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Ilona Maher had a panic attack right before her ‘DWTS’ debut — what got her through will surprise you

'I was having a panic attack because they kept telling me to dance in front of a room full of people,' she revealed

'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 runner-up Ilona Maher revealed a surprising new detail about her debut ballroom experience. The Olympic medalist shared never-before-seen footage from the competition on Instagram with an overlay note, "Fun fact: I was having a panic attack because they kept telling me to dance in front of a room full of people," she wrote. "Thankfully I got over that @dancingwiththestars," she elaborated in the caption. Dance pro and her season 33 partner, Alan Bersten, were among the first to comment under the post:  "Ah, I remember this day!!!" to which she replied, "I was unwell." 

Maher is seen standing on stage wearing a stunning sequined black ballroom gown in the brief clip. The Sports Illustrated model is captured fanning herself during the taping of the season, visibly nervous. But soon enough, she recovers from her jitters by jiving to Chappell Roan's dance-pop song 'Hot to Go,' as the crowd cheers in the background. As per People, this is not the first time Maher has shared a moment from her first day jitters on the dance floor. In a TikTok video posted last September, the athlete was seen practicing to Lana Del Ray's indie pop track 'Say Yes to Heaven' with her dance partner backstage, dressed in the same costume. "I only dance if @Alan tells me to," she captioned the clip. 

Despite scoring a place as a finalist, Maher shockingly announced her retirement from the dance floor following the conclusion of the competition. "After careful consideration, I have decided to retire from dance," she told her fans via an Instagram clip on April 6. She said that she may not be too good at dancing, but she is, after all, a "pro." However, she felt that it was time for her to take a step back, saying, "I think I gotta hang up my dancing shoes." The rugby player confessed that it was a tough call and she wanted to inform her followers first-hand. "It was a tough decision at its best," she told the publication later. "Well, I've learned that dance is very hard and that it maybe is not what brings me so much joy, but I love watching it," she admitted. 

Maher also expressed gratitude for the chance to explore new things. "I think it's just so interesting how we all find joy in different things," she said. In an exclusive with Extra TV back then, Maher talked about what terrified her the most on the dance floor. "The four clicks and then dancing, I think... I've never danced before, so it's just learning the steps and then doing it in front of people," she admitted. In the same breath, she also gushed about her dance pro and friend Bresten, calling him the "coolest." Meanwhile, season 34 of 'DWTS' is expected to premiere this fall. So far, four celebrity cast members have been announced—Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Whitney Leavitt, and Jen Affleck. Fans are already placing bets on who else will be joining the ballroom in the new season.