Kevin Clifton facts for kids

Kevin James Clifton (born 13 October 1982) is a famous English professional dancer and actor. Many people know him from the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing. On the show, he was a professional dancer and even helped with choreography before that. He also performed in a dance show called Burn the Floor. Fans and even the show's host, Bruce Forsyth, gave him the nickname "Kevin from Grimsby".

Kevin was a professional dancer on Strictly from 2013 to 2019. He reached the final almost every year he was on the show. In 2018, he won the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with his celebrity partner Stacey Dooley. They have been a couple since 2019. In March 2020, Kevin announced he was leaving Strictly. He wanted to try new things in his career.

Since leaving Strictly, Kevin has performed in many stage shows. These include UK tours of Strictly Ballroom and Chicago.

Early Life and Dance Training

Kevin Clifton started dancing ballroom and Latin as a child. He grew up in his home village of Waltham, near Grimsby. His parents, Keith and Judy Clifton, were former World Champion dancers and taught him.

As a child, he competed in dance contests both in the UK and around the world. He first danced with his sister, Joanne Clifton. Later, they both chose different partners. Kevin decided to focus on Latin dance so he wouldn't compete directly against his sister. He became the Youth World Number 1 in Latin dance.

Kevin's Dance Achievements

Kevin Clifton has won the British Latin Champion title four times. He also won 14 International Open titles in many countries. These include Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Belgium. When he stopped competing in 2007, he was ranked 7th in the world.

From 2008 to 2013, Kevin and his future wife, Karen Hauer, were main dancers in the Burn The Floor Dance Company. They performed in the show on Broadway in New York and in London's West End. They also toured Australia and Japan with the show in 2014. In 2017 and 2018, Kevin and Karen toured the UK with their own dance show called 'Kevin and Karen Dance'.

On Strictly Come Dancing

Kevin Clifton joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 for series 11. His first partner was TV presenter Susanna Reid. Before this, he had tried out for the show with Karen Hauer. At that time, they only needed a female dancer. So, Kevin worked as a choreographer for the show in 2012.

In 2013, during the Blackpool show, Kevin's family joined him for the opening dance. He and Susanna Reid scored very high for their Paso Doble. Kevin also won the 2013 Strictly Come Dancing Pro Challenge. He set a Guinness World Records for the most "Drunken Sailors" dance steps in 30 seconds. Kevin and Susanna reached the final and finished as runners-up.

In 2014, for series 12, Kevin danced with pop star Frankie Bridge. They also finished as runners-up. The next year, in 2015, Kevin was partnered with EastEnders actress Kellie Bright. They scored a perfect 40 for their Tango and Showdance and were joint runners-up.

Kevin also took part in the Strictly live tour. He danced with Susanna Reid in 2014. In 2015, he danced with Rachel Stevens because Frankie Bridge was pregnant. Kevin and Frankie reunited for the 2016 tour.

In 2016, Kevin partnered with singer Louise Redknapp. He made history by being the first professional dancer to reach four finals in a row. For the fourth time, Kevin finished as a runner-up. He and Louise lost to Ore Oduba and Kevin's sister, Joanne Clifton.

For series 15 in 2017, Kevin danced with Scottish comedian Susan Calman. They were eliminated in week 10. This was the first time Kevin did not make it to the final.

In 2018, for series 16, Kevin was partnered with TV presenter Stacey Dooley. This time, they won the series!

In 2019, for series 17, he partnered with TV host Anneka Rice. They were the second couple to be eliminated. This was Kevin's shortest time on the show. However, he returned to dance with footballer Alex Scott for two weeks. This happened while Alex's usual partner, Neil Jones, was recovering from an injury. After this series, Kevin decided to leave Strictly to work on other projects.

Stage Shows

In 2010, Kevin Clifton started his musical theatre career. He was in Dirty Dancing The Musical at the Aldwych Theatre in London. He danced with Charlie Bruce, who won So You Think You Can Dance.

Kevin played Stacee Jaxx in the 2018-19 UK Tour of Rock of Ages. From March to April 2022, he was the Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of the Worlds. In September 2022, he starred as Scott Hastings in the UK Tour of Strictly Ballroom. This show was directed by Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood. In 2023, Kevin was in the Aladdin Pantomime at Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre.

Currently, Kevin Clifton is playing Billy Flynn in the 2024-25 UK tour of Chicago.

Personal Life

Kevin grew up in Waltham, a small town in North East Lincolnshire. He went to East Ravendale Primary school. He was known for his Michael Jackson impressions there! Later, he attended Caistor Grammar School. He did well in school but chose to follow his dance dreams instead of going to sixth form.

Kevin has been married three times. His first marriage was to a dance partner when he was 20. He then married professional dancer Clare Craze, and they divorced in 2013. After that, he married fellow professional dancer Karen Hauer in 2015. They had gotten engaged on stage during a Burn the Floor performance. In 2018, Kevin confirmed that he and Karen were no longer together romantically.

In 2019, it was confirmed that Kevin was dating his Strictly Come Dancing partner Stacey Dooley. In January 2023, Stacey gave birth to their daughter.

In June 2023, Kevin appeared on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, he found out he was a direct descendant of Matooskie. She was an Indigenous Canadian woman.

Other Ventures

Kevin Clifton also owns a property investment business with a friend. He calls it a 'second career'.

Helping Others

Kevin often takes part in charity campaigns and visits as a Strictly professional. He is also a patron (a supporter) of the Wheelchair DanceSport Association. This group helps people with disabilities dance. He also supports the 2014 Dance Proms. In September 2023, Kevin donated £1,050 to help pay staff wages at Scunthorpe United, a financially struggling football club.

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Clifton para niños