Ilona Maher’s pro partner on Dancing With The Stars, Alan Bernsten, was branded as ‘very mean’ by an ex-contestant.
While the rugby union player, 28, is currently competing on the show with Bernsten, his former partner from a previous season called him out for how he ‘yelled at’ her.
Amanda Kloots, 42, claimed Bernsten, 30, was hard on her during their rehearsals when recounting her experience on the competition show.
‘He was very mean to me,’ the co-host of The Talk said on Tuesday’s episode of the Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey podcast.
However, she attributed Bersten’s attitude to his upbringing and said she believed it was due to him ‘growing up Russian’ and ‘growing up in that dance atmosphere.’
Kloots — who said she got the ‘blessing’ from her late husband Nick Cordero to find love again after she visited psychic mediums — said he acted the way he did because he saw ‘potential’ in her.
Ilona Maher’s pro partner on Dancing With The Stars, Alan Bernsten, was branded as ‘very mean’ by an ex-contestant
While the rugby union player, 28, is currently competing on the show with Bernsten, his former partner from a previous season called him out for how he ‘yelled at’ her
‘He did see a lot of potential in me, and he saw that we could possibly win this thing,’ she explained on Jowsey’s podcast.
When he would ‘yell’ at her during their practice time, she recalled how she would hide her feelings and act like it didn’t bother her.
‘I would just keep it bottled up and we would just be dancing, and I would just be raging inside,’ she recalled.
Kloots also said she believed Bersten has changed since then.
‘I think Alan has grown up a lot in the last couple of years,’ she said.
‘I’m saying this, and I know that he’ll agree with me — I helped him become a nicer person in teaching.’
The reality TV personality, who started her career in entertainment as a dancer on Broadway and in the Rockettes, previously competed on the ABC series back in 2021.
Kloots ended up making it to the finale with Bersten but placed in fourth at the end.
Amanda Kloots, 42, claimed Bernsten, 30, was hard on her during their rehearsals when recounting her experience on the competition show; pictured September 2021 in DWTS still
‘He was very mean to me,’ she said on Tuesday’s episode of the Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey podcast; pictured November 2021 in Los Angeles
Former basketball player Iman Shumpert won the season with JoJo Siwa placing in second and Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby coming in third place.
Kloots previously shared insight into her journey on the dancing competition show during a chat with Katie Couric.
‘The hardest part about Dancing With The Stars, I think, for me, was definitely the stress of learning a brand new dance each week and needing it to be show-ready, perfect for performance in six days,’ she said in November 2021.
‘Every dance is different because the technique is different, the style is different, what makes the dance unique is different,’ she continued.
‘So, to learn it and then to feel good about it and then feel ready enough to perform it, it was exhausting both mentally and physically.’
She attributed Bersten’s attitude to his upbringing and said she believed it was due to him ‘growing up Russian’ and ‘growing up in that dance atmosphere.’ Kloots said he acted the way he did because he saw ‘potential’ in her; pictured October 2021 in DWTS still
When he would ‘yell’ at her during their practice time, she recalled how she would hide her feelings and act like it didn’t bother her. Kloots also said she believed Bersten has changed since then; pictured 2021 in DWTS portrait
Despite all of that, she said there were silver linings like her son cheering her on.
‘It was very cute because he kind of went along the journey with me,’ she shared.
‘And got into it and then really started liking watching me and Alan dance. He started pointing out Alan too, which was very cute.’
Bersten just competed with Maher during the Dancing With The Stars semi-finals episode.
Bersten and Maher were one all five pairings that made it past the round and may be advancing to the season 32 finale, which will air on Tuesday, Noevmber 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
