The Strictly Come Dancing 2017 pros have been revealed: Meet the professionals on this year’s show here!
It’s all change for Strictly’s fifteenth series this autumn.
Joanne Clifton and Oksana Platero are leaving the series, along with Natalie Lowe who previously announced she was not returning.
Replacing the ladies are three new professional dancers are all Champions from the Ballroom and Latin world; Dianne Buswell from Australia, Nadiya Bychkova from Ukraine and Amy Dowden from Wales.
Strictly Come Dancing 2017 pros
Meet all of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing professionals dancers below…
Dianne Buswell
Dianne is an Australian Open Champion and four-time Amateur Australian Open Finalist. She has appeared on Dancing with the Stars Australia and has been part of the Burn The Floor production on Broadway since 2011.
Nadiya Bychkova
Nadiya from Ukraine is a two-time World Champion and European Champion in Ballroom and Latin ‘10’ Dance. She is a multiple-time Slovenian Ballroom and Latin Champion and has taken part in the Bosnian version of Strictly.
Amy Dowden
Amy is from Caerphilly, South Wales and began dancing at the age of eight. She is the current British National Champion and one of the highest-ranking Ballroom and Latin American professional dancers in the UK. Amy is also a four-time British National Finalist and in 2015, she reached the semi-final of the World Championship.
Karen Clifton
Originally from Venezuela, Karen moved to New York when she was eight years old. She is the United Amateur American Rhythm National Champion and Professional World Mambo Champion. Karen reached the grand final with Mark Wright in 2014 and most recently was partnered with Will Young. Karen is married to fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional, Kevin Clifton.
Chloe Hewitt
Chloe, aged 21, is one of the youngest professional dancers ever to take part in Strictly Come Dancing. Born in Chester, Chloe was aged eight when Strictly Come Dancing first aired on TV. After watching the show, she decided to take up dancing and started going to Ballroom and Latin lessons. In 2015, Chloe and her fellow dance partner AJ Pritchard won one of the biggest championships in the world to become British Open Youth Latin Champions.
Katya Jones
World Latin Champion Katya was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia and started dancing at the age of six where she trained in gymnastics as well as Ballroom and Latin American dancing. Katya joined Strictly last year and was partnered with Ed Balls.
Oti Mabuse
Oti began dancing in South Africa as a young child along with her sister, who is also a professional dancer and a judge on the German version of the show. Oti moved to Germany to push herself as she was the eight-time South African Latin American Champion and wanted new challenges. Oti joined the show in 2015 and last year she reached the final with Danny Mac.
Janette Manrara
Janette was born in Miami, Florida and joined the Strictly family in 2013. She has performed with Jennifer Lopez at the 82nd Academy Awards and she was the principal dancer in the TV series and live tour of Glee. Last year, she was partnered with Melvin Odoom and together they went on to win the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.
Anton Du Beke
British-born Anton specialises in Ballroom dancing and has been performing since the age of 14. Anton has appeared in every series of Strictly to date, but he is still yet to lift the Glitter Ball Trophy, although he made it all the way to the final with Katie Derham in 2015. Previous partners include Ann Widdecombe, Jerry Hall, Nancy Dell’Olio and Judy Murray and last year, Anton danced with Lesley Joseph.
Kevin Clifton
Kevin from Grimsby is a former Youth World Number One and four-time British Latin Champion. Taught by his parents from an early age – former World Champions themselves Keith and Judy Clifton – Kevin went on to win International Open titles all over the world. Kevin joined Strictly in 2013 and is the only professional dancer to reach four consecutive grand finals with Susanna Reid, Frankie Bridge, Kellie Bright and last year with Louise Redknapp.
Brendan Cole
Kiwi Brendan specialises in all things Latin American. He began dancing at the age of six and is a former New Zealand and Asian Open Professional Champion. Brendan has appeared in every series of Strictly to date and was the first professional dancer to lift the Glitter Ball Trophy in series one with Natasha Kaplinsky.
Gorka Marquez
Spanish Gorka began dancing at the age of 12 and represented Spain in the World Latin Championships in 2010 and reaching the semi-finals of the 2012 WDSF World Cup. He joined Strictly last year and was partnered with Tameka Empson.
Pasha Kovalev
Siberian-born Pasha has been a professional dancer on Strictly since 2011 and has made the grand final three times and lifted the Glitter Ball Trophy in 2014 with Caroline Flack. Pasha started dancing at eight years old and his professional achievements include performing on Broadway and reaching the finals of the US version of So You Think You Can Dance.
Neil Jones
Neil is the undefeated four-time British National Champion and the three-time winner of the World Amateur Latin Championships with his wife Katya Jones. In 2015, Neil and Katya were crowned World Professional Latin Showdance Champions. Neil was born in a British Army Camp in Munster, Germany and started dancing at a local ballet school at the age of three.
Giovanni Pernice
Italian Giovanni was born in Sicily and decided from a young age that he wanted to take up dance lessons. At 14 years old he moved to Bologna to concentrate on dance and be taught by some of the best teachers in the world. In his first series on Strictly, Giovanni reached the grand final with Georgia May Foote. Last year, he was partnered with Laura Whitmore.
AJ Pritchard
AJ was born in Stoke-on-Trent and is aged 21. In 2015, AJ and his dance partner Chloe Hewitt won one of the biggest championships in the world to become British Open Youth Latin Champions. Last year, AJ was partnered with Claudia Fragapane.
Aljaz Skorjanec
Born in Slovenia, Aljaz took to the dance floor at the age of five and has enjoyed success in his home country where he won 19 Slovenian championships in Ballroom and Latin. Aljaz joined Strictly in 2013 and during his first year, he lifted the Glitter Ball Trophy with Abbey Clancy. Last year, he was partnered with Daisy Lowe.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sunday nights on BBC One.
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