Kristina Rihanoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kristina Rihanoff
Кристина Риханофф
Rihanoff in 2013
Born	Kristina Pshenichnykh (1977-09-22) 22 September 1977 (age 47) Vladivostok, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Dancer
Television	Strictly Come Dancing (2008–15) Celebrity Big Brother 17 (2016)
Partner(s)	Ben Cohen
Children	1
Parent(s)	Igor Pshenichnykh

Kristina Rihanoff is a talented Russian professional ballroom dancer. She was born Kristina Pshenichnykh on September 22, 1977. Kristina is well-known for her time as a professional dancer on the popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing.

About Kristina Rihanoff

Kristina grew up in Vladivostok, Russia. Her parents were both engineers. She started taking dance lessons when she was just five years old. When she was 12, her parents divorced. At 15, Kristina began teaching dance part-time to help her family. She earned more in a day than her mother, who was a professional, earned in a month! Kristina also studied Tourism and Hospitality. She got her degree from the St Petersburg Branch of Modern Humanitarian Academy.

Her Amazing Dance Journey

When Kristina was 21, she was asked to teach Russian dancers in the United States. She also performed in shows and taught dance classes in the evenings. Over the next few years, she grew her career by teaching and performing. She also created dance routines for shows in China, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Kristina has won many awards in her professional dance career. She won 1st place in the South African International Latin Championship in 2005–2006. She also placed 2nd in the US National American Rhythm Finals from 2003–2005. She was 2nd in the Open to the World, Mambo Championship in 2003–2004. In 2007, she was a semi-finalist at the famous Open to the World, Blackpool Dance Festival.

After dancing with American professional Brian Fortuna, Kristina has performed in the UK with Robin Windsor since 2011.

Dancing on Strictly Come Dancing

Kristina Rihanoff became a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. This is a very popular show where celebrities learn to dance with professional partners.

• In 2008, she danced with political broadcaster John Sergeant. They finished in seventh place.
• In 2009, she partnered with boxer Joe Calzaghe. They were eliminated in week five.
• In 2010, Kristina danced with musician Goldie. They left the competition in week two. Later that year, she won the Strictly Christmas Special with actor John Barrowman.
• In 2011, she reached the final with Australian actor Jason Donovan, finishing in third place.
• In 2012, she danced with actor Colin Salmon. They were eliminated in week five.
• In 2013, she partnered with former England rugby player Ben Cohen. They finished in eighth place.
• In 2014, Kristina and Blue singer Simon Webbe reached the final and were runners-up.
• In 2015, she danced with Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell. They were the third couple to be eliminated.

Strictly Performance Summary

Live Shows and Other Projects

Kristina has been part of the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour many times, from 2009 to 2015. She often reunited with her TV dance partners like Jason Donovan, Ben Cohen, and Simon Webbe. In 2015, she and Simon Webbe even won the overall tour!

In 2012, Kristina and Robin Windsor joined other dancers for the 'Dance to the Music Tour'. She also took part in the touring theatre show Puttin' On The Ritz in 2015.

Kristina is also a choreographer, meaning she creates dance routines. She has choreographed for shows like Burn the Floor and Dancing on Wheels. She has also created dance routines for TV commercials, including those for suntan lotion and cosmetics.

Kristina wrote a book called The Art of Dancesport Makeup. It's for people new to Ballroom dance competitions. She has also appeared on TV shows like Weakest Link and The Hairy Bikers Programme, where she cooked a traditional Russian dish called Borscht.

In 2017, Kristina directed and choreographed a 39-day tour called Dance To The Music. She also launched her own fashion line that year. Kristina has also appeared as a guest on Netflix's Baby Ballroom.

Celebrity Big Brother Appearance

In January 2016, Kristina was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother. During her time in the house, she shared that she and her partner, Ben Cohen, were expecting a baby. Kristina was the third person to be voted out of the house, after spending 15 days there.

Kristina's Personal Life

Kristina Rihanoff is a supporter of The Dot Com Foundation. This children's charity helps kids learn how to handle difficult situations and build their confidence.

Kristina and Ben Cohen have a daughter named Milena, who was born in 2016. In November 2022, Kristina and Ben got engaged in the Maldives. In 2017, it was reported that Kristina and Ben started eating a vegan diet for health reasons.

See also

In Spanish: Kristina Rihanoff para niños