Alan Bersten and Emma Slater, professional dancers on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, ignited romance speculation with a dramatic onstage kiss during the final performance of the DWTS: Live! 2025 tour Saturday evening in Rosemont, Illinois. The moment, captured in widely circulated social media footage, marked an unexpected crescendo to the pair's months-long run on tour.
The kiss occurred at the close of a passionate routine, drawing cheers and visible surprise from the crowd. In a viral TikTok video shared by fan Callie Justine, Bersten, 30, can be seen wrapping his arm around Slater's waist before pulling her in for a kiss. Slater, 36, reciprocated with her arm around his neck, and the two resumed the choreography immediately afterward.
While neither dancer has publicly confirmed a relationship, a source previously told Us Weekly in late 2024 that the two had been "hooking up" and that their relationship was "not new" and "ongoing." Representatives for both dancers have not responded to requests for comment as of Sunday evening.
Bersten included a photo of himself and Slater from their final performance in a tour recap posted to Instagram, though he did not include the kiss itself. The image showed the pair locked in an intense gaze, further fueling speculation among fans.
#DWTS pros, Emma Slater and Alan Bersten, just took a major quickstep closer toward confirming those romance rumors. All of the deetz here: https://t.co/JFwAe9g7FP ( TikTok/@ callie.justine) pic.twitter.com/oStCmdHvFL — E! News (@enews) April 20, 2025
Slater was previously married to fellow DWTS professional Sasha Farber. The two wed in 2018 and separated in 2022, with Slater officially filing for divorce in February 2023. Despite their split, Slater has maintained a strong professional relationship with Farber, often speaking positively about their ongoing collaboration on the show.
"We really are close friends," Slater told Us Weekly in June 2024. "He's somebody who's in my life forever. It's a true genuine connection and he's the best person, just absolutely amazing."
In interviews, Slater has been candid about the reasons for her separation from Farber, citing differing views on parenthood. "It's about kids. I do want kids. I don't know what it is, I'm just figuring that out for myself," she said on The Viall Files podcast in 2023.
Bersten, for his part, was previously linked to model Alexis Ren, whom he partnered with in season 27 of DWTS. The couple split in December 2018.
