Aljaž Škorjanec facts for kids

Aljaž Škorjanec (born 19 February 1990) is a famous dancer and choreographer from Slovenia. He is best known for being a professional dancer on the popular BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing. He was on the show from 2013 to 2021 and returned in 2024.

Aljaž's Dance Journey

Aljaž Škorjanec was born in Ptuj, which was part of Yugoslavia at the time. He started dancing at a young age and became a very successful dancer. He won 19 Slovenian championships in different dance styles like Ballroom, Latin, and Ten Dance.

Dancing on Strictly Come Dancing

In September 2013, Aljaž joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer. This is a show where celebrities team up with professional dancers to learn and perform different dances.

• Winning his first series: In his very first series (Series 11), Aljaž was partnered with model Abbey Clancy. They were amazing and even got a perfect score of 40 for their Saturday Night Fever-themed Salsa. On 21 December, they won the whole series! Aljaž was one of the few professional dancers to win the show in their first year.

• Partnerships and achievements: Over the years, Aljaž danced with many famous people.
  • In Series 12, he danced with TV presenter Alison Hammond.
  • In Series 13, his partner was actress Helen George.
  • In Series 14, he teamed up with model Daisy Lowe.
  • In Series 15, he reached the finals with actress and model Gemma Atkinson. They finished as runners-up.
  • In Series 16, he danced with newsreader Kate Silverton.
  • In Series 17, his partner was socialite and chef Emma Weymouth.
  • In Series 18, he danced with BBC Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo.
  • In Series 19, he was partnered with businesswoman Sara Davies.

In March 2022, Aljaž announced he was leaving Strictly Come Dancing after nine years.

• Return to Strictly: In July 2024, it was announced that Aljaž would be returning to the show for Series 22! He shared that he had taken a break to become a father. For his return, he was partnered with Love Island finalist Tasha Ghouri. Tasha was the second deaf contestant on the show. They reached the final and finished as runners-up. Their performances were highly praised, and they even broke a record for the highest average score in the show's history!

Aljaž's Strictly Journey by Series

This table shows how Aljaž and his partners did in each series of Strictly Come Dancing:

Top and Bottom Scores for Each Dance

This table shows Aljaž's highest and lowest scores for different dance styles with his partners:

Dance Tours and Other Shows

Aljaž also performs in dance shows and tours outside of Strictly Come Dancing.

• In 2018, he and his wife, Janette Manrara, had a UK tour called "Remembering Fred."
• They also announced a 2021 UK Tour called "Remembering The Oscars."
• In 2020, Aljaž announced a West End show (a big theatre show in London) called "Here Come The Boys."
• In 2025, Aljaž and Janette will appear in "Dancing With The Stars Weekends."

Aljaž's Personal Life

Aljaž Škorjanec is married to fellow professional dancer Janette Manrara. They got married in 2017. In July 2023, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lyra.

Aljaž has also spoken about having psoriasis, a skin condition, since he was 18. He shared that it sometimes made him feel less confident. He uses natural skincare products and talks about his experience to help others.

See also

In Spanish: Aljaž Škorjanec para niños