Dancing with the Stars Season 32 partners Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater took to Instagram on Thursday to set the record straight about rumors they’re dating. Their comments come one day after Umansky’s wife Kyle Richards said she was “taken aback” by photos of them holding hands.
Mauricio Umansky, Emma Slater Deny They’re Dating
On Thursday, Umansky and Slater appeared on Instagram stories from their rehearsal space in New York City, as they prepare an Argentine Tango for next week’s Halloween episode of DWTS. The pair took a moment to address the recent rumors that they’re dating.
The two were recently photographed holding hands after leaving a restaurant together. This comes after a report that Umansky and Slater were spotted getting “very flirtatious” in Aspen. However, they deny that they’re dating.
Slater pointed out that dance partners “really form a very very special bond,” adding, “And I think we’re similar personalities, so we’ve got a super supportive relationship. We’re definitely there for each other. And it’s beautiful, that’s a great thing.”
Umansky also addressed the photos of them holding hands, saying they went out for sushi after a rehearsal. During dinner, they talked about the “very emotional week” on the show, as celebrities danced routines inspired by their “most memorable year.”
“We were talking about the week during dinner and when we came out of dinner, we were recapping and I reached out to grab Emma’s hand, and she grabbed my hand,” Umansky said. “And then we walked to the cars, just recapping and then the paparazzi caught that moment and it’s become a blown-out moment.”
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Kyle Richards Was ‘Taken Aback’ by the Rumors
Umansky is married to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards. He recently confirmed that they are “currently separated.” On Wednesday night’s Watch What Happens Live, Richards addressed rumors that Umansky and Slater were dating.
“I was taken aback,” Richards said of the photos. “That was very hard to see. It hurt my feelings. I don’t know if anything has happened yet, but obviously there’s something there and listen, I love him very much—and we are amicable—but that really did hurt me.”
Richards had previously posted her support for Umansky and Slater on Instagram, but that post has since been deleted.
