Aliona Vilani facts for kids

Aliona Vilani (born 1 May 1984) is a talented dancer from Kazakhstan. She is best known for being a professional dancer on the popular BBC television show, Strictly Come Dancing. She is a two-time champion of the show.

Early Life and Dance Career

Aliona Vilani was born in the country that is now Kazakhstan. She began taking ballet lessons when she was only five years old. At age nine, her family moved to Russia, where she started learning ballroom dancing two years later.

When she was 13, Vilani moved to the United States. She trained at the Kaiser Dance Academy in Brooklyn, New York. Her hard work paid off. In 2001, she was part of the U.S. Ballroom team that won a national championship.

Vilani became a professional dancer at 17. She later moved to Los Angeles, where she competed in dance competitions, performed in shows, and coached other dancers. She is an expert in many dance styles, including Salsa, Hip Hop, and Jazz.

Strictly Come Dancing

Vilani became famous in the United Kingdom when she joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer. Over several years, she partnered with many celebrities and became one of the show's most successful dancers.

A dress worn by Vilani during the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Her Journey on the Show

Vilani competed in six series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was known for her amazing choreography and ability to teach her celebrity partners how to dance.

• Series 7 (2009): Vilani's first partner was TV presenter Rav Wilding. They were the third couple to leave the competition.
• Series 8 (2010): She partnered with presenter Matt Baker. They were a strong couple and made it all the way to the final, finishing as runners-up.
• Series 9 (2011): Vilani was paired with Harry Judd, the drummer from the band McFly. They impressed the judges and the audience all season and went on to win the competition. This was Vilani's first time winning the famous Glitterball Trophy.
• Series 11 (2013): After a break, Vilani returned to partner with golfer Tony Jacklin. They were the first couple to be eliminated.
• Series 12 (2014): She danced with TV personality Gregg Wallace. They were also eliminated early in the competition.
• Series 13 (2015): For her final series, Vilani partnered with singer Jay McGuiness from the band The Wanted. Their jive to a song from the movie ... Fiction is remembered as one of the best dances in the show's history. They won the series, making Vilani the first professional dancer to win Strictly Come Dancing twice.

After her second victory, Vilani announced she was leaving the show.

Strictly Results Overview

This table shows how Aliona Vilani and her partners placed in each series.

Life After Strictly

After leaving the show in 2015, Vilani focused on her family. In 2017, she and her husband, Vincent Kavanagh, had a daughter named Bella. Although she no longer appears on Strictly, she is remembered as one of its most successful and popular professional dancers.

See also

In Spanish: Aliona Vilani para niños