Alexis Ren and her Dancing With the Stars pro partner Alan Bersten finally sealed the deal with a kiss on Monday’s episode, with country music star Lauren Alaina there to provide the live soundtrack to their first dance as an official couple.
For weeks, the reality dance competition had been teasing a will-they, won’t-they relationship between the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and Bersten. During last week’s episode, Ren admitted her feelings for Bersten, who remained mum on his until this week, when he confessed that he too had developed “feelings” for Ren.
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“Last week, some things were said. I’m in a place where, we worked so hard for this amazing journey together, and I’m afraid I will mess that up in some way. But I’ve never had an experience like this,” Bersten told Ren in the video clip that aired just before their dance.
“It’s so easy to just hang out with you and have fun and not worry about everything else. I know that you put yourself out there last weekend, and I do have feelings for you. And I really feel like I am falling for you,” Bersten continued.
Ren sounded relieved to hear that Bersten mirrored her sentiments.
“After I opened up last week, I felt a little bit embarrassed. But now that we had this talk this week, I feel really good that everything’s out in the open,” she told him.
Following the package, which was sealed with a sweet kiss on the lips from the new couple, the two danced a samba to “Ladies in the ’90s,” which Alaina sang live from the ballroom. Ren and Bersten wowed the judges with a 29/30.
Alaina wasn’t the only country music star to grace the ballroom Monday night during the show’s Country Week episode. All eight couples danced to country music from some of the industry’s biggest artists.
In addition to Ren and Bersten’s rumba to “Ladies in the ’90s,” Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess danced a Viennese waltz to an Elvis classic “Can’t Help Falling in Love” sung by Chris Janson. LANCO performed their hit “Born to Love You” during Milo Manheim and Witney Carson’s Foxtrot, Evanna Lynch and Ken Motsepe danced to Carly Pearce’s hit single “Every Little Thing,” and Cole Swindell also performed “Love You Too Late” to a choreographed number from the show’s dance troupe.
While Alaina, Janson, LANCO, Pearce and Swindell all appeared for live performances, other country music was used throughout the show as well. DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold danced a Viennese waltz to “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton, Joe “Grocery Store Joe” Amabile and Jenna Johnson danced a tango to “Burning Man” by Dierks Bentley and the Brothers Osbourne, John Schneider and Emma Slater danced a jazz to John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke danced a Charleston to “One Shot” by Hunter Hayes.
Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” was also featured in a one of the team dances, as was Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl.”
On Monday, retired NFL player DeMarcus Ware and partner Lindsay Arnold were eliminated, along with Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider and partner Emma Slater. Previously, Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, singer Tinashe, Facts of Life actress Nancy McKeon, Paralympic skater Danelle Umstead and comedian Nikki Glaser were also eliminated.
Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
