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Dance Heals: Robert Irwin Connects with Contestant's Grief
20 Jul
Summary
- Contestant Allen Genkin honors his late mother through dance.
- Robert Irwin shares his own past experience honoring parents.
- Allen aims to make his mother proud with his competition journey.
Robert Irwin is offering a unique form of support on Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, connecting with contestant Allen Genkin over shared experiences of honoring lost loved ones through dance. Allen, 36, is set to perform a Rumba to Charlie Puth's "See You Again" with Adele Zaikman, dedicating the dance to his mother who passed away when he was 15.
Allen described the profound impact of his mother's death, noting that even after 20 years, the grief remains, and dance has become his artistic outlet to process and express this deep emotional connection. He views his mother's dream of seeing him on a major dance stage as his driving motivation.
Irwin, 22, related to Allen's journey, recalling his own performance on season 34 of Dancing With the Stars where he dedicated a contemporary piece to his late father, Steve Irwin, and his mother, Terri Irwin. Irwin emphasized dance's power to help confront difficult emotions.
Allen, based in San Jose, California, expressed his hope that his late mother is witnessing his progress and is proud of his achievements. He feels her presence as a guiding force throughout the competition, which airs Mondays on ABC and streams on Hulu and Disney+.
