Emma Slater’s boyfriend is Alan Bersten, her fellow Dancing With the Stars professional. The pair made their romance public during the show’s live tour in April 2025 and have since discussed their relationship in interviews. In October 2026, Bersten publicly supported Slater after her elimination from season 35.
Who Is Alan Bersten?
Bersten is an American professional dancer and choreographer best known for Dancing With the Stars. His work involves teaching celebrity contestants and creating routines for weekly live performances.
He developed his television profile through dance competitions before becoming a familiar professional on the programme. He later won season 28 with Hannah Brown, one of the major achievements in his career.
His relationship with Slater brings together two people who already understand the demands of the same workplace. They share professional experience, but each continues to have separate celebrity assignments and individual responsibilities during a season.
When Did Their Romance Become Public?
Slater and Bersten shared an onstage kiss during the live tour in April 2025. The moment became the clearest public milestone in their relationship after earlier speculation.
Because both were already part of the dance world, audiences had seen them together professionally before the romance was publicly acknowledged. Their first shared performance is therefore not the same thing as the beginning of a relationship.
The onstage moment gave fans something more direct than an anonymous report. It was followed by interviews and public appearances in which the couple discussed enjoying life together.
What Did They Say About the Kiss?
In a February 2026 interview, Bersten recalled deciding that he wanted to kiss Slater during the final show of the tour. He said he spoke with her about it beforehand rather than making the moment entirely unexpected.
Slater described being surprised by the idea when he first raised it. Their retelling gave the public milestone a more personal context and showed that they had discussed it before the audience saw it.
Their account is useful because it comes from the couple directly. It avoids having to reconstruct the occasion from a short clip or assume what either person was thinking.
How Does Dating Affect Their Work?
Slater has described the relationship as helpful during competition. Both know what it takes to prepare choreography, rehearse with a celebrity and perform under the pressure of a live broadcast.
In September 2026 interviews, she explained that they could watch one another’s videos, offer feedback and help with choreography. Their common experience gives them a practical understanding of the work.
That does not mean their performances are jointly judged. Each professional is responsible for the celebrity assigned to them, and a result for one pair remains separate from the other’s competition.
Who Were Their Season 35 Partners?
During the 2026 season, Slater was partnered with Jackson Olson, while Bersten danced with Giada De Laurentiis. Those celebrity pairings were professional assignments within the show.
A ballroom partnership is different from a romantic partnership. The same word is often used for both, but the context determines whether it refers to a dance routine or a personal relationship.
Slater and Bersten’s public comments have emphasised mutual encouragement while competing separately. Their relationship continued outside the routines even when their paths through the season took different turns.
How Did Slater Support Bersten?
After Bersten and De Laurentiis were eliminated in September 2026, Slater shared a supportive social media message. She praised their work and indicated that she was looking after her boyfriend.
The post showed the personal side of a professional result. An elimination ends a contestant’s run in the competition, but it does not end the wider relationships or support network surrounding the dancers.
Her reaction also demonstrated why a shared understanding of the programme can matter. She knew the preparation involved and could acknowledge the work even after the competitive result was disappointing.
Bersten’s October Message to Slater
When Slater and Olson left the competition in October 2026, Bersten offered encouragement in return. His message praised her ability to bring out the best in a partner and expressed his affection.
That recent post is a clear public update about the couple. It describes a continuing relationship and support during a specific moment of the season, rather than an engagement or wedding announcement.
Neither the message nor the photographs accompanying it establish a marriage. As of the reporting reviewed here, Bersten is Slater’s boyfriend.
Was Emma Slater Married Before?
Yes. Slater was previously married to dancer Sasha Farber. They wed in 2018, separated in 2022 and completed their divorce in 2024.
Farber is her former husband, while Bersten is her current publicly identified boyfriend. Keeping those names and roles distinct is essential when older clips from the programme circulate beside recent relationship posts.
Slater and Bersten’s current story centres on a romance made public in 2025, followed by interviews and supportive moments throughout 2026. Their shared work explains how they understand one another’s schedules, while their own statements provide the clearest picture of the relationship.