Emma Slater

Emma Louise Slater is a British and American professional ballroom dancer and choreographer who gained widespread recognition for her long-standing role on the American reality competition television series Dancing with the Stars. Before establishing herself on American television, she achieved notable success in international competitive ballroom and Latin dancing and performed in numerous stage productions worldwide.

Born on December 25, 1988, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England, Slater grew up in Tamworth, Staffordshire. She began taking general dance classes in early childhood before focusing on ballroom and Latin dance training at age ten. During her youth, she competed across England and secured several early titles. At age fifteen, she appeared in the London-filmed music video for George Michael's song Round Here and took part in the instructional workout video Latinasize at Pinewood Studios.

Slater reached major milestones in competitive dancing as a teenager, winning the British Under 21 Latin American Championships in 2005 and the United Kingdom Under 21 Latin American Championships in 2006. Ranking among the top ten dancers internationally, she represented the United Kingdom in global events. At sixteen, she joined the touring theatrical show Simply Ballroom, which traveled across the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa, where she also performed on Dancing with the South African Stars alongside television host Dalen Lance. She later held extended roles in London West End productions, serving as Principal Latin Dancer and supervisor for Dirty Dancing while also understudying the role of Lisa Houseman, alongside appearances in Cheek to Cheek and Latin Fever. In 2008, she featured in the movie musical Mamma Mia! and recorded vocals for its soundtrack. In 2009, she joined the stage production Burn the Floor, performing on Broadway and across global tour stops.

Slater joined Dancing with the Stars in March 2012 for its fourteenth season as part of the dance troupe, choreographing opening and finale routines. That same year, she co-choreographed a stage routine for musical artist Usher at the Billboard Music Awards. She was promoted to a featured professional partner for season seventeen in September 2013, reaching the final round alongside comedian Bill Engvall. She subsequently competed in following seasons with partners including Billy Dee Williams, Michael Waltrip, Redfoo, Hayes Grier, and Rick Perry.

Slater earned her first series victory during season twenty-four in May 2017 alongside former NFL athlete Rashad Jennings, becoming the first British professional dancer to win the title. In subsequent seasons, she achieved top-six finishes with television personality Drew Scott, actor James Van Der Beek, and actor Trevor Donovan, while also competing alongside Johnny Damon, John Schneider, Charles Oakley, Jimmie Allen, Mauricio Umansky, Reginald VelJohnson, and Andy Richter.

Slater became a United States citizen in December 2020. Her twin sister, Kelly, works as a costume designer and stylist. Slater was previously married to fellow professional dancer Sasha Farber, whom she dated beginning in 2011, wed in March 2018, separated from in 2022, and filed to divorce in 2023. She later entered a relationship with professional dancer Alan Bersten.