Ilona Maher has taken her lifting game to new heights on Dancing With the Stars.
Maher, 28, exclusively opened up to Luxury Handbag Shopping about lifting pro Alan Bersten — and other castmates including Jenna Johnson and Chandler Kinney — while wearing heels following her performances on DWTS’ Disney Night on Tuesday, October 22.
“I’m now getting much more comfortable with the lifts,” Maher explained, noting that this was her first time ditching her flats. “[At] first [they] were like, ‘She’s doing lifts again. We shouldn’t do the heels,’ but they couldn’t do a shoe without [a heel].”
For her group dance with Kinney, 24, Jenn Tran, Joey Grazedei and pros Bersten, 30, Johnson, 30, and Brandon Armstrong, Maher matched the other women in knee-high leather boots complete with a short heel.
“It worked out. And honestly, it actually got Jenna higher [in the air],” Maher told Us.
Bersten then added that Maher even “could have” worn heels during their Salsa to “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes during the show’s Oscar Night on September 24, although they decided to play it safe in sneakers for her first-ever lift.
“I guess we could have done that one in heels,” the Olympian agreed.
Bersten also told Us that although judge Derek Hough praised Maher’s lift with Johnson as “the best of the season,” he felt otherwise. Instead, Bersten believed her shoulder lift from their Jazz routine to Encanto’s “Surface Pressure” was more impressive.
“That’s iconic. Come on!” Bersten exclaimed. “But no disrespect.”
Maher previously told Us that she ditched her ballroom heels for kicks while lifting Bersten for safety reasons during Oscars Night.
“I thought for my ankles, I just wanted to wear flats,” Maher explained, as Bersten added, “And for the stability of it.”
