Alan Bersten Is The New 'Dancing With The Stars' Pro & Here's Why You Need To Root For Him

For any professional dancer, an opportunity to nab a troupe member spot on the long-running reality dance competition series Dancing With The Stars is a pretty sweet gig. But, when it comes to getting promoted to the professional role to dance alongside celebrities, it likely doesn't get much sweeter than that. People reports that Alan Bersten is Dancing With The Stars' newest troupe member to make his pro debut in Season 25. After putting in the work for five seasons, he told People that the news was "a dream."

According the same People interview, Bersten was only 10 years old when the first season of DWTS aired on television. At that age he was already dreaming of becoming a professional dancer, and he told People, "I’d watch it with my grandma and she’d say, ‘One day you’re going to be dancing on there.’" Well, Bersten did make it to the DWTS stage when he debuted as a troupe member in Season 20. Since his start, he has stepped in as a pro a couple of times when the full time pros had to step away from their duties. In Season 22, he subbed for Mark Ballas for one episode after Ballas suffered a back injury. Similarly, in Season 23 where he subbed in for Gleb Savchenko for one episode after Savchenko injured his knee. He really showed off his ability to handle the full time gig when he stepped in for Maksim Chmerkovskiy for a few weeks last season, while Maks also recovered from an injury. Clearly, this guy has the chops to handle the kind of pressure of being a pro.

He will now be tasked with a grueling training schedule alongside his selected celebrity partner. In 2013, DWTS alum Mark Ballas talked to Huffington Post about the stamina it takes to learn the complicated choreography required for the competition. He explained that it is standard for DWTS training sessions to last somewhere between 12-15 hours straight, with only a quick break for lunch. Ballas said that even dancers with copious amounts of experience on their résumé find it hard to adjust to the DWTS practice regimen. He stated, "Even if they have had some training in the past, even if you’ve been on a Broadway show, nothing will prepare you for this." Luckily, Bersten may have the added advantage of at least being familiar with the demands since he subbed in for injured pros in the past.

Here's what else you need to know about Bersten before his pro debut.

He Is Bringing Nostalgia Back

Bersten is making his debut with a bang by partnering with everyone's favorite '80s mall pop star, Debbie Gibson. Team Sonberst (Their team name according to Bersten's Instagram) for the win.

He Is No Stranger To Reality Dancing Competitions

Bersten was a competitor on Season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance way back in 2013. He finished in the Top 12 overall and in the Top 6 for the men.

He Has A Wicked Sense Of Humor

Honestly, one look through Bersten's Instagram page will give fans an idea of how much fun he has in his job. He is genuinely hilarious and appears to enjoy poking fun at himself.

He Never Stops Dancing

Honestly, it is entirely possible that this guy doesn't sleep and instead, dances 24/7. When he is not performing on tour with DWTS, he is performing literally everywhere else, according to his Instagram photos. The best part is that he seems to genuinely adore his career and everyone that it has taken him.

With some bummer news like Julianne Hough's absence from the judging table for Season 25, it is nice to have someone fresh and new to look forward to as a fan of the show. Watching Bersten rise from fan, to troupe member, and now to professional dancer really makes you want to root for him to go all the way.