Here’s What Motivates Ilona Maher On Dancing With the Stars

Ilona Maher hasn’t had an easy time on Dancing With the Stars. She ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard. She faced harsh criticism from the judges that left her in tears. In addition to that, Ilona found herself in the midst of Carrie Anna Inaba’s scoring controversy. Needless to say, it hasn’t been an easy season for the Olympian. Despite all of these setbacks, Ilona found the motivation to carry on. 

Her Secret Weapon

Ilona appeared on Good Morning America to share her experience with the dancing competition. While there are probably days when she wants to quit, Ilona gets out there and dances for all the little girls out there. Her motivation is the ones like her who see what she does.

“People are loving to see a girl like me move. They’re seeing themselves out there,” Ilona said during her Thursday, November 7th interview with GMA. 

She appeared on the morning talk show alongside her pro dance partner Alan Bersten–Who Was Also Amanda Kloots’ Dance Partner. Ilona also shared that viewers love watching them on the dancefloor together. She credits him for “how he supports me and makes me feel beautiful.” 

The pair is halfway through the season and getting ready to perform on the show’s 500th episode, which airs on Tuesday, November 12. This will also be a big moment for the American rugby player, who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I think young girls like seeing me dancing the rumba, this muscular build out there, trying to be as graceful as she can,” Ilona explained. “At times, it feels like it’s not just for me that I’m doing this; it’s for others.” 

Alan agreed. He called the athlete “the epitome of the show.” The magic of DWTS is taking a public figure who can’t dance and showing how much they’ve grown. Fans enjoy watching Ilona’s journey unfold. 

Also, Ilona remains unapologetically herself. She doesn’t let her strength hold her back from being sensual and graceful. She also became the first woman to lift a male pro dancer on the show. 

Dancing With the Stars airs live Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and Disney+.