Mauricio Umansky and ‘DWTS’ Partner Emma Slater Address Dating Rumors

Dancing With the Stars partners Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater are addressing rumors that they are romantically involved amid their push to win the mirrorball trophy. 

The professional dancer, 34, and the real estate broker, 53, took to Instagram Thursday morning from a New York City dance studio to thank fans for voting them through to the next round and to comment on the recent photos of them holding hands after grabbing dinner. 

“We do want to address this story, and this whole thing that’s going out about whether or not Emma and I are dating,” Umansky says in an Instagram Story posted by Slater. 

“For full clarity: we are not dating,” Kyle Richards‘ estranged husband says as Slater laughs and shakes her head in agreement. 

“We’re not dating,” the dancer replies, trying to hold back a laugh. 

“We are really good friends. We’ve been dancing together now for six weeks, four hours a day, every single day,” he states. 

The pair went on to mention that the photos of them interlocked came after days of rehearsals for the Most Memorable Year week on the competition show. Umansky picked 1996, the year he married The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star. 

“It’s been a super emotional week and I’ve been able to get in touch with those emotions which is very difficult for me,” Umansky said after performing the dance Tuesday night, scoring his highest score of the season thus far. 

“Guys, it’s intense, you really form a very, very special bond,” Slater says in the Instagram Story, commenting on how dancer and star often get close while working together on the show. 

As for the photos of them holding hands, Umansky said it was nothing more than a moment of them walking together to their cars after they had grabbed sushi — still in their rehearsal clothes — and recapped their dance and their week. 

“And then all of a sudden we’re dating,” Slater jokes. 

“That’s it. Hope that clarifies. That’s the end of that story,” Umansky says.

At the time, a source told ET that “Mauricio and Emma just had dinner. They are friends.”

The confirmation of their friendship status comes after Umansky shared an update regarding him and Richards with ET following DWTS‘ Latin Night earlier this month. 

“The reality is… we are officially separated, but we’re not throwing in the towel,” he explained. “We’re fighting for this. We’ve been married for 27 years, 26 amazing years. Kyle is my best friend, she’s an amazing human, I love her… And marriages go through difficult times, sometimes, and that’s what we’re dealing with right now.”

Umansky and Richards are parents to daughters Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23, and Portia, 15, as well as Richards’ 34-year-old daughter, Farrah Brittany, whom she shares with her first husband, Guraish Aldjufrie.

On Wednesday, Richards — appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen — commented on the photos of Umansky and Slater, saying that she was not thrilled at seeing the pics. 

“I was taken aback,” Richards admitted. “Yes, that was very hard to see. It hurt my feelings.”

Richards said that holding hands isn’t proof that her estranged husband has sparked a romance with his dance partner, but that she felt it could mean they are interested in each other. 

“I don’t know if anything has happened yet, but obviously there’s something there,” Richards said.

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