Video shows Ariana Grande's ex Ricky Alvarez dancing at her NYC show amid romance rumors

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Ricky Alvarez was spotted cheering on Ariana Grande during her 'Eternal Sunshine' tour after fan videos from her Saturday, July 18, show at Barclays Center reignited attention around their reported romance reunion.

The former backup dancer was seen dancing along as Grande performed her 2024 track, 'Imperfect for You.' His appearance comes after reports that Grande and Ethan Slater quietly ended their relationship after nearly three years together.

Ricky Alvarez dances at Ariana Grande's NYC show amid reunion rumors

Videos shared by fans showed Alvarez smiling, laughing with friends, and taking photos and videos during the concert. Dressed casually in a black beanie and blue flannel shirt, he appeared to enjoy the performance as Grande continues her 41-date 'Eternal Sunshine' tour.

Her eighth album, 'Petal,' is also set for release later this month. The pair dated for about a year before splitting in 2016 but have remained friendly over the years, with Alvarez even publicly supporting Grande's 'Thank U, Next' on Instagram Stories.

They were first spotted together again in Texas on June 26, which was also Grande's birthday. Later that evening, Alvarez attended her tour stop in the city and was seen in the VIP pit. At the time, a source told PEOPLE that the pair had been "hanging out recently."

On July 7, another source told the outlet that he spent the Fourth of July weekend in Florida with Grande and her family. "She's having a great time on tour. She loves having close friends join her for parts of the tour," it said, adding that "Ricky has always been a friend and confidant" and that she "really trusts him."

"He has such great, positive energy, makes her laugh, and she enjoys spending time with him," the source further said. By July 14, another insider said the pair were "taking things very slowly" amid their reunion.

"Ariana has always considered Ricky a friend," the source said, adding that he is "dependable, trustworthy and very supportive," and that she feels she can be herself around him. "They're not jumping into anything serious right away, but Ari is happy to have him back in her life."

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater reportedly ended their relationship

The renewed attention around Grande and Alvarez comes after Grande reportedly ended her relationship with her 'Wicked' co-star Slater. According to a source, "they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways."

The insider added, "They are still friends and very supportive of one another. They have been quietly broken up for several months." The source also said Grande is "doing great" and has been focused on her 'Eternal Sunshine' tour.

Grande and Slater were first linked in July 2023 after meeting on the set of 'Wicked,' where she plays Glinda and he portrays Boq. They made their relationship Instagram official in November 2024 and attended multiple promotional events for the movie over the following year and a half.

The pair publicly supported each other's careers throughout their relationship. In November, Slater described Grande's performance in the 'Wicked' sequel as "out of this world." In March, she congratulated him on the final performance of his off-Broadway play 'Marcel on the Train,' writing on Instagram Stories, "congratulations on a beautiful run of this very beautiful show... so very proud."

She also praised Slater in a 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, calling him "such an amazing person" and saying, "I'm so happy people are getting to know him. My heart is very happy."