Interview: Dancing with the Stars Winner Alan Bersten Shares What a Blessing the DWTS Live Tour Has Been

He got his first taste of the mirror ball trophy when his team won 2018's inaugural season of DANCING WITH THE STARS: JUNIORS, and his winning streak continued through the next year when he and Bachelorette star Hannah Brown won DANCING WITH THE STARS Season 28. And he's coming to Atlanta tomorrow.

Ballroom dance professional Alan Bersten and his fellow DWTS pros have been on the road since December with DANCING WITH THE STARS: LIVE and will make a stop at our own historic Fox Theatre for one night only on February 27. Giving fans an immersive experience of the reality show, Bersten says the tour is a fast-paced performance that celebrates ballroom dance in a fun way.

Below, check out our full conversation with the DANCING WITH THE STARS winner!

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I'm so excited to get to chat with you! How has the tour been going for you so far?

I'm glad to get to talk to you again! The tour has been, honestly, a dream come true, and I'm so excited to keep it going. It's so fun. This show's incredible. The fans love it, and it's so fun to interact with the fans on such a personal level.

Aw, that's wonderful! I feel like this has really been your year in terms of DANCING WITH THE STARS.

I think I'm blessed beyond my comprehension. And I'm so lucky. Thank you. Thank you to everyone.

So what is it like being on tour coming right off of your win this year?
It's something that I could have never imagined. You know, the audience shows their love so much and I'm so grateful. It's like a huge celebration even more so than usual.

What elements make it feel a little more like that?
Well, first of all, I have my mirror ball trophy with me. That's a nice one.

I guess that sparkly thing would make a difference.
Yeah, holding the trophy- it's pretty iconic and I can't believe that I still have it. I can't believe it. I can't believe we won!

That's so great. What was it like to hold that mirror ball trophy in your hand for the first time?
You know, it was a shock to me. Even when they called our names I didn't think we won. You hope for it, but you don't expect it, you know? At least, I didn't expect it. It was a big shock.

And how did you celebrate?
I was with a family, and we celebrated. I loved it just being there with everyone, and I don't know why I never really did anything exciting to celebrate, but it was more a family celebration.

Well that sounds really sweet. So, what have you been enjoying most about the tour so far?

Honestly, meeting with the fans during every single meet and greet. I get to see how much these people love the show and it's inspiring to me, and it makes me want to do it forever.

Wow! What kinds of reactions do you get from, from fans when you get to talk to them?

You know, the fans are very very supportive. But what's amazing is that they see the tour, and they get to see exactly what we envisioned. The first half is like traditional DANCING WITH THE STARS dancing, and then the second half is more of an intimate theatrical show, and they love it. It's very encouraging to see how well they react to it.

That's so awesome. So what do you think is special about this year's tour?

You know, I think the dancing is on a different level. And altogether it's one of my favorite shows and one of our best shows. It's hard to put into words how awesome I feel, how awesome it is to be on that stage and see the audience and hear their reactions.

I'm sure the reaction of the audience can definitely fuel you and can change even the way the performance happens ever so slightly every night.

And the audience sees the celebrity guests do such a good job of that of that high energy, and they're really tracking with us.

And, so what is it like to get to be on tour with some great friends?

It is awesome. You know, we are truly a family, and it's amazing to be able to tour the country and dance and just enjoy each other's company while we're doing what we love.

I love that. And I'm sure if you're having the time of your life the audience can really pick up on that.

Yeah, I think so. I think it's just a blessing.

What a dream. Overall, how do you feel like you've grown this year between winning the show and being on tour?

That's a good question. A really good question. I haven't really thought about it. I've definitely grown into someone- I realize how lucky I am. I want to say that this experience has been amazing and I hope, I truly hope that people see that because I'm having the time of my life.

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Alan Bersten and the cast of DANCING WITH THE STARS: LIVE will perform at the Fox Theatre at 8pm on February 27. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

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