Eden Golan Says Her Partner Will Miss "Dancing With the Stars" Debut Because of His Unusual Job

Eden Golan, one of the breakout names of the new season of Israel’s "Dancing With the Stars," said her boyfriend will not come to support her from the studio audience because he works "in a not normal place." The article says little is known about his identity or occupation, beyond her insistence that she cannot expand on it. With her debut dance approaching, Golan said he is backing her from afar instead.

In a Mako interview with her dance partner, season two winner Artem Lyaskovsky, Golan responded to criticism that her casting is unfair because she already has movement experience. She said she is used to public criticism, including comments that she is "not Israeli enough," and that she stays away from online reactions. On the fairness issue, she argued that ballroom is a different discipline: "I never danced ballroom or Latin. I have no idea what that is." Lyaskovsky added that other contestants have also had relevant backgrounds, but that does not mean they are trained in everything.

Golan said the rehearsals are intense and that Lyaskovsky’s support is "amazing." She described their partnership as many hours together while each still keeps their separate careers and lives. Lyaskovsky said their work can swing from calm to extremely energetic and exhausting, but that they are coming prepared for criticism from the judges and the audience. He said his job in rehearsals is to make sure she can hear constructive criticism and improve, while they both keep their composure.

Golan also said viewers have not yet seen all sides of her, despite her exposure on "The Next Star" and the Eurovision Song Contest. She expects the dance show to reveal more of her personality through rehearsals and stories. She stressed that she is competing against herself, not the other couples, and said she hopes viewers may warm up to her over time. Lyaskovsky, who returned to the show after a year away, said dancing with Golan is "the cherry on top" and called her a highly compatible and motivated partner.