Nov 11, 2026 · 51 min
Dance partners turn adversity into a professional breakthrough
Danielle with… Adele Zaikman and Allen Genkin
Adele Zaikman and Allen Genkin connect personal setbacks, competition pressure, and romance to the uncertain path toward professional dance careers.
- 1Allen Genkin found dance after childhood stigma and hockey redirected his ambitions.
- 2Adele Zaikman describes scoliosis, isolation, and competition as forces that reshaped her confidence.
- 3The pair weigh early elimination, life in The Next Pro house, and hopes of joining Dancing with the Stars professionally.
Don't miss
Allen Genkin revisits his early elimination and says rewatching the season convinced him he could have reached the finale.
The brief
Danielle welcomes Adele Zaikman and Allen Genkin to discuss a romance that began before The Next Pro and developed as they faced its pressures together.
Their routes into dance were shaped by adversity: Allen moved beyond childhood stigma around male dancers, while Adele found refuge after scoliosis and social isolation.
The Next Pro house brought constant cameras, group tensions, and intense competition; Allen’s early elimination still leaves him believing he could have reached the finale.
Adele explains how The Next Pro prepared her for Dancing with the Stars, from camera work and choreography to celebrity partnerships and observing the professional cast.
A Dolly Parton tribute and the Dancing with the Stars tour opened new opportunities, while both dancers look toward returning as professionals and predict future finalists.
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.