Alan Bersten has become one of the familiar faces of Dancing with the Stars, but his journey to the ballroom was years in the making. Long before he was lifting Mirrorball trophies and performing in front of millions of television viewers, Bersten was a young dancer from Minnesota who discovered competitive dance at just 7 years old.
Born on May 26, 1994, in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Alan developed a serious passion for dance while he was still a child. That early interest eventually turned into a professional career that has included television, choreography, live performances and some memorable partnerships on Dancing with the Stars.
For fans of the ABC competition, Bersten is known for his energetic performances, technical ability and easy chemistry with his celebrity partners. He has also built a personal life connected closely to the dance world, including his relationship with fellow professional dancer Emma Slater.
From appearing on So You Think You Can Dance to becoming a Mirrorball champion, here is a closer look at Alan Bersten’s career, achievements and life away from the ballroom.
Who Is Alan Bersten?
Alan Bersten is an American professional ballroom and Latin dancer, choreographer and television personality. He is best known for his work on Dancing with the Stars, where he first appeared as part of the show’s troupe before eventually becoming one of its professional dancers.
Bersten has spent much of his life dancing. Unlike some performers who discover dance later in life, he began competing when he was only 7. That gave him many years to develop his technique, stage confidence and understanding of competitive ballroom dancing.
His personality also became part of his appeal on television. While the ballroom requires serious discipline, Bersten has often brought a relaxed and playful energy to his performances. That combination has helped him connect with both celebrity partners and viewers.
Alan Bersten’s Early Life and Dance Beginnings
Alan Bersten was born in Minnetonka, Minnesota, on May 26, 1994. His interest in dance began when he was a child, and by the age of 7 he was already competing.
Starting that young meant dance quickly became more than a hobby. Competitive dancing requires long hours of training, repeated rehearsals and a willingness to perform under pressure. Bersten grew up in that environment and continued developing his skills through his teenage years.
His early experience gave him a strong foundation in ballroom and Latin styles. It also prepared him for the demanding world of television dance competitions.
For a young dancer, appearing in front of an audience can be intimidating. Bersten, however, gradually became comfortable with the spotlight. His early years in competition helped shape the performer fans would later see on national television.
Alan Bersten on So You Think You Can Dance
One of the biggest early steps in Bersten’s television career came in 2013 when he appeared on season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance.
The show gave him an opportunity to perform for a national audience and introduced him to viewers outside the traditional competitive dance community.
Being part of a major dance competition also allowed Bersten to demonstrate that his abilities extended beyond one particular ballroom setting. Television dance shows demand versatility, confidence and the ability to quickly adapt to different choreography.
His time on So You Think You Can Dance helped raise his profile and became an important part of his path toward Dancing with the Stars.
Joining Dancing with the Stars
Bersten’s connection with Dancing with the Stars began in 2015. He joined the show as a troupe member during season 20.
For many professional dancers, becoming part of the DWTS troupe is an important opportunity. The troupe performs alongside the celebrity and professional couples, often taking part in opening numbers, group routines and other major performances.
Bersten spent time learning the demands of the production and becoming familiar with the show’s unique environment.
His hard work eventually paid off. In season 25, which aired in 2017, he was promoted to a full-time professional dancer.
That promotion marked a major turning point in his career. Instead of simply supporting the main couples, Bersten was now responsible for teaching a celebrity partner, creating routines and competing for the Mirrorball Trophy.
Alan Bersten’s Mirrorball Trophy Win
One of the biggest accomplishments of Bersten’s career came in 2019 during season 28 of Dancing with the Stars.
He was partnered with Hannah Brown, the former Bachelorette star. Together, they developed into one of the season’s strongest couples and eventually won the competition.
The victory gave Bersten his first Mirrorball Trophy as a professional dancer.
Winning Dancing with the Stars is not easy. Professional dancers must work with celebrities who come from very different backgrounds and have varying levels of dance experience. The professional is responsible for teaching choreography while also helping their partner feel confident enough to perform live.
Bersten and Brown managed to build a successful partnership throughout the season. Their victory became one of the defining moments of his television career.
For Bersten, the Mirrorball win was also proof of how far he had come since his early days as a young competitive dancer in Minnesota.
Alan Bersten and Dancing with the Stars: Juniors
Bersten’s work on the Dancing with the Stars franchise has not been limited to the main series.
He also became involved with Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, where he served as a mentor.
Bersten worked alongside young dancers, helping them prepare for the competition and guiding them through the pressures that come with performing on television.
He was part of the winning team with young dancer Sky Brown and junior professional JT Church during the show’s only season.
Working with younger performers gave Bersten another opportunity to take on a teaching and mentoring role. His experience as a competitive dancer from childhood likely gave him an understanding of what young dancers experience when they enter a major competition.
Alan Bersten’s Recent DWTS Career
After his Mirrorball victory, Bersten continued to build his reputation as one of the show’s established professional dancers.
Over the following seasons, he worked with celebrities from different backgrounds. Each new partnership brought a different challenge because professional dancers have to adjust their teaching style and choreography to match their celebrity’s strengths.
One notable partnership came in season 33 when Bersten danced with Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher.
The pair had a memorable run and finished as runners-up. Their success showed Bersten’s ability to work with a celebrity who was not known primarily for dance.
Maher’s athletic background gave her certain physical advantages, but ballroom dancing still required learning technique, posture, timing and performance skills. Bersten helped turn those abilities into competitive routines.
Alan Bersten and Giada De Laurentiis
Bersten’s later Dancing with the Stars career also included a partnership with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis in season 35.
Working with someone from the culinary world presented another different type of partnership for the professional dancer.
The role of a DWTS professional is not simply about performing. They have to become teachers, choreographers, coaches and supporters at the same time.
Bersten’s continued involvement with high-profile celebrities has helped establish him as one of the recognizable professional dancers associated with the series.
Is Alan Bersten Married?
Alan Bersten is not known for being married. His personal life has attracted attention largely because of his relationship with fellow Dancing with the Stars professional Emma Slater.
The two dancers share an obvious connection through their careers. Both understand the demanding schedule of professional ballroom dancing, including rehearsals, television appearances, travel and live performances.
Their relationship has also received attention because they work in the same entertainment world.
Rather than coming from completely different careers, Bersten and Slater have a shared understanding of what it means to perform professionally.
Alan Bersten and Emma Slater
Alan Bersten is in a relationship with Emma Slater, another professional dancer associated with Dancing with the Stars.
Slater has also built a long career with the show, which means the pair have plenty in common. They understand the physical demands of dancing, the pressure of competition and the unusual schedules that come with television and touring.
Their relationship has also allowed them to collaborate professionally. The pair have appeared together in dance-related content and live performances.
Dating someone from the same industry can bring its own challenges, especially when both people are working long hours. However, it can also make it easier to understand the pressures that come with the job.
For Bersten and Slater, dancing is not simply a profession. It is a major part of their shared lifestyle.
Alan Bersten’s Life on Tour
Television is only one part of Bersten’s career.
He also performs on the Dancing with the Stars: Live! tour, which takes the professional dancers and their celebrity partners to audiences across the United States.
Live touring offers a different experience from television. On a TV show, the audience at home sees carefully produced routines through cameras and editing. During a live tour, dancers have to perform directly in front of a theater audience.
That requires stamina and consistency because dancers may perform the same show repeatedly in different cities.
Bersten’s participation in touring has helped him maintain a connection with fans beyond the television season.
Alan Bersten as a Choreographer
Choreography is another important part of Bersten’s career.
Professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars have to create routines that are entertaining while still allowing their celebrity partners to succeed. This is not always an easy balance.
A routine may look simple to viewers, but the professional has to consider timing, physical ability, musicality, storytelling and the amount of choreography a celebrity can realistically learn.
Bersten’s years of competitive dancing have given him the technical knowledge needed to create performances that work both visually and competitively.
His work as a choreographer also demonstrates that his career is bigger than simply appearing on television.
What Makes Alan Bersten Stand Out?
Bersten’s career is interesting because it has developed across several areas of entertainment.
He started as a young competitive dancer, gained national attention through So You Think You Can Dance, joined the Dancing with the Stars troupe and eventually became a professional partner.
Then came his Mirrorball victory with Hannah Brown.
Since then, he has continued to take on new celebrity partners, mentor younger dancers and perform on tour.
Another part of his appeal is his ability to connect with different types of personalities. Every celebrity partner comes into the ballroom with a different level of confidence and a different reason for participating.
A professional dancer who can teach, encourage and choreograph around those differences has a much better chance of creating a successful partnership.
Alan Bersten’s Age and Birthday
Alan Bersten was born on May 26, 1994. That means he turned 32 in May 2026.
His age is notable when looking at how long he has already been involved in professional dance. He began dancing competitively at 7, meaning dance has been part of his life for more than two decades.
From childhood competitions to national television and professional touring, Bersten has spent most of his life developing his craft.
Final Thoughts on Alan Bersten
Alan Bersten’s story is a good example of how a childhood passion can develop into a long-term entertainment career.
He started competitive dancing at 7 in Minnesota, appeared on So You Think You Can Dance as a teenager and young adult, and eventually found his way to Dancing with the Stars.
His promotion from troupe member to professional dancer changed his career, but winning the Mirrorball Trophy with Hannah Brown took it to another level.
Since then, Bersten has continued to compete, choreograph, mentor and tour. His partnerships with celebrities such as Ilona Maher and Giada De Laurentiis have added new chapters to his DWTS journey.
Away from competition, his relationship with fellow professional dancer Emma Slater has also become part of his public story.
With years of experience behind him and a career that continues to combine television, choreography and live performance, Alan Bersten remains one of the notable professional dancers from the Dancing with the Stars family.