Adele Zaikman may have won Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, but it appears she could have left the competition with something else that has kept fans talking.
The 24-year-old dancer is reportedly dating fellow contestant Allen Genkin, who finished fourth in the competition. According to a source cited by Us Weekly, the two developed a romance after spending time together on the DWTS spinoff.
Their connection was already noticeable during The Next Pro. Zaikman and Genkin danced together during the competition, giving viewers plenty of opportunities to notice their chemistry both on and off the ballroom floor.
After the show ended, the two continued dancing together, adding even more fuel to the speculation surrounding their relationship.
Genkin has also been openly complimentary of Zaikman. During an appearance on The Joe Vulpis podcast, he called her “one of a kind” and praised her as a beautiful person inside and out.
The pair also reunited during the Dancing With the Stars Season 35 premiere, when members of The Next Pro cast joined Zaikman for a special performance.
Zaikman later spoke warmly about dancing with Genkin again, describing the experience as an amazing feeling and saying that performing with him during the premiere was a dream come true.
That chemistry hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans. Social-media followers have repeatedly “shipped” the two dancers, with their posts and dance videos prompting even more questions about whether their friendship had developed into something romantic.
There was even a moment when DWTS pro Emma Slater joined the conversation, commenting on one of their dance videos with a playful question about whether the two were together.
But there is an important twist to the story.
When Zaikman was asked directly about dating Genkin during a recent podcast appearance, she said that both of them were single. She acknowledged that fans constantly speculate about the pair and even teased that she would let everyone know if something changed.
Zaikman also made it clear just how close the two are, describing Genkin as an amazing person and saying that being around him brings good energy.
So while a report now claims the two are romantically involved, Zaikman’s own recent comments did not confirm that they were officially a couple at the time of her interview.
Their story is also part of a larger trend coming out of The Next Pro. Other contestants have formed relationships after meeting through the competition, including Briar Nolet and Erik Linder, who have publicly confirmed their relationship.
For Zaikman, the timing is especially interesting. She won The Next Pro and earned a spot as a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars Season 35, although her first season came to an early end after she and celebrity partner Conner Leavitt were eliminated during the premiere.
Now, attention has shifted from Zaikman’s competition journey to her relationship with one of the dancers she competed against.
Whether Zaikman and Genkin are officially a couple or simply two close friends with undeniable chemistry, their connection has clearly captured the attention of DWTS fans—and for now, the mystery surrounding their relationship is only making people more curious.
