“I’m a rugby player. And yet there’s a threat to me. There’s people out there who overpower me and it’s dangerous for whoever you are so I just really be safe,” Ilona told TooFab exclusively.
Olympian Ilona Maher may be a “force” of nature, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the “threat” of being alone in scary situations.
After the Halloween Nightmares episode of Dancing with the Stars, TooFab spoke to Ilona about her troubling experience at a nail salon this week. In a TikTok, she shared that her nail technicians asked her to stay longer than usual after a man walked in to have a pedicure.
“I was like, ‘Okay, I’m just going to keep waiting, keep waiting,'” Ilona told TooFab exclusively.
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When the man left, her nail technicians apologized and revealed they asked Ilona to stay while the man was having his appointment, adding, “‘We just wanted you to be here with us while he was there.'”
“Once the ladies told me the reason, I was like, ‘Oh, I’d stay for as long as you want,'” she recalled. “Once that happened outside the store, I was about to go back in and make sure my ladies were okay.”
When the Paris Olympics bronze medalist left the nail salon, the same man, she said, also asked her if he could go home with her.
“It’s just something we all go through. So I’m always just about safety. The thing is I’m a big, strong woman. I’m one of the bigger, stronger women out there. I’m imposing. I’m a force. I’m a rugby player. And yet there’s a threat to me. There’s people out there who can overpower me and it’s dangerous for whoever you are so I just really be safe,” she warned others.
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Ilona Maher Warns Women to ‘Be Safe’ While Revealing Scary Incident With Man at Nail Salon
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As for the Los Angeles Rams players she did go out looking for in another TikTok video, Ilona revealed none have slid into her DMs just yet.
The professional athlete and her DWTS partner Alan Bersten took some time off from rehearsing over the weekend to watch the NFL players from the sidelines. The dance partners made some fun TikToks, with one showing Ilona “shooting” her shot with the players.
“So I am single, so if anyone’s looking, I am ready for love,” Ilona said in her TikTok video on the field with the players.
While she waits for a message, Ilona told TooFab she isn’t losing hope.
“I wish I could say, but we were just thinking that it only got like 6 million views, so they probably haven’t seen it,” she said sarcastically.
“And they didn’t get to see it because they were playing the game. And probably they don’t have Instagram and TikTok. They probably just took their phones away. Their phone’s broken, so they’re going to get back to me. They’ll see it. They’re busy right now.”
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DWTS Duo Jenn Tran & Sasha Farber React to Their ‘Sad’ Elimination & Those Romance Rumors (Exclusive)
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While Halloween Nightmares night saw fan favorites Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber go home, Ilona and Alan Bersten did finish up the night with the lowest score.
“I need to go lay down. That was a lot. That was spooky. That was for sure a Halloween episode for us. We were in the bottom there, and it’s not a good feeling when you know you maybe didn’t perform as well or didn’t get the judges’ scores that you wanted to,” Ilona told TooFab after her performance with Alan.
“We were definitely scared because this is a dance show and we want to dance well, but just so thankful for the fan votes and for keeping us in this because we have more to give,” she continued.
The pair have formed such a great friendship from the show, with Alan adding that he doesn’t want it to be over.
“Even before eliminations, we were just standing backstage crying because we don’t want this to end. It’s just been such an incredible journey and we’re so lucky to have each other and we’re just having fun, so we’re grateful for it,” Alan said.
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DWTS 5th Judge: Halloween Shocking Upset Sends Home Celeb Near Top of Leaderboard
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The duo performed the tango to “Psycho Killer” by Miley Cyrus after Ilona revealed her fear of, well, psycho killers. While they only scored 24/30, the audience still loved the performance — especially the moment where they pair almost kissed.
“She got all her kisses out right here,” Alan said.
“One thing we did want to show was really chemistry in the dance and show that. Because dance is about that. I think that was something I had to open up to,” Ilona added. “Because we have that and… We’re such good friends in that way, so it was just fun to slip into that role, because it was like, ‘Oh, they’re going to do it?’ And then I got to throw him down!”
As for how Ilona and Alan feel about watching their friends Jenn and Sasha wrap up their Dancing with the Stars journey, they shared that despite it being a competition, it’s still “such heartbreak.”
“It really is sad, because everyone is so good. Everyone’s enjoying it, and everyone’s giving it their all. And unfortunately, people have to go home. It’s really sad. We’re just grateful we’re here and in it for another week and and yeah thank you to the people,” Alan said, before Ilona added that Sasha was “so good for her.”
“She came the day of and joined and to give it her all after what she’s been through, truly a light and just so special. So we’re gonna miss her because she truly wanted to be here and gave it her all,” Ilona said.
“I feel like her and Sasha are going to remain friends and see each other every day,” Alan added, before Ilona agreed, “And really heal each other you know.”
Dancing with the Stars takes an Election Day break next week, returning November 11 for its 500th episode where the stars will have to face the Instant Dance Round (5 minutes to prepare live), with the show starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
