I was happy to say I was never treated any differently. It's a teamwork thing, and that's emphasized at the school. In reality, the only friend you have in the entire city you're in is your partner. The fans just want the home team to win. Both teams are looking out for themselves.
Teamwork is definitely a huge part of it.
With two-person teams in the low minors, umpires do a lot of running, which requires them to be in shape. Cortesio has danced for nearly 20 years, which is a help and a hindrance. In dance, you're always on your toes, but you don't want to look like that on the field. I especially didn't want to look like a ballerina. That's not the authoritative image that an umpire would prefer.