The world fell in love with Ilona Maher when she started sharing little snippets of her life throughout the Olympics. The rugby star would share reels about the food in the Village cafeteria to the now infamous beds. However, the 28-year-old had a loyal internet following long before her incredible time in the French capital. However, clinching Team USA’s first medal in women’s rugby seven helped grow that very following tenfold. 

In fact, that is one of the many reasons for her contention in Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars. No one would’ve penned the Olympian as a dancer. But her quirky personality and working on the judge’s feedback have made her feel comfortable on the dance floor. The 28-year-old even scored her first 9 during Disney Night. The show recently hosted Halloween Night this week, and even though her performance seemed to resonate with the fans, her score said otherwise. What really went down? 

DWTS alum had high praise for Ilona Maher’s performance

The rugby star and her dance partner, Alan Bersten, decided to recreate her worst nightmare for Halloween Night. They performed the Tango to Miley Cyrus’ Psycho Killer. Even though the duo seemed happy with their performances, they scored 8s all around. This brought their total to 24 out of 30, making it the lowest score that week. Bersten believed that the scoring was harsh, and a certain someone agreed with him. On an episode of the S**, Lies and Spray Tans podcast, Cheryl Burke reviewed the performances from this week. 

However, like the duo, she was happy with their performances, too. “I give Ilona and Alan an 8 because of the choreography, not because of her skill. If I were to give a score for her actual skill when she was doing Tango and Tango hold, I would’ve given her a 9,” Burke stated. Yet, when she saw the scores they received from the judges, she wasn’t quite surprised. Given how she believed the rugby star could dance, the DWTS alum reiterated that her hold on the Tango was quite strong and hoped that these scores would stay consistent moving forward. 

Cheryl Burke also gave the Olympian a shoutout for her form throughout the performance. “But what is so intricate and so amazing is to see someone maintaining a beautiful frame. I would say it is better than any of the guys as well this season.” Keeping this in mind, she wished Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten had done things differently. The 28-year-old took on the role of the Psycho Killer this week. So, the performance could’ve been far more impactful if they both switched between leading the number. 

Even though the duo scored three 8s by the end of the night, it was a shocking result compared to Disney Night. The rugby star showcased her powerful persona by impersonating Luisa Madrigal from Encanto. On the other hand, her partner, Alan Bersten, took on the role of one of the character’s donkeys. They delivered a power-packed jazz routine to one of the movie’s songs, ‘Surface Pressure’. By scoring their first 9 in the competition, their total was 25 out of 30. But despite the sub-par scores, the Olympian’s night did get better. 

The 28-year-old received a very special title on Halloween Night

Given how Ilona Maher is such a popular face, it is quite the norm to be on the receiving end of certain harsh comments. Bear in mind, she is a rugby star. However, many have often put her through the wringer for having a strong frame and have even gone as far as to call her a man. Yet, competing on DWTS has helped soften the blow and shine a light on the other side of the coin – her fans’ undying support.

After scoring the lowest out of all the couples on Halloween Night, the Olympian came very close to being eliminated. But after the brief brush in, she was made aware of a title that had been bestowed upon her. What title was that? Fans had dubbed her ‘America’s sweetheart’. This came across as a surprise to the 28-year-old, who admitted that she had never pictured herself as the title, but she accepted it nonetheless. 

Ilona Maher accepted the title but used it to share an important message with her fans. “I think I’ve always been afraid of the term, like role model or sweetheart, cuz people think I’m like perfect, and I’m not perfect,” she confessed. The Olympian added that regardless of the fame, she is still human, and this only added a lot more pressure. 

Coming back to her performance on Halloween Night. Cheryl Burke emphasized how the Olympian had come a long way from her first performance on the dance floor. Based on the judge’s feedback, Alan Bersten has done a stellar job teaching her the moves. In fact, the 28-year-old has done a stunning job of delivering it. Do you agree with the judges, or do you think they should’ve received a higher score?