Dwts Contestant Calls Pro Dancer Her ‘Security Blanket’ in Teasing ‘Intimate’ Partnership

A Dancing with the Stars contestant has revealed surprisingly intimate details of her partnership with a pro dancer… and how close they’ve gotten in a matter of a few days.

The controversial season 34 cast was revealed on Good Morning America on September 3. The stars joining the show include Jordan Chiles, Dylan Efron, Hilaria Baldwin, Danielle Fishel, Robert Irwin, Corey Feldman and Alix Earle. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail at the post-cast reveal red carpet in New York City, one couple opened up about their ‘intimate’ partnership after learning they would be paired together just a week before the cast announcement.  

After being asked to join the show three weeks prior to the big reveal, Elaine Hendrix, who famously played Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap, learned her partner would be Alan Bersten, 31. 

The two have been practicing together for the past week, and according to the pair, something unexpected happened.

‘You get real intimate real fast in this show, certainly with your coach. But with everyone else, it’s like [you] add water and instant family,’ Elaine, 54, revealed.

‘And so, with that comes a sense of familiarity and safety and joy. We want to support one another. It’s been all love so far.’

Alan, who is dating pro dancer Emma Slater, admitted the actress has been the ‘best’ to work with.

‘Honestly, it’s been a lot of fun. We’re still learning. We’ve only known each other for a week. But it feels like a long time,’ he spilled. 

‘We’re having so much fun. Elaine surprises me every day. She’s just the best.’

The pro dancer said that they aren’t ‘setting expectations’ in the competition and are just focused on ‘staying present and being there for each other.’

‘It’s going to be nervous, it’s going to be exciting, it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be all the emotions,’ Alan shared.

The reportedly single Elaine insisted that as long as she can ‘stay locked onto’ Alan, then her nerves will settle and she will feel secure on stage.

‘For me, it’s really about if I can stay locked onto him. When I just look at him, or I’m touching [him], he’s my security blanket. My coach and my security blanket,’ she told the Daily Mail.

After earning the runner-up title with partner Ilona Maher last season, Alan and Elaine agreed that their goal is to win the Mirrorball Trophy.

‘I do want to stay. I want to do as many dances as possible. I want to keep learning from Alan. We do want to win, absolutely,’ the Dynasty star said.

‘I just, more than anything, I want to be true to myself. I’ve already told Alan – I want to push myself and see how far I can go. But I really want to push myself and I really want to prove to myself that I did this, and I gave it my all. 

‘I don’t want to leave anything off the floor – I want to put it all out there.’

Although other stars, like Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui, believe their biggest competitor is Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles – ‘That girl is whipping out splits,’ the 29-year-old singer told the Daily Mail – Elaine said that her biggest competition is herself.   

Alan said, ‘Everyone’s so supportive of each other so we’re not really thinking of it as a competition. But it’s important the audience votes for us because we want to stay in it as long as possible.’

Even the Minnesota native’s girlfriend said that there’s not going to be a competition between herself and her dancer beau.

Emma, 36, told the Daily Mail that she and Alan will be ‘supportive’ of each other.

‘Supportive, and it’s going to be really easy for us, for sure,’ the British dancer admitted. 

Elaine had a flourishing career in the ’90s after she starred as the villain, Meredith Blake, in 1998’s The Parent Trap opposite Lindsay Lohan and Dennis Quaid.

During this time period, she also starred in the cult classic Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, followed by 1999’s Superstar, which she played mean girl Evian opposite Molly Shannon.

The Tennessee native more recently starred as Alexis Carrington Colby on The CW’s popular Dynasty reboot that aired from 2017 until 2022.

She recently reunited with her The Parent Trap co-star Lindsay Lohan for a cameo in Disney’s smash hit Freakier Friday.

When asked about a sequel to The Parent Trap, Elaine told the Daily Mail, ‘[Fans] have been asking about that virtually since it came out. People want a sequel to it. 

‘That’s beyond me. All I can say is, we’ll say yes. Everyone’s ready for it.’

Calling it a ‘huge wonderful part of my career,’ the actress said that ‘every single day’ she receives messages from fans about her iconic role. 

For now, she’s looking forward to hitting the dance floor. ‘The little girl in me is like, “More glitter, please! More sparkles, more sequence!”‘ she gushed.

Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars premieres live on Tuesday, September 16, on ABC and Disney+, and is available next day on Hulu.