Originally appeared on E! Online
Adele Zaikman and Allen Genkin just fell into a rhythm.
One month after the Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro winner and the fourth-place finisher confirmed they are dating, the couple shared that their romance felt as simple as five, six, seven, eight.
“When I got to know Allen on The Next Pro, I immediately felt that he was one of the kindest souls I’d ever met,” Zaikman exclusively told E! News in a statement. “Having such a strong bond and friendship first makes our relationship now feel so right.”
Indeed, the 25-year-old—who competed on the latest season ofDWTSalongsideConner Leavitt before they were eliminated week one—emphasized that she and Genkin hardly miss a beat together.
“There’s so much trust because we built it before we were romantically involved,” Zaikman explained. “It’s that feeling of knowing the person, knowing his heart.”
Genkin, meanwhile, didn’t need the trophy from The Next Pro because Zaikman was better than any prize.
“I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to do Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro because it led me to Adele,” the 36-year-old shared in a separate exclusive statement with E!. “Getting to know her while we were filming was the best feeling.”
And their chemistry—as seen in theElina Arutyunyan photos shared exclusively with E! News with visual direction by Sasha Yermakov—only seemed to deepen when they performed together for the Memory Monday dance, which Genkin previously confirmed was in honor of his mother, who died when he was just 15.
“As soon as we stepped foot in the rehearsal studio to do the dance for my mom, I knew there was something special about her, as a dancer and as a person,” he mused. “In my eyes she’s beautiful inside and out. We definitely bonded over the dedication dance, group routine and the contemporary dances.”
Trust, Genkin shares Zaikman’s admiration for their friends-to-lovers arc, too.
“Our friendship grew and I felt that I could tell her anything and she would understand me,” he said. “Adele quickly became my favorite person. After certain amount of time, our relationship grew stronger and I grew feelings for her romantically.
And while manyDWTScontestants have had feelings bloom on the dancefloor, Genkin assured this is not just any fling.
“I found my person in life,” he said, “It’s true love.”
For a deeper look into Zaikman and Genkin’s chemistry, keep reading…
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