A steamy onstage kiss just flipped the Dancing with the Stars fandom upside down,  and it all went down in front of a live audience at the DWTS: Live! 2025 tour finale.

On Saturday, April 19, professional dancers Emma Slater, 36, and Alan Bersten, 30, appeared to confirm months of romance rumors in the most theatrical way possible –  by kissing mid-routine during their final performance in Rosemont, Illinois. 

The surprise smooh, caught on video by DWTS fan Callie Justine, sent shockwaves through social media. Fans are even declaring the moment "the greatest hard launch of all time."

In the now-viral TikTok video, Slater and Bersten dance across the stage. Then, without missing a beat, they stop, pull each other close, and share a kiss that gets loud gasps and cheers from the crowd.

@callie.justine Not to be dramatic but watching this live made my entire life  #dwts #dancingwiththestars #dwtslive #alanbersten #emmaslater @DWTS Live! ♬ original sound - CJ

"Not to be dramatic, but watching this live made my entire life," Justine captioned her video, which quickly made the rounds among DWTS fans who had been speculating about the pair's chemistry on and off the dance floor.

While Slater and Bersten have yet to publicly confirm their relationship, Bersten did include an intimate still from their final dance – not the kiss, but a close-up of them gazing into each other's eyes – in his tour recap on Instagram.

This potential new romance follows previous high-profile DWTS relationships for both dancers. Slater was previously married to fellow pro Sasha Farber. The two got engaged live on the show in 2016 and tied the knot in 2018. However, they separated in August 2022, with Slater officially filing for divorce in February 2023. Despite the split, they've continued dancing together professionally. 

"We support each other so much that I want the very best for Sasha," Slater told E! News last year.

Farber is now rumored to be dating The Bachelorette alum Jenn Tran, who he was paired with on Season 33 of DWTS. Bersten previously dated model and Instagram star Alexis Ren during DWTS Season 27. The couple split in 2018.

@jenntranx From our first rehearsal to our last 🥺 @Sasha Farber #dwts #dancingwiththestars ♬ original sound - spready0urwings

As for fan reactions? They're eating this up.

While a few were still rooting for Bersten to pursue his Olympic rugby partner, Ilona Maher, the duo kept things strictly platonic. Despite their undeniable chemistry on the dance floor (and the internet), the Olympian and the pro dancer made it clear during the latest season that they're just friends.

"We see it all over. And honestly, keep doing it, people. We love it," Maher previously told E! News after the Nov. 12 episode. "If ship means relationship, we're the besties. I think him and I get along truly so well, and we have a lot of fun together."

The 28-year-old rugby star went on to say that she sees Bersten as a supportive teammate, much like the ones she has on Team USA.

@alan.bersten Listen I don’t know what to say. I think you can see in this video just how much this whole season meant to me. I’m forever grateful for you @Ilona Maher ♬ i was only temporary - my head is empty

"Honestly, it's like my teammate," she shared. "I love my teammates, I love him. I think we're building something really beautiful here."

Now that the rumors have been placed to rest, passionate viewers are fully aboard the Emma-Alan ship. Whether or not the kiss was a true hard launch or just a performance, fans are itching for them to share more details about their possible relationship.  

How do you feel about this budding romance? Let us know your Fan of View by leaving a comment below or by sending us a DM on Instagram @fandomdaily_.

Photo Credit: @alanbersten on Instagram.