Cold heart of it. She calls me King.
It's great. King.
Handsome King. Yeah.

Speaker 1 No, I think that honestly, that made my time on the show so good because I was afraid of like, what if I don't like my partner? What if this happens? Whatever.

Speaker 1 So it just really brings it up when you're friends with a person. But it is tough to be friends.
What?

Speaker 2 Would you want to be with anyone else?

Speaker 2 No.

Speaker 1 Unless.

Speaker 1 No, I wouldn't. Now I look at everybody else and I was like, I don't think the partnership that we had, I don't think, not to sound like boastful.
I don't think we'll be created again.

Speaker 1 I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime partnership of also two people who,

Speaker 1 like, as I said, again, not the normal dancers, somebody who's going to highlight that and work with that.

Speaker 2 And I think it was like, I think a lot of people, I think it was refreshing. Refreshing.

Speaker 2 It wasn't just like, oh, a showman, a show manse, or like, you know, it wasn't like, oh, they're doing, no, they're friends and they care about each other.

Speaker 1 I think it was like, like my teammate, like to me, you were my teammate, like how I would treat, you know, Naya, the people you go through the trenches with, you know, the people you do your conditioning days with, who you're just like, you're bonded in some way that makes you feel that because it's, it's a lot of work.

Speaker 1 I had a lot of breakdowns. We've had a lot of breakdowns together.

Speaker 2 Did we cry? We've cried a lot together.

Speaker 1 I've there's been moments where he's walked out of the room and I've been like, I'm going to my corner.

Speaker 2 Leave me alone, Tiny. I'm going to crafty.

Speaker 1 He's going to crafty and I would go to my corner and then I'd lay on the ground and then he'd be like, Hey,

Speaker 2 she's scary when she's in that.

Speaker 1 She's scary when she's like that.

Speaker 2 Yeah, you guys know her.

Speaker 1 Oh, he experienced a lot. You can talk about my moods as well, where I just get quiet.

Speaker 2 No, I want them to see. Oh,

Speaker 1 we usually talk about this, but like, I would get texts from Alan being like, is she okay? Is she okay? Is there anything I can do? I'm like, literally, no.

Speaker 2 Let her be.

Speaker 1 But I would get quiet. I would say I would get quiet with you in training because

Speaker 1 I was trying to process everything and I never had an excuse for it. So I think some people would be like, well, I didn't do this because this.

Speaker 2 Yeah, that's one thing. You never gave an excuse.
Yeah. You literally

Speaker 1 set up, how do I do it again?

Speaker 2 And I'm like, oh, I don't know how to react to this.

Speaker 1 So I would just kind of like look at him like this. I'm like,

Speaker 1 while he's saying something, I'm like, yeah, I'm like, say something. And then I would just do it again.
And then he would do it again.

Speaker 2 But it was, yeah, it's weird not having an excuse.

Speaker 2 Yes. It's great.
But also at the same time, I was like, oh, she's just really trying to get it.

Speaker 1 She's maybe taking it in. She's maybe not.
Maybe she's plotting my demise. Both.

Speaker 1 Some days both.

Speaker 2 No. Who knows?

Speaker 2 To me, so I did, we did Dancing with the Stars Juniors once, and that was where I would teach the couple. Yeah.
But I wouldn't get to dance with them on stage. Yeah.
And that was even more stressful.

Speaker 1 Really?

Speaker 2 Because, like, with you, if something happens, I can like

Speaker 2 go say the trigger word and get you back on track.

Speaker 1 Or pull me around.

Speaker 2 And they're over there. It's like, it's like you guys watching her.
Like, oh, God, just do it right. Don't mess up.
You're like, there's no way to help. No.

Speaker 1 How did you guys feel watching her?

Speaker 2 I mean, you were in the audience a lot. Yeah, yeah.
You came a few times.

Speaker 1 I came to every show, Olivia, huh?

Speaker 2 I mean, you came up with a lot of time. I was there for like more than half of them.

Speaker 1 Did you ever notice the mess-ups or anything? I think I noticed like maybe one thing, but like, even during the drive,

Speaker 1 the drive, like after you were done and like went over, and I was like, why is Lona crying?

Speaker 2 I think someone was like, she messed up.

Speaker 1 And I was like, I didn't see her mess up. I was like, what are you talking about? And it's still like, it's also because I don't have like the eye, but I didn't see it.

Speaker 1 But then afterwards, like every other dance, I'd be on the edge of my seat. I'm like gripping.
And I was like, okay, it's only a minute. Okay, it looks good.
Looks good.

Speaker 1 And just like with my untrained eye, trying to see it all.

Speaker 2 Do you guys get stressed when she's playing rugby? Yes. Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 The body is like so taut. Just like,

Speaker 1 so same thing there. But I think I was, I got to see a lot of the dances before you actually went out there.
So I was a bit of a dance mom.

Speaker 2 Like, you were more than that.

Speaker 2 One week you had the air horn.

Speaker 1 Oh, yeah. Alan bought me an air horn.
He had it like DoorDashed or whatever over. And I danced around them because it got so loud in there when you dance.

Speaker 2 You get distracted.

Speaker 1 We needed to like train Alona like a spooked horse into like

Speaker 1 being okay with distractions and noises. So I was

Speaker 2 screaming.

Speaker 1 I have an air horn. I'm calling her ugly.
I'm like, it's a whole thing, but I think it helped.

Speaker 1 So like I only noticed slight errors because I knew the dances so much like with you. I was literally in the audience like, okay.

Speaker 2 Listen, you not only became better at not even making errors, but then I think you got really good at like, if there was an error, you didn't show it. Yeah.

Speaker 2 You know, and honestly, like the last, again, the last three or four weeks, you nailed. Like, you didn't mess up.

Speaker 1 I messed up in the past once. Remember, I got to, to the, after we did the, we got out of the pivots, and I messed up there, but then I just waited for you.

Speaker 2 Yeah. I was like,

Speaker 2 yeah, but you couldn't even see. I felt like

Speaker 1 we felt it. There's at times a dance we both know we're like,

Speaker 2 it was great. Yeah.

Speaker 1 But you often say that like he choreographed for your body, made you feel obviously very beautiful, very sensual, right?

Speaker 1 Like did you did your body image like or your perception of it, you always talk body appreciation. How was that throughout Dancing with the Stars?

Speaker 1 Don't know if I think it was just cool to test my body in a different way, right? Like learning the different movements.

Speaker 2 So splits.

Speaker 1 So I can do a split. I can't actually.
I think, I don't think I could anymore. I think I would be up.
This would be me.

Speaker 1 I think testing your body in a different way, like feeling that sensuality for it. And it was just cool because I'm always trying to see what else my body is capable of.

Speaker 1 And, and, you know, even lifting you and this sort of way, being lifted as well. Like, oh, look at me.
I'm such a, so tiny. I'm like a light butterfly, you know?

Speaker 1 Delicate. But I guess it's not only for women, but also for

Speaker 1 it wasn't only for women, but like as a dancer, is there issues with body image as well for you as a man?

Speaker 2 Well, I think in general, anyone on TV probably has body issues.

Speaker 2 A dancer for sure, because I I think, again, the dancer has a

Speaker 2 mold that they have to fit in. You know, I definitely feel like I've had body dysmorphia.
You know, I also, you know, you put so much on yourself that

Speaker 2 you don't even know what really looks good, but you're like, oh, I don't feel good. I don't look good.
This person doesn't think I look good. So I clearly don't look good.

Speaker 2 I've learned to love myself a lot more. Believe it or not, I love myself.
No, I'm kidding.

Speaker 2 I realized, though, for me, like going to the gym isn't just about looking good.

Speaker 2 It like mentally makes me feel good.

Speaker 2 You know, like after workout, I'm like, oh, I'm not only proud of myself, but like the endorphins are running and mentally I feel better. And, you know, it just, it makes my mood better.
I kind of.

Speaker 2 you know obviously i still look in the mirror i want to make sure that i

Speaker 2 fit the mold and look good and have a six pack.

Speaker 1 But also, that's the thing about your job is it's so much how you look too and how you move it in a look.

Speaker 1 Whereas I'm like, it's about how I look, but it's more like how I run, perform, you know, whereas you is like, how you look up there every night.

Speaker 2 So, like, yeah, definitely body dysmorphia is a thing. You know, it's like

Speaker 2 when I was younger, or even like, well, I did so you think you can dance. And I remember like back then, I would always be shirtless.

Speaker 2 And then I look back at it, like, three years later I was like what was I doing like I was like so not Confident in myself that I just wanted to be shirtless to like oh I believe in myself and then I realized and then I think I went like a long period of time like not posting shirtless because I was like why am I doing this like why am I insecure about this?

Speaker 2 Who am I posting it for? Yeah. And then I got in shape and I started posting more

Speaker 2 shirtless.

Speaker 2 No, but you know, it was more of like, I'm what I, before the season, I went on a strict diet and I got really in shape and I was more proud of myself. Yeah.

Speaker 2 Not because I looked a certain way, but because I was like, I set a goal and I achieved it. Yeah.
You know, I truly believe it's better to feel good as opposed to look good. Yeah.
Because

Speaker 2 what does it mean to look good? Everyone

Speaker 2 has different images and different ideas of what looks good and society shouldn't be the one

Speaker 2 to tell you what looks good or not. And so I kind of learned that in the last like year or two.
And I feel like I'm a much happier person about that.

Speaker 2 And so I will enjoy a courage bagel with a lot of crime.

Speaker 1 And I want to say too, Alan's an athlete. Alan and I would go work out.
He's putting numbers on. I was like, you want me to do how many reps of this?

Speaker 2 Yeah, no, we were like

Speaker 2 back day just doing lap pull down.

Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah. And then he would come do some more like rugby-based workouts with me.
And

Speaker 1 he was really good. But I recently commented on his post like, oh, I hope you can keep up with me in the gym.
And someone was like, Alan doesn't need to keep up with you. He's a dancer.

Speaker 1 I was like, this guy, first off, is an athlete. Athlete mentality, he's going to keep up with me.
If I'm doing another rep, he's going to do another rep.

Speaker 1 If I'm adding more weight, he's going to add more weight. It's anything, he's pushing me as well in the gym.
Like, I add weight because he's so dancers are athletes too, guys.

Speaker 2 Yeah, no, I mean, it was fun working out with Delona because I was like, I cannot let her outlift me.

Speaker 1 You couldn't, upper body, you're much stronger. Upper body, but I was

Speaker 2 strong. Might have had him lower.
I also don't like doing legs because I have to dance. I'm like, I don't want it to hurt.

Speaker 2 Yeah, sure. You know, like, I don't want to do like dancing, like, oh, my legs, but

Speaker 2 you are strong, it's true, she's strong, it's true, upper body, I'm stronger, but lower legs, she got me. There was weeks during the show, there's a day she's like, 8 a.m., I'm going to the gym.

Speaker 2 I was like, oh, go without me. Go without me.

Speaker 1 There was just one, but you were sick that day, I think. Yeah, I think you said no because you were sick.

Speaker 2 I was like, I can't like.

Speaker 1 Other than that, peer pressure gets you, but it wasn't even peer pressure. You were like, oh, Lona's getting stronger.
I'm going to cause a peer pressure.

Speaker 2 No, but it's good. But, like, I'm like, oh, she,

Speaker 2 even though we're dancing for four hours a day, she needs to go to the gym and like lift. Yeah, that's good.
And that's really interesting to see.

Speaker 1 Alan, anything you're looking forward to this year?

Speaker 1 What's next for you? You're on tour now. What's going on?

Speaker 2 You know, we just finishing up a

Speaker 2 three and a half, four-month tour

Speaker 2 right after the season. So I'm going to relax a little bit.
I got to do a few more like appearances and just dancing.

Speaker 2 I'm excited for the next season, obviously. Like, I love dancing.
Yeah. But yeah, I don't know.
I want to just do some other things. I still feel like, what camera do I look at?

Speaker 2 Ilona and I need to have our own show. Oh, yeah.

Speaker 1 If anyone using this wants to, I think we try things.

Speaker 2 We do a show where we try things.

Speaker 1 Number one, hobby horsing.

Speaker 1 Him and I send videos to each other because I'm like, this is impressive. Yeah, the jumps they're doing.

Speaker 2 The jumps they're doing.

Speaker 2 And one time, like the horse was not behaving. Oh, it's like bet the horse that's going to be fun.
Alan and I would actually be really good.

Speaker 1 I couldn't jump high though. Straight up loved to do it.

Speaker 2 Not making fun of it. Straight up want to do it.

Speaker 1 No, not genuinely want to give it or genuinely give it.

Speaker 2 You'd get into it, too. I'm telling you, I want to do a whole show with Alona of like trying things because

Speaker 2 she doesn't want to do skydiving. Please don't skydive.

Speaker 1 Yeah, there's no read, no reason.

Speaker 1 Don't go jump, high dive. I wouldn't high dive.
I'd go off of a little diver.

Speaker 2 Surfing. She's

Speaker 2 sky brown. Yeah.
Sky brown will teach us how to surf. I'm telling you.

Speaker 1 If you want to keep this magic going,

Speaker 2 if you want to see Alona do things and me do things, probably

Speaker 2 just as good, if not better.

Speaker 1 You know what I've said? Not better. Amazing race.
You guys

Speaker 2 against us.

Speaker 1 You guys drive sick?

Speaker 2 Show yep. That's awesome.

Speaker 1 I've done it twice.

Speaker 1 Yeah, Alan and I will join.

Speaker 1 Who's eating the weird things?

Speaker 2 Between the two of you.

Speaker 1 Between the two of us. One time I have to eat like a goat head.

Speaker 2 Oh, no, you're doing that. Ah!

Speaker 2 I don't eat pork or like shellfish or

Speaker 2 goat.

Speaker 2 Here's a goat. Sorry, you don't know.
I just don't know.

Speaker 1 All right, you will jump off the things.

Speaker 2 I will eat the weird things and he will be driving in her bad directions perfectly. So yeah, we're going to do a show.

Speaker 2 I don't know why. And I'm glad you're invited.

Speaker 1 I will say this, though I'm being mean about your partner next season. I do hope you get a great partner and that you also have a great relationship with them as well.
I will be sad.

Speaker 1 I don't know if I'll be able to. She just won't be watching.
I genuinely don't know. You will be.
I don't think I'll be able to watch it, but I'll be like, I hope that you have like, I hope.

Speaker 1 In a way, each season now, you can be like, that was my favorite partner. That was my favorite partner.
Cause I think that's just the life, right? Like, hoping for the next best one, next best one.

Speaker 2 Yeah, you know, again, like, there's you always like, oh, who's your ideal partner? I get that question all the time. Who do you want as your partner?

Speaker 2 And, like, you never, like, oh, I want somebody who's going to care and be there. Yeah.
You were honestly an ideal partner. You were likable.
You tried really hard. You made it fun.

Speaker 2 And so, like, it's going to be hard to top.

Speaker 1 But hopefully, you do.

Speaker 2 Hopefully, we do.

Speaker 1 But it will be tough. But I do hope you get amazing partners

Speaker 1 and you win a mirror ball, even though it wasn't with me.

Speaker 2 Come on. Come on.

Speaker 1 That's big of you, though.

Speaker 2 Thank you. I just want to say that.
You're going to wear a wig next to you. Yeah.

Speaker 2 Ello,

Speaker 2 you suck. Ello.

Speaker 1 She's from the crowd. Oh, she's going to dance with you.

Speaker 2 She's in the crowd, like heckling, though.

Speaker 1 I'll heckle him.

Speaker 2 She's sure. Heckle like that.
She's going to put a wig off.

Speaker 1 Yeah, no, I'll be, I'll be, you'll know it's me. You'll know it's me when I'm me and me, Nim.
Yeah. Let's cool it off today with Sisters Settle It.

Speaker 1 Need advice or just want to share a sisterly struggle? Send us a DM or voice note at House of Mar for a chance to be featured on the show.

Speaker 1 Alan, do you have a sibling struggle that you want to share with us that we can help

Speaker 1 with? We'll tackle.

Speaker 2 I don't have a sibling struggle, but I have a lot of stories.

Speaker 2 So, growing up, my family did not come from a lot of money, and I don't know why we started dancing, but my brother would get like all the dance lessons from like the coaches, and he would like give me the handed out lessons.

Speaker 2 The trickle-down lessons.

Speaker 2 He was my teacher my whole life. So, like, and he's still, we have a, we have a dance studio in Minnesota.
Uh, shout out, Dance With Us America. No, shout it out.
Shout it out. Shout it out.

Speaker 2 Shout it out.

Speaker 2 And so like, he is honestly phenomenal. He's seven years older than me.
We have a sister in the middle who also, we all danced.

Speaker 2 So like we would take like road trips to Chicago and like go to competitions. And we just spent every day together.
We were best friends.

Speaker 2 But obviously we fought a lot.

Speaker 2 Yeah, I remember in the dance studio, me and my brother would like do turn competitions just like to see who's better. And like we would just like random stuff.

Speaker 2 But obviously it was like, you know, it made us better. Now we're really good.
All three of us were,

Speaker 2 you know, we go in business together and everything we do, we love each other.

Speaker 2 There's nobody like family. You guys know.
Like you can really like pick on each other, but also.

Speaker 2 rely on each other. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Those hand-me-down lessons obviously got you where you are today. Oh, yeah.

Speaker 1 So what do you recommend to someone else who's trying to learn dance who might be in a similar situation like in today's day and age yeah i think it's just you know find the people you trust

Speaker 2 and trust them you know even if i grew up in tough love you know but and that's not always the right approach but like know that like the people who have your back they truly care about you um it is funny on so you think you can dance and i feel like this was my brother's dream more than mine

Speaker 2 He wanted to be on Soyuz Dance.

Speaker 2 We auditioned together and there was something called Green Mile where they picked the last 20 people that are on the show and like they made us go together and like we're standing there together and they're like, Okay, Alan, you're gonna be on the show.

Speaker 2 And like I started crying because I was more devastated for him.

Speaker 2 So like,

Speaker 2 obviously, the show was assholes because they like drama, but like, yeah, I really

Speaker 2 would have loved it for us to both be there together because, you know, growing up, he was my role model and idol.

Speaker 2 And it's, it's amazing to see just like when you look up to somebody especially family it's you know you guys both grow together it's it's really really awesome so very lucky to have siblings but he's still very supportive of you now i mean it's kind of like like olivia my older sister and what i've done like the way that they still support you put not put aside their egos but are like this is also my blood like i'm gonna whatever they're doing i'm gonna support it maybe i would have loved to do it too but like this is something that's so amazing for them exactly my brother him and his wife um they still compete in dancing and they are phenomenal amazing they're in the finals like they're in the top like six in america and they're really really good but like

Speaker 2 he can put that aside and be like hey everyone make sure to vote for my brother like look what he's doing they came to the finals they came to the finals literally just flew in that day just to support yeah we should have gotten a mirror wall trophy for them it was for them they're not even my mom broke her shoe

Speaker 2 because she was there

Speaker 2 sitting waiting for the results and she was was so strong.

Speaker 2 My siblings, my brother Gene, and my sister Melanie, will like buy my parents nice gifts because they don't.

Speaker 2 So we like bought her a pair of Lou Boutons and she wore them and she got so nervous she broke the eagle. No!

Speaker 1 Nice, Alona.

Speaker 2 Way to go, Alona.

Speaker 1 What the hell? You're a part of this, too.

Speaker 2 You know, my mom knew she was. Yeah, I know.

Speaker 1 One thing about Alan's brother, Gene Burston, look him up. He has three little, three daughters, and these girls can dance.

Speaker 2 Oh, yeah, I love those girls.

Speaker 1 Your little nieces, and you dance with them all the time. They are amazing dancers, too.

Speaker 2 Yeah, so it's like, it's amazing to have that close-knit family. I know not a lot of people, or some people have it, but like, it's rare to have that.
You guys have that, and it's so special.

Speaker 2 But yeah, no, it's, it's amazing. Even now, like, my family and I, we just bought a dance competition.

Speaker 2 And I was on tour, so I wasn't able to be there, but I was.

Speaker 2 facilitating everything and like struggling but they handle it all so well so it's like you know my brother and sister they're just you know, they're family and you can't, you can't beat that.

Speaker 1 No, you can't. You might get annoyed with them, but you love them.
Yeah, absolutely. Not with you guys, though, never.

Speaker 2 No, no, no, no. She never said anything better.
No, no, no, no. Never.

Speaker 1 Thanks so much for coming over to the House of Mar, a wave original, presented by the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Be sure to watch and subscribe on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 1 Please follow the show on social media at House of Mar for clips and BTS content. Thank you so much, Alan, for coming on.
Honestly, you know, my buddy, we had to talk about it. They wanted to hear it.

Speaker 1 And you've been an absolute pleasure and honor to have you here. See you next time.
Not you, probably, though. Get out of here.

Speaker 2 Yeah, no, I'll see you guys next time. Doors over there.

Speaker 2 Yeah,

Speaker 2 doors open. Do you want over?

Speaker 2 See you next time. Oh, no, I'm stuck here.