Dancing with the Stars alum Witney Carson praises Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten in a heartfelt message

Dancing with the Stars winner Witney Carson recently took to social media to share a message about all the other four finalists – Elaine Hendrix, Dylan Efron, Jordan Chiles, and Alix Earle. 

On November 28, 2025, she posted photos of the finalists with their pro dance partners, praising their journey on Dancing with the Stars. 

In one of the slides of her Instagram Story, she shared a heartwarming message for The Parent Trap actress, Elaine, and her dance partner, Alan Bersten, highlighting their efforts to make the finale a night to remember. 

While speaking about the pair, she praised Alan for making sure the dance routines celebrated Elaine and kept her at the center of attention. 

As for Elaine, it was her dedication and her perseverance that impressed Witney the most. 

Alan and Elaine concluded their time on the show in fifth place while Witney and Robert secured the first position. 

Alix and Val took second place, Jordan and Ezra, third, and Dylan and Daniella, fourth. 

Elaine’s journey on the show had not been without challenges, as she had to sit out during one episode after suffering a serious rib injury during rehearsals. Despite that, she persevered and made her way through to the last stage of the competition.

Here’s what Witney said about Dancing with the Stars’ alums Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten

Witney started by congratulating Alan and commending his efforts for going out of the way and crafting “such a creative dance,” which showcased the “most beautiful parts of Elaine.”

It was a direct reference to their Freestyle performance in the finale, which was A Chorus Line-inspired routine to I Hope I Get It.

The dance reflected Elaine's journey as an actress, as the performance showed her sitting in an audition room and navigating her way ahead in the world. 

While speaking about Elaine, she wrote:

“You shine so bright with your charisma, and dedication to the craft. When you can make someone feel something through art that’s pure magic!”

Dancing with the Stars: Elaine says the competition helped her realize how capable she truly was

In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on November 26, 2025, Elaine reflected on her journey on the show, admitting that the moment she reached the finale, she felt like she had won. 

“The only person I was really competing against was myself,” she added. 

At 54, Elaine knew her body could not perform the way it used to when she began her modeling and dance career. But even then, she was “pleasantly surprised at how capable I truly am.”

She admitted that she did not know the potential she nurtured within herself going into Dancing with the Stars. 

That said, Elaine admitted that she was not one step away from accepting a challenge. So, she put her all into the competition with a fearless attitude. 

“Being fearless. I live for the challenge. I live for performing. That hasn’t gone away. My capabilities are just a little different now,” she explained. 

Looking back on her time on the show with partner, Alan, Elaine expressed that their “intention” as a team was to “dance with joy” and trust each other. 

She appreciated Alan’s partnership, commending him for crafting each routine for her and about her. Moreover, she was grateful to him for not letting her give up even when she doubted herself or was exhausted. Elaine concluded that the support was “really important.”

Stay tuned for more updates.