'Dancing With the Stars' Partners Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater Deny Dating Rumors Amid Holding Hands Controversy

'Friends Not Lovers': 'Dancing With the Stars' partners insist they're not dating, addressing viral hand-holding photo, after Richards admits photos were hurtful.

Romance rumors between 'Dancing With The Stars' partners, Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater sparked controversy when they were seen holding hands. Both partners vehemently deny being in a romantic relationship and insist that their bond is purely platonic and professional.
During an Instagram story, Umansky clarified that he and Slater are 'really good friends' spending four hours a day, every day for six weeks together in dancing rehearsals, which often creates intense bonds between partners. Emma Slater echoed these sentiments and added that the hand-holding incident occurred after a very 'emotional week'.
Actor Trevor Donovan defends his previous dance partner, Emma Slater saying that the 'exhaustive nature of the rehearsals, and the stress of the show night performance' often forms deep friendships. Maurice Umansky similarly highlighted the intense process of DWTS, stating it is common to form 'a very special bond' with their partners.
Kyle Richards, the estranged wife of Mauricio Umansky, expressed her hurt feelings upon seeing the hand-holding pictures of Umansky and Slater. Richards had also deleted an Instagram post supporting Umansky and Slater's DWTS after the photos surfaced.
Despite the controversy, Umansky and Slater are focusing on the competition aspect of 'Dancing With the Stars' and plan to 'keep having fun', emphasizing that the hand-holding speculation has been 'blown out of proportion'.

Entertainment Tonight