July 22, 2026 • 45 mins
A Dancing with the Stars fan favorite is foxtrotting out of the ballroom and right into the podcast studio! Alan Bersten is ready to share stories from the Mall of America, his formative years facing down Paul Bunyan and how in the world he doesn't know what a “Juicy Lucy” is.
Follow Alan’s steps from 7-year-old ballroom prodigy to the Glee set to finally making it to the big show - Dancing with the Stars.
It's time for a DWTS Season 34 reunion, on this Mirrorball worthy episode of Teen Beat!
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
I can bring institutes. All that's okay, becaus no one here.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Is welcome all my Fanielle dishals. Just go with it, okay,
I think people will dig it. It's time for another
teen beat. I am your host, Danielle Fischel, a podcaster,
former sitcom star, a TV director, and the unforgettable eighth
place celebrity on season thirty four of Dancing with the Stars.
(00:47):
More on that soon. This year podcast has me sitting
with interesting people who have done interesting things in hopes
of diving into their origin story, even the awkward years
of childhood, because we all well know where we've been
will tell us where we're at and maybe even where
we're going. I see it like this, I gave you
my childhood. It's time we hear yours. And this week
(01:10):
I get to have a conversation with a peer of mine,
a fellow professional dancer. We share a passion for the craft.
He began professionally dancing at just seven years old part
of a now legendary Minnesota ballroom family, and debuted on
TV as part of So You Think You Can Dance
in twenty thirteen, but his real journey began as part
(01:31):
of the Dancing with the Stars Troop in season twenty
then as a fan favorite pro in season twenty five.
With a past lineup of celebrities that includes Debbie Gibson,
Amanda Kluts, Jamie Lynn Spears, Alana mar and Elaine Hendrix.
He's always one half of a couple guaranteed to bring
the heat, most notably in season twenty eight when he
(01:52):
won it all alongside Hannah Brown, and now with the
show in an all time fever pitch amongst new spinoffs
and fan conventions like July thirty first through August second
and Palm Springs. Limited tickets still available at dwts con
dot com. The world is my guest's oyster. We share
a love for three things, masterful dancing, Emma Slater, and
(02:15):
watch us. He is my favorite Jewish dancer since Paula Abdul.
Welcome to teen Beat, Alan Burston.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
What an intro. I'm so impressed. I love it, you
love it? I love it. Okay, good, I think that's
a whole episode. We can actually got there.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Wrap it up. He's ready to go home.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
How you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I'm great, so good to see you.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
I mean, we got to spend quite a bit of
time together on tour, which was amazing, But it now
it feels like that was a whole lifetime ago.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I know. I feel like every year it's just like
three different lifetimes happen. Yeah, season, the tour.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And then in between and then in between time.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I know, I feel like our time was so valued.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was, it was so valued. Thank you so much
for sitting down with me. This is long overdue, and
any chance I get to hang out with you, I
will take. So we are going to cover a lot today.
But I'm always very interested in how our childhoods shaped
who we are today. I have always imagined you grew
up in like a real Partridge family situation, everyone on
a bus traveling state to state, dancing for crowds.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Am I right? Yeah? You know. I was the youngest
of three siblings, and I kind of just followed in
the footsteps of my older brother, you know, dancing, I don't.
My parents just kind of put us in a studio
one day and we're like, hey, you guys are ballroom
dancing though. Yeah, and it wasn't very cool in Minnesota, okay,
but it turned out pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, it worked out pretty well, but.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, I know. We would travel like in the Midwest
a lot, like in a van and go to competitions.
How do you know that this is weird? I never
told anyone.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I do my research. Baby, So you started dancing at seven?
Your older brother was already immersed kind of No.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think we all started together.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, okay, and your parents helped create it by seeking
instructors throughout the state and encouraging teachers to come and visit.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yes, why you are good.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What was it like growing up in a house where
everyone shared this artistic goal?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Honestly, I think my parents just saw the passion we
had and they're like, we don't know how else to
do it, then give them everything that we can. Yeah,
and so they were very you know, just driven to
help us follow our passions.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
How did they see the passion you had? Were you
guys just dancing around the house all the time? Were
you watching them?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I will tell you. I think. So. We're very close
with like, oh, I call them our cousins, but it's
like my mom's we call her sister, but it's really
probably her like first cousin, her first cousin. Okay, but whatever.
We would always hang out every weekend, and my brother.
They have two children. My one guy is my brother's
age and one girl is my sister's age. So they
(04:55):
were always like best friends and we and I was
always the youngest one.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, you were the one who was told you got
to play the dog when you play house. Exactly, you
could be the dog exactly.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
No, but we would always try to stay at each
other's houses for like five extra minutes, and we'd be, Oh,
we're gonna put on a dance show for you guys,
And this is before we even danced. So I think
it just kind of fell into place.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I love that. I remember doing that, by the way,
as kids with my cousins who were I had one
cousin who's a year older than me and a cousin
who's year younger than me, and I was right in
the middle. So we the three girls inseparable, and we
would always do the same thing, watch our dance, you know.
And it's some ridiculous, but absolutely we used In California,
we had a pool in the backyard, and so mine
would always end. I'd do them in the backyard and
(05:36):
they'd always end with a dive into the water, and
which at least you have that and to dry off
swim exactly, so that that's pretty cool. Your sister Melanie
danced as a kid, but she had she had to
go become a doctor of pharmacy. Why, I mean, why
did she choose to do that? Did you guys make
fun of her for being too smart?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
No, she was the only one that was smart enough
to go to school. You know. I think me and
my brother tried, but we I don't know. I can't
explain it. I just I can only speak for myself.
I just love performing and connecting and I was not
very motivated in school, but I was good at it.
I did exactly what I needed to do, so I can.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Go dance, right, But then when it was over, you
were like, I don't need to do that ever again.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I'm not itching to go back to school, right
my mom wants me to?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But no, Mom, does your brother call with notes after
your performances?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yes? Yes, so does my mom though really?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Oh yeah, your mom considers herself to be a bit
of an expert now, Oh, she for sure is.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
And you know what, it makes sense though, because she's
who watches the show. Yeah, you know, and like you
want to obviously cater to to professional dancers, but at
the end of the day, you want to connect to
the audience.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, So do you call your mom when you when
you find out who your new partner is and then
be like, mom, help me, what do you think I
should do to appeal to the masses.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, it's really cool when I can call my mom
and I'm like, this person's on the show and she's like,
no way. You know, she's excited, so it is. It
is nice. She'll always tell me she she could have
pointed her toes a little bit better, and like.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Really, come mom, Okay, does she get those ideas just
from herself watching as a fan, or does she take
what the judges say and then go, yeah, yeah, you
know that's right.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think maybe she didn't point her toes, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think it's she just notices things. She she would
watch us compete when we were growing up. She always
traveled with us, and so she's got the inside.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Okay, inflation, she really knows what she's looking at. I
know you are also a sports fan, and growing up
in Minnesota, you have a plethora of teams to root for.
You also have arguably the most robust youth hockey program
in the US, and I have run into this problem
with my oldest son, who wants to do everything. How
(07:53):
do you pick your hobby? You focused on dance, but
you're also very well rounded, So I'm wondering how did
you navigate that as a kid.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Honestly, I didn't, you know. I danced. I tried drums
for a second, I tried guitar. I feel like my
parents were like, you can't get hurt in ballroom dancing.
My brother did a little bit more. He played football
growing up, but I remember he like hurt his hip,
(08:23):
and then my mom was like, no one's ever playing
sports again. We're a bubble family exactly. We are just dancing.
You can't hurt yourself that bad dancing. You can?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
You can, you can have you hurt yourself pretty bad.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Would I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
If I did, I.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Probably blacked it out. It's gone. But it's like I like,
in my later years, I was like, I wish I
played piano, and so I started playing piano, and I'm like,
this is way too hard to learn at this age,
Like I know so much easier as a kid.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
As a kid, do you have long fingers.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I've got big hands.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You do a big hands? Yeah, you have piano hands.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yeah, except I think they're too big, so they press
multiple keys?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Got it? And you're like exactly, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
No, I can do it. It's just I'm a memory
kind of guy. It's hard for me to read notes.
So I wish I did.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
As a kid, right, I know. I also wish I
learned multiple languages as a kid. You speak, I speak Russrussian.
You speak Russian and English. Do you remember any particularly
embarrassing moments from high school? Or have you also blacked
all of those out?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Also? Those are blacked out? For sure. I was not
a popular kid, if you can imagine. Really.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do you think it's because of the ballroom?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Oh? For sure? Okay, And I was just a weird kid.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
What are you like as a kid?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Well, I started by going to it I from first
or from kindergarten until eighth grade. I went to a
Jewish private school. Okay, and so like me, I was
very like one of my best friends. Still, we went
to school there together, and then we went to high
school together. We went to a public high school.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Okay, So you had been very sheltered in a small,
private Jewish elementary and junior high and then.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Were straight into high school.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Right plopped into a public high school.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
As it was not I was definitely a fish out
of water, okay, but it was it was whatever, Like
I really found my community in dance and my good
friends in school, you know. But by no means it
was like cool for dancing.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Did you go to any high school dances.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I didn't, not a single one. No, I would have
been really cool if I did.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Wow. Probably not actually have any high school girlfriends.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, but like it was again, it was more of
like I was always in dance, so.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Like, so your friends are like dance, okay.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
And we were traveling like at least once or twice
a month. Yeah, and so I was like always you know,
gone for these like the prom and homecoming. I was
always gone, so I never got to go.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So that's I mean, in some ways, that's really nice
because you had a well established community where you shared
common interests with these people and you had them consistently.
And then school was just kind of the place you
went to for education and you had some good friends there,
so you weren't like a lone wolf.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
No, it was close, but I had three good friends.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Okay, I am legally obligated to talk to you about
the Mall of America because so were you a frequenter
of the Mall of America Mother of America.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Like growing up, there was a competition that was actually
in the Mall of America. So we would go a
few like there and then we would ride rides and
go dance. And I was like ten years old, so
it was like really fun. Yeah, because I don't know
if you know this. In All of America, there is
like an amusement park.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Oh, I know, I've been there. I did an autograph
signing there as a team. It's the greatest thing ever.
I also ate twelve mini Cinnabonds from the mall.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
That's specifical, but.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
I'll always think about it as the Mall of America thing.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Did you throw up from the twelve Cinnabons? Because that's
a lot.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
That's a lot. Actually, I had sex. My mom and
I shared a box of twenty so yeah, it's cut
that in half a fan and we were hungry.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah. No, it's I think like when you're there, it's
so big and there's so many people that, like, you
don't really want to go there to shop I know, how.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Could you possibly? Also, if you buy something now you're
lugging it miles of mall.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Yeah, so I've been many, many times.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
What would you say is your favorite attraction there?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So when I was there, it was called Camp Snoopy,
the traction place, and there was it was like an
axe and I think it was like Paul Blart and
Paul Blart he's a Minnesota folk tale I think. But
he had like an axe, I think, And there's a
(12:48):
ride that was an axe and it would like hold
you upside down. It was cool.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
What would the Paul Blart ride be? And that would
be really fun to actually, you know what you're not
You're not wrong, honestly that I would too. It reminds
me kind of like when you can surf in place.
Oh could do that with segues. That'd be so fun.
Did you ever eat at Hulk Hogan's Pastumania?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
No? I didn't.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Well, it opened in the food court in nineteen ninety
five and it featured items like Hulk ewes and Hulk
coroni and cheese. I must have missed that, but it
closed less than a year later.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I wouldn't be surprised. I was born in ninety four,
So okay, it would have been very I don't think
it was.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Would never remember. I couldn't chew it got born in
ninety four. Get the hell out of here. What did
you do for fun in Minnesota as a kid? Did
you go to the state Fair?
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, the best?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
It was a very good state It still is.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
I I mean, I feel like if I went there,
I'll gain fifteen pounds in the day. You know, No,
it's they have the best cookies. There's like a bucket
of cookies. You get unlimited milk, and it was delicious.
But they have everything on.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
A stick, unlimited milks. You sit there and you sit there.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yeah, yeah, you said.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I feel like if I have a bucket, I want
to put it on my arm like a cute bag
and just eat as I go about.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think you do too. You get one for there
and one to go.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Oh great, it's harder to dip the milk on the
to go.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Box, it is. Yeah, you find a way?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Do you find a way? Okay? Sorry, I'm hungry.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Listen. I've never said no to good cookies.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So what did you do for fun? Other than a
state fair moment?
Speaker 3 (14:20):
You know? We would dance a lot. That was fun
ride my bike. I feel like that was really cool.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
How old were you when you learned how to ride your.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Bike out the womb?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Really, you just have no memories where you didn't know
how to ride.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I have no memories not knowing how to ride a bike.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Really, do you remember learning how to ride? No, it
was just like instant, obviously coordinated, I think so.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I genuinely could not tell you. I remember, I remember
putting like the baseball card in the back spokes to
make it sound cool sound, but that I don't Yeah,
I don't remember learning.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
My seven year old still doesn't know how to ride
a bike, but that's because we also don't ever ride bikes.
It's a bit of a problem, like he rides bikes anymore.
And also we don't have sidewalks yea. And I'm like,
I'm sorry, but we're not going to learn in the
middle of the street.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
No. And I feel like in Minnesota there's so much
more space, exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
But I do feel like I'm a bad parent. If
you don't teach your kid how to ride a bike, you.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Have I mean, he will talk about it in his
memory for sure.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
My mom to Panga never taught me to ride a
bike is the name of his memoy. He's already working
on it. Do you have an opinion? Back to food?
This is my favorite. Do you have an opinion on
the best juicy lucy in Minneapolis? We have eaten at
Mats and the Nook. I don't know if you're not
going to like this.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
I don't know what a juicy lucy is.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Okay, allow me to explain.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I remember I'm Russian. I did not eat a lot
of fast food or restaurants.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Well, juicy lucy is a hamburger that has the cheese
in the middle of the.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Patty, as opposed to what there is a.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Juicy lucy cut into it and the cheese oozes out
of the mist. And it originated in Minneapolis.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
This should be bigger. I don't know why it's not
big enough. It should be bigger.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
It should be bigger. Well, I'll tell you I have
been to two places, Matt's and the Nook, both a plus.
So next time you're back.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I don't know how you can go wrong with cheese
in a cheese breer. I know, the more cheese the better.
Couldn't agree more so the Nook, I'll have to be there.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
So you compete throughout your childhood and you end up
as a contestant. So you think you can dance season
thirteen in twenty.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Oh no, so close? Season ten?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Season ten? Oh you know why because I got twenty
thirteen and it's like season ten in twenty third.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
On it, on it, but now you're still on it.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I'll okay. Jenna Johnson was also on that season You
make it to the top twelve, Yes, but now TV
is in the equation. Did you love the addition of
being on TV through all this?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Absolutely? I think I was nineteen years old. Maybe I
just turned nineteen. And you know, my brother was already
running the dance studio.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
If you were born in ninety four and it's twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
No, twenty thirteen, season ten.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh, season ten?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Okay, yeah he is.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I was going to correct you on your mauth. I
was like, you were sixteen, got it?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
No? No, I was nineteen, and like I was like,
I know, I want to dance. I don't know what
it leads to. Obviously dance when the stars is there,
so you think he's there. My brother also did the
show called Burn the Floor. Huh, And I was like
I just want to dance. I want to perform. I
don't know what it is. And then last minute I
(17:50):
literally got a stand by flight to the audition for
so you're thinking you dance. It was in Boston and
barely made it in.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
The door is closing and you slid your way in.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
So my brother auditioned earlier and they kind of brought
him back. He auditioned with his wife. I don't know
if you remember the show, but like, if you audition
and you're really good, you go straight to Vegas. And
if you're like, oh, we like you, but we want
to see you do another round. In the audition, there's
like a big dance. They put you with a partner.
I had to do that, okay, So I was like crawl,
(18:25):
clawing my mind. Yeah, and my brother and his wife
obviously I had to do a solo my like they
danced together. I dance by myself, and ballroom's very hard
by yourself. Yeah, I'll it's also hard. If not by yourself,
it's hard.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
It's just hard.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But so I I.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Did did you do? What dance? Did you do solo?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I did a samba?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I think okay, so you did your own body roll multiple.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Body multiple body rolls are there, and it was just
you know again, it was like I think my mind,
Oh I'm young. Whatever happens, happens, I'm gonna try. I
really want it, but like whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Right, I mean that is obvious by fly and standby. Yeah,
you're like, let's see if I get on this exactly.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Like I didn't really believe until we got to Vegas
and I was like, Okay, I really want to do
this now, like I really think this is going to
be something amazing. Me and my brother made it all
the way to the end. It was called Green Mile,
and it's like before they picked the top twenty okay,
and they like brought us in together and like only
one of you can make it, you know the drama
(19:31):
of course, do you think.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
They manufactured that from the beginning.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I don't know. I mean, it would have been cool
to have two brothers on. Yeah, I know, but I'm
assuming they were like, oh, this is gonna be good. Yeah,
And you know, they took me, and honestly probably the
right choice just because he already had a kid, like
he had the studio, like he was a little bit
older than now what everyone else was on the show.
(19:57):
You know, like I was nineteen and I was the
age that everyone wants exactly, but he's a phenomenal dancer,
so it was just more like casting casting, you know,
and then I was like, Okay, I don't know what
I'm doing now, and it was just it was I
would say it was an incredible experience. I was very
(20:18):
tough on myself, so I didn't enjoy it, oh, you know,
and I think a lot of people that go through
it are like, I have to do the best otherwise
my career is over. And then you finish and you're like, oh,
I wish I would have enjoyed that a little bit more. Yeah,
And that's what I do a lot more on Dancing
with the Stars now, is like enjoy it, yeah, because
it is. It is tough. You've been through it. It's stressful,
(20:40):
but it is one of the most remarkable and beautiful
and uplifting shows there is, and you learn so much
about yourself and.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Also as just a personality and a person. Life is
so much more enjoyable when we can just take a
deep breath and laugh at our like laughter makes everything
feel better. If we're taking it too seriously and judging
ourselves too harshly. That's those are not enjoyable days. You know,
we're all going to have them, and we're all going
to have moments where we go, Man, I'm bummed with myself.
(21:10):
I stayed up too late, I didn't show up as
well as I could have. I didn't push myself as
hard as I needed to. I'm disappointed in myself, but
like as a whole to like enjoy the process.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Yeah, that's the best thing you can do.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Especially, like you said, when your entire year ends up
feeling like three stages of life. One of them is
the season while it's going, which is you know four months, Yeah,
between all the weeks of the show and then the
weeks where you start to get to rehearse before it's
really looking at four months, and then a four month tour.
If you're being hard on yourself through all of that,
(21:42):
you're being hard on yourself through two thirds of your life.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Yeah. And you you know, again, if you are just
looking for the result of things, you miss the beauty
of it, you know. And I think the season, you know,
even last season for example, everyone that was a part
of it, I feel like one yeah, you know, everyone
left the show either feeling better, doing new opportunities.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Even if you didn't win the show, there's so many
beautiful outcomes that came from it, yep, that it's like
just being a part of it and enjoying it is winning.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Couldn't agree with you more two years later than after,
So I think you can dance. You joined the troop
of Dancing with the Stars, Yes, thrown right into it.
Do you remember your first impressions of this insane, beautiful universe?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah, I actually remember vividly. So I was doing some
little dance tour. They were like, hey, do you want
to audition for the show. It'll be like a little interview,
and I was like absolutely absolutely. I flew back to
LA because I was traveling. I don't remember where I was,
did this like audition and I was like like, this
is my dream, Like I really want to be on
(22:53):
Dancing with the Stars. Some time goes by, like maybe
a few weeks. I was actually a dancer on Glee
at the time. Yes, And I remember being on set
for Glee and like getting a call and it was like, Hey,
you're gonna be on Dancing with the Stars. You're gonna
be on Troop. And I was like Oh my god,
this is the best thing in the world.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I mean, all your dreams coming true on set of
Glee truly like dreams come true.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
And I was like, being on the show is like
the dream come true. You know, I'm just so happy.
And then it's like okay. Then so I was on
Troop and then it was like, Okay, the next dream
is to be a pro. I mean, I will say
being on Troop was the best thing because you learn
so much. It's really hard to just go in as
(23:41):
a pro, not really knowing what you're doing. It's your
first time. It's the celebrities first time. When you're on troop,
you get to see it firsthand, you get to experience it.
I stepped in a few times as Troop, so I
got that firsthand experience.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Yeah, And it was just mean to replace a pro.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yeah, So I think first it happened with Mark Yeah,
he got he got injured, and I danced with Page
and then in season twenty four Max got injured and
I stepped in with Heather Morris for like three weeks maybe, yeah,
and like I had to choreograph my own.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Dances and everything and good experience.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
So great, and Heather was unbelievable. Yeah, so it was like,
just go out and do it and you don't have
to worry about like her freaking out because she's such
a such a pro. Yeah, so I got so lucky.
And again, I think the Troop helps build you as
a pro.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I know. I really also think that it would really
benefit the Troop to be able to let them sit
in on some of the rehearsals yet, because they I
mean obviously they're so busy too. They're all they're doing
dances all throughout the week and everything, but they usually
just get to see the day of the camera blocking.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah. And in the past, like when I was Troop,
I was helping a lot of the celeb a lot
of the pros choreographing and being in the room, So
back then it was more like that. Yeah. I think
because of COVID, they like really made sure no one
was in the room and then it kind of just stuck.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Like that, because that would be so helpful to see
the way the pros talk to their celebrities, to see
the way they teach. I mean, that's teaching is a
whole skill set on its own. You could be the
best dancer in the entire world and not know the
first thing about teaching.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
And that's I think what is so special about the
pros on the show. They're also talented. They have to
be incredible dancers, yep, they have to be incredible choreographers,
and they have to be incredible teachers. Yeah, and therapist.
So you can mind though, but it's you know, it is,
it's so much. It's multifaceted. Yes it is, and so yeah,
(25:43):
you can get the best dancer, but if they don't
know how to teach, then then the celebrities out of luck.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
You're also forgetting personalities themselves.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
It's a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
It's yeah, you guys are I mean talk about we
say triple threat, but you talk about you guys have
to have like a bion.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
You know.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Well, good news. You were promoted in season twenty five
with Debbie Gibson as your first celebrity. What was the
biggest lesson you took away from your first season.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I think the biggest thing I realized was like the pressure.
So when in season twenty four when I was with Heather,
there wasn't really any pressure because I wasn't her main partner, right,
and then when it was like okay, now you have
a main partner you are. Basically it's not as a pro,
it's not my season. Yeah, you know, at most it's
(26:37):
our season, but mainly it's it's my celebrity season. You know.
I want to make sure my celebrity has the absolute
best season. Yeah. And so that is something that I
learned right away. I was like, this is not about me, right,
you know. And Debbie was the sweetest person out She's wonderful. Yeah,
she's the best.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
And so that was a great first season. But the
pressure of like, oh, this is fully on me now,
that's what I realized, And I was like, all right,
now I know how to really you know, not let
the pressure get to me and trust myself more.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Well, just a few years later, you win a Lenn
Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy with Bachelorette star Hannah Brown. Yes,
I mean, what a rapid rise to the very top.
Why do you think that partnership worked so well? And
what was it about that season that you think got
you guys to the end.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Honestly, so many things. It's not one thing. You know,
she just came off the Bachelorette. She was the most
popular thing on television. She's incredible and she worked really
really hard, you know, and she was very real and
I think people saw that and people loved her being real.
(27:54):
I think at the end of the day, in order
for anyone to make it to the end, they just
have to care. Yeah, you know, no matter what, like
whether you care for yourself or for for your mom
or for it, you just have to care. You have
to show up and you have to do it right.
And then if you're lucky enough and it clicks, then
it's you know, it just it's magic.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Yeah, it is. It does feel like the kind of
thing that is a perfect recipe that it's really hard,
Like there's so many elements that have to fall into
the right place at the right time in order for
the magic to happen. Yeah, it gets you to the
end and then to eventually win.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, and I think everyone's journey is different. Yeah, and
like every season, yeah, there might be like a oh
I think this person might win, but that changes yep
every time. I will say, right before I did when
I won with Hannah. First, we did something called Dancing
with the Stars Juniors, Oh huh, and I had the sweetest girl,
Sky Brown, and we won there. So it was like, yeah,
(28:56):
it was. I started to like realize more.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
You do well with people who have the last name Brown.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Exactly two wins, two wins with.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
The name Brown. That works for you, No, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
But also it's just like when people are genuine in themselves,
it resonates a lot more.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Yeah, people can pick up on that, they can smell
in authenticity.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
And it's not just with the celebrities. It's with the partnership,
it's with the pros. Like people can see us more
than I think people they realize. Yeah, And so like
when people are there just to enjoy it and have
passion and purpose, it goes a long way.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well, here we are in a complete renaissance for the
show the now Emmy nominated season thirty four.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Yeah, I have to say, this is the first year
in many years that it's Emmy nominated, and it's the
first year you've been on it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Oh oh, okay, it's me. You think it's me. It's
gotta be the I'm the missing link. Well listen, I'll
take it. I mean it was Season thirty four was
above and beyond. I think what anybody could have imagined
for the show. You were paired with the Great Elaine
Hendrix in the sixth most watched TV show of the year. Wow,
(30:24):
Now is life different for Alan Burston? Now, what is
your visibility?
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Like?
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Are you getting stopped everywhere? Because I hear from friends.
It's how I knew you were in my neighborhood not
that long ago, because I was at a basketball game
for my son this past Saturday and a girlfriend of
mine said to me, oh, I saw Alan. Alan was
walking into Polo checks this past weekend. I said, well,
I'm gonna have to ask him, what do you was
picking up?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
You know what? It's It's so funny. I feel like
right when I won, yep, I went like on a
run like a few like a week later and like
some congrats Alan just on the show, and I was like,
that's pretty cool. But you know, it's been like whatever,
nothing crazy. I feel like the last two years when
I was partner with Alona mar Yes, I was walking
(31:10):
down Larchmont and everyone, like construction workers were like you, Alan,
You're so good.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
I'm like, that's so cute that is going on.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Over here, you know. But it was really just like
the show did have this resurgence, and whether it's social
media or or whatever it is, it is just so
awesome to be a part of. That's not the focus,
but it's it's definitely cool to see that recognition and like,
if anyone stops me, I will gladly take a photo
(31:37):
with them.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
I know you're always so.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
I literally went for a run yesterday and I run
on Melrose a lot, and like a group of girls were.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Like, yeah, did you stop your run?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
I didn't finishing, but I definitely said hi, and then
they messaged.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
As you mentioned, a lot of the popularity has to
be thanks to social media. The show is a TikTok phenomenon,
and for the pros it is like you take on
a second full time job during the season. Your season
with Elana, you two were incredible online. How important is
(32:17):
the social media game now? Do you think to going
far in the competition?
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Let me start with this. I felt when I was
with Amanda Clutes, I think it was season thirty, we
made a big effort of like social media, and I
look back and we posted one TikTok a week and
I was like, that's a big effort.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Like you felt like you were like, wow, we're really folks.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think we went live on Instagram and TikTok every
camera blocking day and then we posted like one TikTok
a week, and I was like, we're doing so much,
like more than everyone.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Else flooding the season.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Yeah, and then I'm like, oh, with Alona we did
like three videos a day.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Oh my god, what the hell did you have time?
Speaker 3 (32:59):
You know? So I think it was also very easy.
So like with Ilona, we didn't do a lot of
dance trends. We kind of just did quick personalities videos,
funny things. I really learned that season of like, just
post whatever you want. Don't be precious. If it doesn't
do well, who cares? Just post and be a good person,
(33:23):
you know. And I think what really resonated was, especially
with Alona, it was it showed our partnership and it
gave an avenue outside of just the show. You know,
you get your minut and a half dance, your minute
and a half package and whatever questions are in the
skybox with Julianne all week. You know, that's five minutes maximum.
(33:47):
And social media now gives you a platform to talk
about your partnership, talk about struggles, talk about what's going good,
you know, having fun and just showing that partnership even more,
And to me, I think that's the most important thing. Yeah,
it's not your celebrity and you trying to get the
most vote. It's like, how can you showcase your partnership? Yeah,
(34:08):
and it's a lot easier when you actually like each other.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Oh yeah, I can't even imagine what a season would
have been like if Pasha and I did not get
a lot. I really like, what a you? I mean,
to wake up every day and be so excited to
see your partner and work with your partner is such
a blessing to wake up and like dread it.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
That's why it's not like when it goes well, it's
not hard, it's not work. The hard part is obviously
learning dances and choreographing and all that. But like being
in the studio, when time flies it's fun.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Yeah, exactly, when you're like, how have we already been
here for four hours?
Speaker 3 (34:42):
So even though it is four hours a day, when
it's fun, it's like, give me four more.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Well, now you have added pressure because your girlfriend, also,
my love, Emma Slater, is the world's greatest social media guru.
You bounce ideas off of her.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, you know, always I'm always First of all, I'm
she's so eloquent with her words and I'm not so
I'm like, hey, does this capture make sense? Like do
I sound like an idiot? And she helps because I'm not.
I'm so just like lah, yeah, like almost like a caveman,
like I'll just say things and they're like what I
(35:24):
read about? Like what this doesn't make any sense? But
I'm just like I'm the type that I'm like, I'm
excited to post something, I'm just gonna post it. And
I think she's very just so she's so smart.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Yeah, she really is. Do you have if you think
about your any of your seasons, do you have like
one post that you think of as being like, oh,
that's my favorite post I've done.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Yes, actually, okay, it's with Ilona. We did like a
package before one of our dances was the Jive. It
was rock and roll Night and we did like, uh,
we were in the gym and we did a whole
package for the show, and then afterwards we filmed a
TikTok of like partners doing everything together and we just
(36:07):
did a bunch of workouts together and it went so
viral that they put that in the package. Really yeah,
and it was like, I mean, for for weeks people
were just copying it and it was just so like
we didn't even think about it. It was just like
so just like, hey, let's do this quick video and
it was so fun and it was just like partners
(36:28):
doing everything together. That's so cute and so like that
was a really fun video.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
So talking about last season, we all remember Elaine's injury
on Halloween night. I remember seeing your sad face up there.
I do that to me and I felt so bad
for you. Were you sure you were going home?
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I mean there was It was twofold. That was like, Wow,
they're really going to send me home by myself. Elaine
doesn't get eliminated, no, but I I part of me
was like her, Elaine's journey is not done. Yeah, So
part of me was very like hopeful and wishful of
(37:11):
like this is not that it can't be the end,
Like she has so much more, she loves it so much,
and so I was very hopeful. But then when they
put me in the bottom three, I was like Jesus,
what was going on here? And it was Oh, that
was very memorable of me just standing there hugging myself
everyone's saving, they hug people, and I'm just like, I
(37:34):
just wanted to hug someone. But you know that was
definitely scary.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
Yeah, you don't know.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
I'll never forget that feeling of those bottom three and
how much it catches you off guard. You know it's coming,
but you don't think about it throughout the week, and
then all of a sudden, you watch everybody dance. You're
enjoying everyone's dance. You're like, oh my gosh, that was
so incredible, and then it's like, oh it's time. Shit,
I forgot this part happens, and it.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Kind of happens really fast, like maybe not I don't
know how happens on TV, but when you're in the
audience or when you're in the skybox watching they're like, okay,
last an's everyone down, You're like, oh shit, that's exactly it.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Oay out of nowhere, Like, oh my gosh, I forgot
this and it's already here. Here it is.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Yeah, it's honestly, it doesn't get any easier. I've been
a pro so many years, so like that's the worst
part because it's out of your control. I think, for me,
the best thing in what I tell my partners is like,
don't stress about it, Yeah, because the more you stress
about it during the week, then it's inevitable. No.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
I know there's a part of me that is so
grateful that it seems like it comes out of nowhere
because it means I wasn't I'm not focused on it
at all. I'm just focused on, you know, what I'm
doing and working hard and having fun. We are just
a few months away. I know I'm season thirty five.
We know a few contestants already on the female side.
We know Mara Higgins and Sierra Miller. Yes, do either
(38:48):
of these possibilities excite you?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Yeah? Honestly both? Okay. I also feel like anyone who
does the show now is going to want to do
the show.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yeah, exact know.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
They're not doing it just because their agent made them.
They're doing it because they love They're either fans of
the show, they see how like fun it can be,
but they want to do it. And to me, that's
like the best thing in a partner exactly, somebody who
wants to be there, who is passionate about it, because
you can't teach passion. So both Mara and Sierra are great.
(39:20):
I feel like They're both very popular on social media,
which is a help. They both did Traders. Yeah, I know,
so I feel like they know how to play a game.
But when Dylan did this season, he was not that
he was calculated. That sometimes has a bad connotation, but
like he is strategy, He's very strategic.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Yeah, absolutely, Oh, I know. I was involved in irate.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Strategy and it's great. You know, I think to a
certain extent, you know, I think you don't want to
come into the season and plan every little thing. I
think the beautiful part about Dancing with the Stars is
the spontaneity.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Of course, exactly, l And I think every week that's
actually what resonates more than anything else.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
You know, when somebody has a surprisingly good week and
you're like, where did that come from? Right, And that's
what is special from that episode, you know. So I
think the spontaneity of the show is great. I think
they were both on reality TV, so they understand the
sharing aspect and I think that's very important as a Yeah,
(40:28):
and I'm curious how you were, like, because was this
your first stint in reality.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
It was, yeah. I mean, now, granted I had hosted TV,
so I was comfortable being myself, but I had never
done a reality to the show, so it was my
first go at it, and I do remember thinking a
couple of times, it's very annoying to be miked all
the time.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
You know, there's there's a vulnerability to it, and I
think if you embrace that, yeah, it's amazing. If you
try to like hide your feelings and the America can't
connect to you. And at the end of the day, yes,
it's a dance show, but it's it's about connecting and
you know, connecting with the audience and showing your true
(41:15):
self and letting them learn something about you, because that's
what's intriguing, you know, whether you're learning the dance or
learning something about yourself. People don't just want to see
good dancing from the start and just that's it totally.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And so it helps to be an authentic person because
if you are a reality TV star who is very
brand focused and maybe who you are is not necessarily
who your brand is, that would be difficult. If you
are an authentic person who's willing to show up as
yourself warts and all going to you're going to probably
have a fan base that's going to relate to you.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Exactly. Yeah, and I think that's the key of the
show totally.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
People need people need to be able to relate to you.
If they can't relate to you, what are they voting for?
What are they rooting or how do they see themselves
in you? Well, we're guaranteed to get a new pro.
This is crazy to the competition show for pro.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Are you watching, No, I'll definitely be watching. I think
it's beautiful to see how the show is expanding, you know.
I think the show had such success in season thirty four. Yeah,
and there's a right way to capitalize on that. And
I think, you know, expanding the universe of Dancing with
(42:27):
the Stars is the right way. Yeah, you know, I
think the fans want more. It's really hard to do
two seasons a year. I will not say no to
two seasons a year, obviously, but I feel like it's
hard to do that, and so this is a nice
way to like ease into the new show, into the
new season.
Speaker 1 (42:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I think you're right. Well, this will be another instance
where a pro is going to burst right into the
big show with no troop experience. You were able to
soak in the show and learn the process. Do you
think being on kind of this fast track to being
a pro can hurt the dancer.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
So I think this is the best way to do
it without putting somebody on troop is you test them out.
You know they're going to have to go through these challenges.
You know it is you're being judged by Mark and Shirley,
who are both unbelievable yep, you know, plus a third
rotating rotating judge, professional Dan, yes, which you know. To
(43:22):
me though Mark and Shirley are are incredible choices. You know,
Mark is a phenomenal judge, so creative. Shirley is on
strictly who is this? She is like the goddess of
all right? Yes, you know, so it couldn't have been
two better judges yep. And so now you're putting these
(43:43):
contestants through a series of these challenges, which I imagine would
only help set them up. You know, I think it's
only gonna benefit them in the long run. And you
know it adds that pressure which comes with the show,
which on Troupe there isn't that pressure. Yeah, you know,
so that's something that you do have to learn. And
(44:03):
the only way you get better as a pro is
through experience. You know, no one can tell you a secret.
Thing to make you better is just experiencing it for
yourself and learning what.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
Works and hopefully having a good connection with your with
your celeb Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
I would say to anyone the biggest thing is make
sure it's not about you. It's not about the pro.
As a pro, it is our job to make our
celebrities feel safe.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
And so that's like, whenever I go into any season,
that's my first, which might.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Be hard in this case. They've had an entire show
about them getting cast on the show, and then they
have to come in and be like, and it's not
about me at all, even though it was just all
about me for ten episodes.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
But I think I feel like the people they have
on the show are going to.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Yeah, they know what they're getting into. I'm not letting
Alan off that easy. We're dropping a bonus episode this
Friday where I get to talk to my ballroom buddy
some more and we listen to your embarrassing childhood stories,
which I want listeners to send me their awkward tales.
Just email a voice memo somewhere between one to two
(45:06):
minutes to Teenbeatpod at gmail dot com, and we just
might play it on the show. And you can come
see me and Alan at the Ultimate DWTS Fan Convention
and live show at the end of this month July
thirty first to August second in Palm Springs. There are
limited tickets still available at dwtscn dot com. Teenbeat is
(45:30):
an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fischel. Executive
producers Jensencarp and Amy Sugarman, Executive in charge of production
Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Subosch. The theme song
is by Mark Coppis Yes that Mark Cooppus. Follow us
on Instagram at teenbeatpod.
I can bring institutes. All that's okay, becaus no one here.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Is welcome all my Fanielle dishals. Just go with it, okay,
I think people will dig it. It's time for another
teen beat. I am your host, Danielle Fischel, a podcaster,
former sitcom star, a TV director, and the unforgettable eighth
place celebrity on season thirty four of Dancing with the Stars.
(00:47):
More on that soon. This year podcast has me sitting
with interesting people who have done interesting things in hopes
of diving into their origin story, even the awkward years
of childhood, because we all well know where we've been
will tell us where we're at and maybe even where
we're going. I see it like this, I gave you
my childhood. It's time we hear yours. And this week
(01:10):
I get to have a conversation with a peer of mine,
a fellow professional dancer. We share a passion for the craft.
He began professionally dancing at just seven years old part
of a now legendary Minnesota ballroom family, and debuted on
TV as part of So You Think You Can Dance
in twenty thirteen, but his real journey began as part
(01:31):
of the Dancing with the Stars Troop in season twenty
then as a fan favorite pro in season twenty five.
With a past lineup of celebrities that includes Debbie Gibson,
Amanda Kluts, Jamie Lynn Spears, Alana mar and Elaine Hendrix.
He's always one half of a couple guaranteed to bring
the heat, most notably in season twenty eight when he
(01:52):
won it all alongside Hannah Brown, and now with the
show in an all time fever pitch amongst new spinoffs
and fan conventions like July thirty first through August second
and Palm Springs. Limited tickets still available at dwts con
dot com. The world is my guest's oyster. We share
a love for three things, masterful dancing, Emma Slater, and
(02:15):
watch us. He is my favorite Jewish dancer since Paula Abdul.
Welcome to teen Beat, Alan Burston.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
What an intro. I'm so impressed. I love it, you
love it? I love it. Okay, good, I think that's
a whole episode. We can actually got there.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Wrap it up. He's ready to go home.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
How you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I'm great, so good to see you.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
I mean, we got to spend quite a bit of
time together on tour, which was amazing, But it now
it feels like that was a whole lifetime ago.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I know. I feel like every year it's just like
three different lifetimes happen. Yeah, season, the tour.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And then in between and then in between time.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I know, I feel like our time was so valued.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was, it was so valued. Thank you so much
for sitting down with me. This is long overdue, and
any chance I get to hang out with you, I
will take. So we are going to cover a lot today.
But I'm always very interested in how our childhoods shaped
who we are today. I have always imagined you grew
up in like a real Partridge family situation, everyone on
a bus traveling state to state, dancing for crowds.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Am I right? Yeah? You know. I was the youngest
of three siblings, and I kind of just followed in
the footsteps of my older brother, you know, dancing, I don't.
My parents just kind of put us in a studio
one day and we're like, hey, you guys are ballroom
dancing though. Yeah, and it wasn't very cool in Minnesota, okay,
but it turned out pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, it worked out pretty well, but.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, I know. We would travel like in the Midwest
a lot, like in a van and go to competitions.
How do you know that this is weird? I never
told anyone.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I do my research. Baby, So you started dancing at seven?
Your older brother was already immersed kind of No.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think we all started together.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, okay, and your parents helped create it by seeking
instructors throughout the state and encouraging teachers to come and visit.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yes, why you are good.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What was it like growing up in a house where
everyone shared this artistic goal?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Honestly, I think my parents just saw the passion we
had and they're like, we don't know how else to
do it, then give them everything that we can. Yeah,
and so they were very you know, just driven to
help us follow our passions.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
How did they see the passion you had? Were you
guys just dancing around the house all the time? Were
you watching them?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I will tell you. I think. So. We're very close
with like, oh, I call them our cousins, but it's
like my mom's we call her sister, but it's really
probably her like first cousin, her first cousin. Okay, but whatever.
We would always hang out every weekend, and my brother.
They have two children. My one guy is my brother's
age and one girl is my sister's age. So they
(04:55):
were always like best friends and we and I was
always the youngest one.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, you were the one who was told you got
to play the dog when you play house. Exactly, you
could be the dog exactly.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
No, but we would always try to stay at each
other's houses for like five extra minutes, and we'd be, Oh,
we're gonna put on a dance show for you guys,
And this is before we even danced. So I think
it just kind of fell into place.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I love that. I remember doing that, by the way,
as kids with my cousins who were I had one
cousin who's a year older than me and a cousin
who's year younger than me, and I was right in
the middle. So we the three girls inseparable, and we
would always do the same thing, watch our dance, you know.
And it's some ridiculous, but absolutely we used In California,
we had a pool in the backyard, and so mine
would always end. I'd do them in the backyard and
(05:36):
they'd always end with a dive into the water, and
which at least you have that and to dry off
swim exactly, so that that's pretty cool. Your sister Melanie
danced as a kid, but she had she had to
go become a doctor of pharmacy. Why, I mean, why
did she choose to do that? Did you guys make
fun of her for being too smart?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
No, she was the only one that was smart enough
to go to school. You know. I think me and
my brother tried, but we I don't know. I can't
explain it. I just I can only speak for myself.
I just love performing and connecting and I was not
very motivated in school, but I was good at it.
I did exactly what I needed to do, so I can.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Go dance, right, But then when it was over, you
were like, I don't need to do that ever again.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I'm not itching to go back to school, right
my mom wants me to?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But no, Mom, does your brother call with notes after
your performances?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yes? Yes, so does my mom though really?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Oh yeah, your mom considers herself to be a bit
of an expert now, Oh, she for sure is.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
And you know what, it makes sense though, because she's
who watches the show. Yeah, you know, and like you
want to obviously cater to to professional dancers, but at
the end of the day, you want to connect to
the audience.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, So do you call your mom when you when
you find out who your new partner is and then
be like, mom, help me, what do you think I
should do to appeal to the masses.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, it's really cool when I can call my mom
and I'm like, this person's on the show and she's like,
no way. You know, she's excited, so it is. It
is nice. She'll always tell me she she could have
pointed her toes a little bit better, and like.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Really, come mom, Okay, does she get those ideas just
from herself watching as a fan, or does she take
what the judges say and then go, yeah, yeah, you
know that's right.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think maybe she didn't point her toes, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think it's she just notices things. She she would
watch us compete when we were growing up. She always
traveled with us, and so she's got the inside.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Okay, inflation, she really knows what she's looking at. I
know you are also a sports fan, and growing up
in Minnesota, you have a plethora of teams to root for.
You also have arguably the most robust youth hockey program
in the US, and I have run into this problem
with my oldest son, who wants to do everything. How
(07:53):
do you pick your hobby? You focused on dance, but
you're also very well rounded, So I'm wondering how did
you navigate that as a kid.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Honestly, I didn't, you know. I danced. I tried drums
for a second, I tried guitar. I feel like my
parents were like, you can't get hurt in ballroom dancing.
My brother did a little bit more. He played football
growing up, but I remember he like hurt his hip,
(08:23):
and then my mom was like, no one's ever playing
sports again. We're a bubble family exactly. We are just dancing.
You can't hurt yourself that bad dancing. You can?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
You can, you can have you hurt yourself pretty bad.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Would I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
If I did, I.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Probably blacked it out. It's gone. But it's like I like,
in my later years, I was like, I wish I
played piano, and so I started playing piano, and I'm like,
this is way too hard to learn at this age,
Like I know so much easier as a kid.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
As a kid, do you have long fingers.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I've got big hands.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You do a big hands? Yeah, you have piano hands.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yeah, except I think they're too big, so they press
multiple keys?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Got it? And you're like exactly, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
No, I can do it. It's just I'm a memory
kind of guy. It's hard for me to read notes.
So I wish I did.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
As a kid, right, I know. I also wish I
learned multiple languages as a kid. You speak, I speak Russrussian.
You speak Russian and English. Do you remember any particularly
embarrassing moments from high school? Or have you also blacked
all of those out?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Also? Those are blacked out? For sure. I was not
a popular kid, if you can imagine. Really.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do you think it's because of the ballroom?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Oh? For sure? Okay, And I was just a weird kid.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
What are you like as a kid?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Well, I started by going to it I from first
or from kindergarten until eighth grade. I went to a
Jewish private school. Okay, and so like me, I was
very like one of my best friends. Still, we went
to school there together, and then we went to high
school together. We went to a public high school.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Okay, So you had been very sheltered in a small,
private Jewish elementary and junior high and then.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Were straight into high school.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Right plopped into a public high school.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
As it was not I was definitely a fish out
of water, okay, but it was it was whatever, Like
I really found my community in dance and my good
friends in school, you know. But by no means it
was like cool for dancing.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Did you go to any high school dances.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I didn't, not a single one. No, I would have
been really cool if I did.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Wow. Probably not actually have any high school girlfriends.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, but like it was again, it was more of
like I was always in dance, so.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Like, so your friends are like dance, okay.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
And we were traveling like at least once or twice
a month. Yeah, and so I was like always you know,
gone for these like the prom and homecoming. I was
always gone, so I never got to go.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So that's I mean, in some ways, that's really nice
because you had a well established community where you shared
common interests with these people and you had them consistently.
And then school was just kind of the place you
went to for education and you had some good friends there,
so you weren't like a lone wolf.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
No, it was close, but I had three good friends.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Okay, I am legally obligated to talk to you about
the Mall of America because so were you a frequenter
of the Mall of America Mother of America.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Like growing up, there was a competition that was actually
in the Mall of America. So we would go a
few like there and then we would ride rides and
go dance. And I was like ten years old, so
it was like really fun. Yeah, because I don't know
if you know this. In All of America, there is
like an amusement park.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Oh, I know, I've been there. I did an autograph
signing there as a team. It's the greatest thing ever.
I also ate twelve mini Cinnabonds from the mall.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
That's specifical, but.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
I'll always think about it as the Mall of America thing.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Did you throw up from the twelve Cinnabons? Because that's
a lot.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
That's a lot. Actually, I had sex. My mom and
I shared a box of twenty so yeah, it's cut
that in half a fan and we were hungry.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah. No, it's I think like when you're there, it's
so big and there's so many people that, like, you
don't really want to go there to shop I know, how.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Could you possibly? Also, if you buy something now you're
lugging it miles of mall.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Yeah, so I've been many, many times.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
What would you say is your favorite attraction there?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So when I was there, it was called Camp Snoopy,
the traction place, and there was it was like an
axe and I think it was like Paul Blart and
Paul Blart he's a Minnesota folk tale I think. But
he had like an axe, I think, And there's a
(12:48):
ride that was an axe and it would like hold
you upside down. It was cool.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
What would the Paul Blart ride be? And that would
be really fun to actually, you know what you're not
You're not wrong, honestly that I would too. It reminds
me kind of like when you can surf in place.
Oh could do that with segues. That'd be so fun.
Did you ever eat at Hulk Hogan's Pastumania?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
No? I didn't.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Well, it opened in the food court in nineteen ninety
five and it featured items like Hulk ewes and Hulk
coroni and cheese. I must have missed that, but it
closed less than a year later.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I wouldn't be surprised. I was born in ninety four,
So okay, it would have been very I don't think
it was.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Would never remember. I couldn't chew it got born in
ninety four. Get the hell out of here. What did
you do for fun in Minnesota as a kid? Did
you go to the state Fair?
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, the best?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
It was a very good state It still is.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
I I mean, I feel like if I went there,
I'll gain fifteen pounds in the day. You know, No,
it's they have the best cookies. There's like a bucket
of cookies. You get unlimited milk, and it was delicious.
But they have everything on.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
A stick, unlimited milks. You sit there and you sit there.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yeah, yeah, you said.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I feel like if I have a bucket, I want
to put it on my arm like a cute bag
and just eat as I go about.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think you do too. You get one for there
and one to go.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Oh great, it's harder to dip the milk on the
to go.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Box, it is. Yeah, you find a way?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Do you find a way? Okay? Sorry, I'm hungry.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Listen. I've never said no to good cookies.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So what did you do for fun? Other than a
state fair moment?
Speaker 3 (14:20):
You know? We would dance a lot. That was fun
ride my bike. I feel like that was really cool.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
How old were you when you learned how to ride your.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Bike out the womb?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Really, you just have no memories where you didn't know
how to ride.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I have no memories not knowing how to ride a bike.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Really, do you remember learning how to ride? No, it
was just like instant, obviously coordinated, I think so.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I genuinely could not tell you. I remember, I remember
putting like the baseball card in the back spokes to
make it sound cool sound, but that I don't Yeah,
I don't remember learning.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
My seven year old still doesn't know how to ride
a bike, but that's because we also don't ever ride bikes.
It's a bit of a problem, like he rides bikes anymore.
And also we don't have sidewalks yea. And I'm like,
I'm sorry, but we're not going to learn in the
middle of the street.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
No. And I feel like in Minnesota there's so much
more space, exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
But I do feel like I'm a bad parent. If
you don't teach your kid how to ride a bike, you.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Have I mean, he will talk about it in his
memory for sure.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
My mom to Panga never taught me to ride a
bike is the name of his memoy. He's already working
on it. Do you have an opinion? Back to food?
This is my favorite. Do you have an opinion on
the best juicy lucy in Minneapolis? We have eaten at
Mats and the Nook. I don't know if you're not
going to like this.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
I don't know what a juicy lucy is.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Okay, allow me to explain.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I remember I'm Russian. I did not eat a lot
of fast food or restaurants.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Well, juicy lucy is a hamburger that has the cheese
in the middle of the.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Patty, as opposed to what there is a.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Juicy lucy cut into it and the cheese oozes out
of the mist. And it originated in Minneapolis.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
This should be bigger. I don't know why it's not
big enough. It should be bigger.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
It should be bigger. Well, I'll tell you I have
been to two places, Matt's and the Nook, both a plus.
So next time you're back.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I don't know how you can go wrong with cheese
in a cheese breer. I know, the more cheese the better.
Couldn't agree more so the Nook, I'll have to be there.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
So you compete throughout your childhood and you end up
as a contestant. So you think you can dance season
thirteen in twenty.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Oh no, so close? Season ten?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Season ten? Oh you know why because I got twenty
thirteen and it's like season ten in twenty third.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
On it, on it, but now you're still on it.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I'll okay. Jenna Johnson was also on that season You
make it to the top twelve, Yes, but now TV
is in the equation. Did you love the addition of
being on TV through all this?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Absolutely? I think I was nineteen years old. Maybe I
just turned nineteen. And you know, my brother was already
running the dance studio.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
If you were born in ninety four and it's twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
No, twenty thirteen, season ten.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh, season ten?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Okay, yeah he is.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I was going to correct you on your mauth. I
was like, you were sixteen, got it?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
No? No, I was nineteen, and like I was like,
I know, I want to dance. I don't know what
it leads to. Obviously dance when the stars is there,
so you think he's there. My brother also did the
show called Burn the Floor. Huh, And I was like
I just want to dance. I want to perform. I
don't know what it is. And then last minute I
(17:50):
literally got a stand by flight to the audition for
so you're thinking you dance. It was in Boston and
barely made it in.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
The door is closing and you slid your way in.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
So my brother auditioned earlier and they kind of brought
him back. He auditioned with his wife. I don't know
if you remember the show, but like, if you audition
and you're really good, you go straight to Vegas. And
if you're like, oh, we like you, but we want
to see you do another round. In the audition, there's
like a big dance. They put you with a partner.
I had to do that, okay, So I was like crawl,
(18:25):
clawing my mind. Yeah, and my brother and his wife
obviously I had to do a solo my like they
danced together. I dance by myself, and ballroom's very hard
by yourself. Yeah, I'll it's also hard. If not by yourself,
it's hard.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
It's just hard.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But so I I.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Did did you do? What dance? Did you do solo?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I did a samba?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I think okay, so you did your own body roll multiple.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Body multiple body rolls are there, and it was just
you know again, it was like I think my mind,
Oh I'm young. Whatever happens, happens, I'm gonna try. I
really want it, but like whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Right, I mean that is obvious by fly and standby. Yeah,
you're like, let's see if I get on this exactly.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Like I didn't really believe until we got to Vegas
and I was like, Okay, I really want to do
this now, like I really think this is going to
be something amazing. Me and my brother made it all
the way to the end. It was called Green Mile,
and it's like before they picked the top twenty okay,
and they like brought us in together and like only
one of you can make it, you know the drama
(19:31):
of course, do you think.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
They manufactured that from the beginning.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I don't know. I mean, it would have been cool
to have two brothers on. Yeah, I know, but I'm
assuming they were like, oh, this is gonna be good. Yeah,
And you know, they took me, and honestly probably the
right choice just because he already had a kid, like
he had the studio, like he was a little bit
older than now what everyone else was on the show.
(19:57):
You know, like I was nineteen and I was the
age that everyone wants exactly, but he's a phenomenal dancer,
so it was just more like casting casting, you know,
and then I was like, Okay, I don't know what
I'm doing now, and it was just it was I
would say it was an incredible experience. I was very
(20:18):
tough on myself, so I didn't enjoy it, oh, you know,
and I think a lot of people that go through
it are like, I have to do the best otherwise
my career is over. And then you finish and you're like, oh,
I wish I would have enjoyed that a little bit more. Yeah,
And that's what I do a lot more on Dancing
with the Stars now, is like enjoy it, yeah, because
it is. It is tough. You've been through it. It's stressful,
(20:40):
but it is one of the most remarkable and beautiful
and uplifting shows there is, and you learn so much
about yourself and.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Also as just a personality and a person. Life is
so much more enjoyable when we can just take a
deep breath and laugh at our like laughter makes everything
feel better. If we're taking it too seriously and judging
ourselves too harshly. That's those are not enjoyable days. You know,
we're all going to have them, and we're all going
to have moments where we go, Man, I'm bummed with myself.
(21:10):
I stayed up too late, I didn't show up as
well as I could have. I didn't push myself as
hard as I needed to. I'm disappointed in myself, but
like as a whole to like enjoy the process.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Yeah, that's the best thing you can do.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Especially, like you said, when your entire year ends up
feeling like three stages of life. One of them is
the season while it's going, which is you know four months, Yeah,
between all the weeks of the show and then the
weeks where you start to get to rehearse before it's
really looking at four months, and then a four month tour.
If you're being hard on yourself through all of that,
(21:42):
you're being hard on yourself through two thirds of your life.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Yeah. And you you know, again, if you are just
looking for the result of things, you miss the beauty
of it, you know. And I think the season, you know,
even last season for example, everyone that was a part
of it, I feel like one yeah, you know, everyone
left the show either feeling better, doing new opportunities.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Even if you didn't win the show, there's so many
beautiful outcomes that came from it, yep, that it's like
just being a part of it and enjoying it is winning.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Couldn't agree with you more two years later than after,
So I think you can dance. You joined the troop
of Dancing with the Stars, Yes, thrown right into it.
Do you remember your first impressions of this insane, beautiful universe?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah, I actually remember vividly. So I was doing some
little dance tour. They were like, hey, do you want
to audition for the show. It'll be like a little interview,
and I was like absolutely absolutely. I flew back to
LA because I was traveling. I don't remember where I was,
did this like audition and I was like like, this
is my dream, Like I really want to be on
(22:53):
Dancing with the Stars. Some time goes by, like maybe
a few weeks. I was actually a dancer on Glee
at the time. Yes, And I remember being on set
for Glee and like getting a call and it was like, Hey,
you're gonna be on Dancing with the Stars. You're gonna
be on Troop. And I was like Oh my god,
this is the best thing in the world.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I mean, all your dreams coming true on set of
Glee truly like dreams come true.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
And I was like, being on the show is like
the dream come true. You know, I'm just so happy.
And then it's like okay. Then so I was on
Troop and then it was like, Okay, the next dream
is to be a pro. I mean, I will say
being on Troop was the best thing because you learn
so much. It's really hard to just go in as
(23:41):
a pro, not really knowing what you're doing. It's your
first time. It's the celebrities first time. When you're on troop,
you get to see it firsthand, you get to experience it.
I stepped in a few times as Troop, so I
got that firsthand experience.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Yeah, And it was just mean to replace a pro.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yeah, So I think first it happened with Mark Yeah,
he got he got injured, and I danced with Page
and then in season twenty four Max got injured and
I stepped in with Heather Morris for like three weeks maybe, yeah,
and like I had to choreograph my own.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Dances and everything and good experience.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
So great, and Heather was unbelievable. Yeah, so it was like,
just go out and do it and you don't have
to worry about like her freaking out because she's such
a such a pro. Yeah, so I got so lucky.
And again, I think the Troop helps build you as
a pro.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I know. I really also think that it would really
benefit the Troop to be able to let them sit
in on some of the rehearsals yet, because they I
mean obviously they're so busy too. They're all they're doing
dances all throughout the week and everything, but they usually
just get to see the day of the camera blocking.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah. And in the past, like when I was Troop,
I was helping a lot of the celeb a lot
of the pros choreographing and being in the room, So
back then it was more like that. Yeah. I think
because of COVID, they like really made sure no one
was in the room and then it kind of just stuck.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Like that, because that would be so helpful to see
the way the pros talk to their celebrities, to see
the way they teach. I mean, that's teaching is a
whole skill set on its own. You could be the
best dancer in the entire world and not know the
first thing about teaching.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
And that's I think what is so special about the
pros on the show. They're also talented. They have to
be incredible dancers, yep, they have to be incredible choreographers,
and they have to be incredible teachers. Yeah, and therapist.
So you can mind though, but it's you know, it is,
it's so much. It's multifaceted. Yes it is, and so yeah,
(25:43):
you can get the best dancer, but if they don't
know how to teach, then then the celebrities out of luck.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
You're also forgetting personalities themselves.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
It's a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
It's yeah, you guys are I mean talk about we
say triple threat, but you talk about you guys have
to have like a bion.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
You know.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Well, good news. You were promoted in season twenty five
with Debbie Gibson as your first celebrity. What was the
biggest lesson you took away from your first season.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I think the biggest thing I realized was like the pressure.
So when in season twenty four when I was with Heather,
there wasn't really any pressure because I wasn't her main partner, right,
and then when it was like okay, now you have
a main partner you are. Basically it's not as a pro,
it's not my season. Yeah, you know, at most it's
(26:37):
our season, but mainly it's it's my celebrity season. You know.
I want to make sure my celebrity has the absolute
best season. Yeah. And so that is something that I
learned right away. I was like, this is not about me, right,
you know. And Debbie was the sweetest person out She's wonderful. Yeah,
she's the best.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
And so that was a great first season. But the
pressure of like, oh, this is fully on me now,
that's what I realized, And I was like, all right,
now I know how to really you know, not let
the pressure get to me and trust myself more.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Well, just a few years later, you win a Lenn
Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy with Bachelorette star Hannah Brown. Yes,
I mean, what a rapid rise to the very top.
Why do you think that partnership worked so well? And
what was it about that season that you think got
you guys to the end.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Honestly, so many things. It's not one thing. You know,
she just came off the Bachelorette. She was the most
popular thing on television. She's incredible and she worked really
really hard, you know, and she was very real and
I think people saw that and people loved her being real.
(27:54):
I think at the end of the day, in order
for anyone to make it to the end, they just
have to care. Yeah, you know, no matter what, like
whether you care for yourself or for for your mom
or for it, you just have to care. You have
to show up and you have to do it right.
And then if you're lucky enough and it clicks, then
it's you know, it just it's magic.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Yeah, it is. It does feel like the kind of
thing that is a perfect recipe that it's really hard,
Like there's so many elements that have to fall into
the right place at the right time in order for
the magic to happen. Yeah, it gets you to the
end and then to eventually win.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, and I think everyone's journey is different. Yeah, and
like every season, yeah, there might be like a oh
I think this person might win, but that changes yep
every time. I will say, right before I did when
I won with Hannah. First, we did something called Dancing
with the Stars Juniors, Oh huh, and I had the sweetest girl,
Sky Brown, and we won there. So it was like, yeah,
(28:56):
it was. I started to like realize more.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
You do well with people who have the last name Brown.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Exactly two wins, two wins with.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
The name Brown. That works for you, No, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
But also it's just like when people are genuine in themselves,
it resonates a lot more.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Yeah, people can pick up on that, they can smell
in authenticity.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
And it's not just with the celebrities. It's with the partnership,
it's with the pros. Like people can see us more
than I think people they realize. Yeah, And so like
when people are there just to enjoy it and have
passion and purpose, it goes a long way.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well, here we are in a complete renaissance for the
show the now Emmy nominated season thirty four.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Yeah, I have to say, this is the first year
in many years that it's Emmy nominated, and it's the
first year you've been on it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Oh oh, okay, it's me. You think it's me. It's
gotta be the I'm the missing link. Well listen, I'll
take it. I mean it was Season thirty four was
above and beyond. I think what anybody could have imagined
for the show. You were paired with the Great Elaine
Hendrix in the sixth most watched TV show of the year. Wow,
(30:24):
Now is life different for Alan Burston? Now, what is
your visibility?
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Like?
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Are you getting stopped everywhere? Because I hear from friends.
It's how I knew you were in my neighborhood not
that long ago, because I was at a basketball game
for my son this past Saturday and a girlfriend of
mine said to me, oh, I saw Alan. Alan was
walking into Polo checks this past weekend. I said, well,
I'm gonna have to ask him, what do you was
picking up?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
You know what? It's It's so funny. I feel like
right when I won, yep, I went like on a
run like a few like a week later and like
some congrats Alan just on the show, and I was like,
that's pretty cool. But you know, it's been like whatever,
nothing crazy. I feel like the last two years when
I was partner with Alona mar Yes, I was walking
(31:10):
down Larchmont and everyone, like construction workers were like you, Alan,
You're so good.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
I'm like, that's so cute that is going on.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Over here, you know. But it was really just like
the show did have this resurgence, and whether it's social
media or or whatever it is, it is just so
awesome to be a part of. That's not the focus,
but it's it's definitely cool to see that recognition and like,
if anyone stops me, I will gladly take a photo
(31:37):
with them.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
I know you're always so.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
I literally went for a run yesterday and I run
on Melrose a lot, and like a group of girls were.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Like, yeah, did you stop your run?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
I didn't finishing, but I definitely said hi, and then
they messaged.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
As you mentioned, a lot of the popularity has to
be thanks to social media. The show is a TikTok phenomenon,
and for the pros it is like you take on
a second full time job during the season. Your season
with Elana, you two were incredible online. How important is
(32:17):
the social media game now? Do you think to going
far in the competition?
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Let me start with this. I felt when I was
with Amanda Clutes, I think it was season thirty, we
made a big effort of like social media, and I
look back and we posted one TikTok a week and
I was like, that's a big effort.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Like you felt like you were like, wow, we're really folks.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think we went live on Instagram and TikTok every
camera blocking day and then we posted like one TikTok
a week, and I was like, we're doing so much,
like more than everyone.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Else flooding the season.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Yeah, and then I'm like, oh, with Alona we did
like three videos a day.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Oh my god, what the hell did you have time?
Speaker 3 (32:59):
You know? So I think it was also very easy.
So like with Ilona, we didn't do a lot of
dance trends. We kind of just did quick personalities videos,
funny things. I really learned that season of like, just
post whatever you want. Don't be precious. If it doesn't
do well, who cares? Just post and be a good person,
(33:23):
you know. And I think what really resonated was, especially
with Alona, it was it showed our partnership and it
gave an avenue outside of just the show. You know,
you get your minut and a half dance, your minute
and a half package and whatever questions are in the
skybox with Julianne all week. You know, that's five minutes maximum.
(33:47):
And social media now gives you a platform to talk
about your partnership, talk about struggles, talk about what's going good,
you know, having fun and just showing that partnership even more,
And to me, I think that's the most important thing. Yeah,
it's not your celebrity and you trying to get the
most vote. It's like, how can you showcase your partnership? Yeah,
(34:08):
and it's a lot easier when you actually like each other.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Oh yeah, I can't even imagine what a season would
have been like if Pasha and I did not get
a lot. I really like, what a you? I mean,
to wake up every day and be so excited to
see your partner and work with your partner is such
a blessing to wake up and like dread it.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
That's why it's not like when it goes well, it's
not hard, it's not work. The hard part is obviously
learning dances and choreographing and all that. But like being
in the studio, when time flies it's fun.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Yeah, exactly, when you're like, how have we already been
here for four hours?
Speaker 3 (34:42):
So even though it is four hours a day, when
it's fun, it's like, give me four more.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Well, now you have added pressure because your girlfriend, also,
my love, Emma Slater, is the world's greatest social media guru.
You bounce ideas off of her.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, you know, always I'm always First of all, I'm
she's so eloquent with her words and I'm not so
I'm like, hey, does this capture make sense? Like do
I sound like an idiot? And she helps because I'm not.
I'm so just like lah, yeah, like almost like a caveman,
like I'll just say things and they're like what I
(35:24):
read about? Like what this doesn't make any sense? But
I'm just like I'm the type that I'm like, I'm
excited to post something, I'm just gonna post it. And
I think she's very just so she's so smart.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Yeah, she really is. Do you have if you think
about your any of your seasons, do you have like
one post that you think of as being like, oh,
that's my favorite post I've done.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Yes, actually, okay, it's with Ilona. We did like a
package before one of our dances was the Jive. It
was rock and roll Night and we did like, uh,
we were in the gym and we did a whole
package for the show, and then afterwards we filmed a
TikTok of like partners doing everything together and we just
(36:07):
did a bunch of workouts together and it went so
viral that they put that in the package. Really yeah,
and it was like, I mean, for for weeks people
were just copying it and it was just so like
we didn't even think about it. It was just like
so just like, hey, let's do this quick video and
it was so fun and it was just like partners
(36:28):
doing everything together. That's so cute and so like that
was a really fun video.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
So talking about last season, we all remember Elaine's injury
on Halloween night. I remember seeing your sad face up there.
I do that to me and I felt so bad
for you. Were you sure you were going home?
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I mean there was It was twofold. That was like, Wow,
they're really going to send me home by myself. Elaine
doesn't get eliminated, no, but I I part of me
was like her, Elaine's journey is not done. Yeah, So
part of me was very like hopeful and wishful of
(37:11):
like this is not that it can't be the end,
Like she has so much more, she loves it so much,
and so I was very hopeful. But then when they
put me in the bottom three, I was like Jesus,
what was going on here? And it was Oh, that
was very memorable of me just standing there hugging myself
everyone's saving, they hug people, and I'm just like, I
(37:34):
just wanted to hug someone. But you know that was
definitely scary.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
Yeah, you don't know.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
I'll never forget that feeling of those bottom three and
how much it catches you off guard. You know it's coming,
but you don't think about it throughout the week, and
then all of a sudden, you watch everybody dance. You're
enjoying everyone's dance. You're like, oh my gosh, that was
so incredible, and then it's like, oh it's time. Shit,
I forgot this part happens, and it.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Kind of happens really fast, like maybe not I don't
know how happens on TV, but when you're in the
audience or when you're in the skybox watching they're like, okay,
last an's everyone down, You're like, oh shit, that's exactly it.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Oay out of nowhere, Like, oh my gosh, I forgot
this and it's already here. Here it is.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Yeah, it's honestly, it doesn't get any easier. I've been
a pro so many years, so like that's the worst
part because it's out of your control. I think, for me,
the best thing in what I tell my partners is like,
don't stress about it, Yeah, because the more you stress
about it during the week, then it's inevitable. No.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
I know there's a part of me that is so
grateful that it seems like it comes out of nowhere
because it means I wasn't I'm not focused on it
at all. I'm just focused on, you know, what I'm
doing and working hard and having fun. We are just
a few months away. I know I'm season thirty five.
We know a few contestants already on the female side.
We know Mara Higgins and Sierra Miller. Yes, do either
(38:48):
of these possibilities excite you?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Yeah? Honestly both? Okay. I also feel like anyone who
does the show now is going to want to do
the show.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yeah, exact know.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
They're not doing it just because their agent made them.
They're doing it because they love They're either fans of
the show, they see how like fun it can be,
but they want to do it. And to me, that's
like the best thing in a partner exactly, somebody who
wants to be there, who is passionate about it, because
you can't teach passion. So both Mara and Sierra are great.
(39:20):
I feel like They're both very popular on social media,
which is a help. They both did Traders. Yeah, I know,
so I feel like they know how to play a game.
But when Dylan did this season, he was not that
he was calculated. That sometimes has a bad connotation, but
like he is strategy, He's very strategic.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Yeah, absolutely, Oh, I know. I was involved in irate.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Strategy and it's great. You know, I think to a
certain extent, you know, I think you don't want to
come into the season and plan every little thing. I
think the beautiful part about Dancing with the Stars is
the spontaneity.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Of course, exactly, l And I think every week that's
actually what resonates more than anything else.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
You know, when somebody has a surprisingly good week and
you're like, where did that come from? Right, And that's
what is special from that episode, you know. So I
think the spontaneity of the show is great. I think
they were both on reality TV, so they understand the
sharing aspect and I think that's very important as a Yeah,
(40:28):
and I'm curious how you were, like, because was this
your first stint in reality.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
It was, yeah. I mean, now, granted I had hosted TV,
so I was comfortable being myself, but I had never
done a reality to the show, so it was my
first go at it, and I do remember thinking a
couple of times, it's very annoying to be miked all
the time.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
You know, there's there's a vulnerability to it, and I
think if you embrace that, yeah, it's amazing. If you
try to like hide your feelings and the America can't
connect to you. And at the end of the day, yes,
it's a dance show, but it's it's about connecting and
you know, connecting with the audience and showing your true
(41:15):
self and letting them learn something about you, because that's
what's intriguing, you know, whether you're learning the dance or
learning something about yourself. People don't just want to see
good dancing from the start and just that's it totally.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And so it helps to be an authentic person because
if you are a reality TV star who is very
brand focused and maybe who you are is not necessarily
who your brand is, that would be difficult. If you
are an authentic person who's willing to show up as
yourself warts and all going to you're going to probably
have a fan base that's going to relate to you.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Exactly. Yeah, and I think that's the key of the
show totally.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
People need people need to be able to relate to you.
If they can't relate to you, what are they voting for?
What are they rooting or how do they see themselves
in you? Well, we're guaranteed to get a new pro.
This is crazy to the competition show for pro.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Are you watching, No, I'll definitely be watching. I think
it's beautiful to see how the show is expanding, you know.
I think the show had such success in season thirty four. Yeah,
and there's a right way to capitalize on that. And
I think, you know, expanding the universe of Dancing with
(42:27):
the Stars is the right way. Yeah, you know, I
think the fans want more. It's really hard to do
two seasons a year. I will not say no to
two seasons a year, obviously, but I feel like it's
hard to do that, and so this is a nice
way to like ease into the new show, into the
new season.
Speaker 1 (42:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
I think you're right. Well, this will be another instance
where a pro is going to burst right into the
big show with no troop experience. You were able to
soak in the show and learn the process. Do you
think being on kind of this fast track to being
a pro can hurt the dancer.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
So I think this is the best way to do
it without putting somebody on troop is you test them out.
You know they're going to have to go through these challenges.
You know it is you're being judged by Mark and Shirley,
who are both unbelievable yep, you know, plus a third
rotating rotating judge, professional Dan, yes, which you know. To
(43:22):
me though Mark and Shirley are are incredible choices. You know,
Mark is a phenomenal judge, so creative. Shirley is on
strictly who is this? She is like the goddess of
all right? Yes, you know, so it couldn't have been
two better judges yep. And so now you're putting these
(43:43):
contestants through a series of these challenges, which I imagine would
only help set them up. You know, I think it's
only gonna benefit them in the long run. And you
know it adds that pressure which comes with the show,
which on Troupe there isn't that pressure. Yeah, you know,
so that's something that you do have to learn. And
(44:03):
the only way you get better as a pro is
through experience. You know, no one can tell you a secret.
Thing to make you better is just experiencing it for
yourself and learning what.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
Works and hopefully having a good connection with your with
your celeb Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
I would say to anyone the biggest thing is make
sure it's not about you. It's not about the pro.
As a pro, it is our job to make our
celebrities feel safe.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
And so that's like, whenever I go into any season,
that's my first, which might.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Be hard in this case. They've had an entire show
about them getting cast on the show, and then they
have to come in and be like, and it's not
about me at all, even though it was just all
about me for ten episodes.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
But I think I feel like the people they have
on the show are going to.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Yeah, they know what they're getting into. I'm not letting
Alan off that easy. We're dropping a bonus episode this
Friday where I get to talk to my ballroom buddy
some more and we listen to your embarrassing childhood stories,
which I want listeners to send me their awkward tales.
Just email a voice memo somewhere between one to two
(45:06):
minutes to Teenbeatpod at gmail dot com, and we just
might play it on the show. And you can come
see me and Alan at the Ultimate DWTS Fan Convention
and live show at the end of this month July
thirty first to August second in Palm Springs. There are
limited tickets still available at dwtscn dot com. Teenbeat is
(45:30):
an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fischel. Executive
producers Jensencarp and Amy Sugarman, Executive in charge of production
Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Subosch. The theme song
is by Mark Coppis Yes that Mark Cooppus. Follow us
on Instagram at teenbeatpod.
Hosts And Creators
Will Friedle
Danielle Fishel
Rider Strong
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