1. Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was one of the most iconic and influential British ballroom dancers of all time. He was born in London in 1899 and started dancing at a young age, taking lessons from his sister, Adele. He quickly became known for his grace, style and elegance, which he brought to the ballroom.
Astaire went on to become a major star in the United States, appearing in a number of Hollywood musicals and films. He was renowned for his ability to perform complex and intricate steps with ease and grace. His signature dance style was the ‘Astaire Glide’, which he developed over the years and is still a popular move today.
Astaire was also a great teacher and mentor, teaching many of today’s top dancers. He was an innovator, constantly pushing the boundaries of ballroom dancing and inspiring a new generation of dancers.
Notable Achievements
Astaire was the first dancer to be awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1950 for his contributions to the art of film dancing. He was also the first dancer to be inducted into the National Museum of Dance Hall of Fame in 1989.
Astaire’s influence on ballroom dancing is still felt today. He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the history of British ballroom dancing.
2. Anton du Beke
2. Anton du Beke
Anton du Beke is one of Britain’s best-loved ballroom dancers. He has been a professional dancer since the late 1990s and is a regular on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Anton’s career began when he was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. His first professional job was dancing in the West End production of ‘Cabaret’. Later, he joined the cast of ‘Burn the Floor’ in 1998, which was a show that toured around the world.
Anton’s career in ballroom dancing really took off when he became a regular on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004. He is one of the show’s longest-serving professionals and has won the show twice, in 2018 and 2019.
As well as being a successful dancer, Anton is an accomplished choreographer. He has choreographed for West End shows, including ‘The Producers’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, as well as for the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Anton is an ambassador for the British Ballroom Dance Council, and he has been awarded the honour of ‘Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance’. He is also an ambassador for the Royal Academy of Dance.
Achievements
– Winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2018 and 2019
– Choreographer for West End shows and Strictly Come Dancing
– Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance
– Ambassador for the British Ballroom Dance Council and the Royal Academy of Dance
3. Len Goodman
3. Len Goodman
Len Goodman is one of the most iconic figures in British ballroom dancing. He began his career as a professional dancer in the 1970s, and quickly rose to become one of the most renowned figures in the ballroom world.
Goodman was a frequent competitor at the Blackpool Dance Festival, and was crowned British National Latin American Champion in 1974. He also won the International Latin American Championship five times, making him one of the most successful dancers in the history of the competition.
Goodman’s career as a dancer was cut short in the early 1980s due to a knee injury. However, he continued to be involved in the ballroom world, becoming a dance judge and commentator on the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. He also wrote a book on ballroom dancing, entitled ‘Len Goodman’s Dancing for Dummies’.
Goodman’s influence on the ballroom world has been immense. He has helped to popularise ballroom dancing in Britain, inspiring a new generation of dancers. He is a true icon of British ballroom dancing, and his legacy will live on for many years to come.
Accolades
• British National Latin American Champion (1974)
• International Latin American Champion (5 times)
• Author of ‘Len Goodman’s Dancing for Dummies’
4. Shirley Ballas
Shirley Ballas
Shirley Ballas is a British ballroom dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher. She is best known as the head judge on the popular BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing.
Ballas began her dance career at the age of 9, when she started training in Latin American and ballroom dancing. She quickly rose to prominence, becoming a British Open to the World Latin American Champion in 1981. She also represented England in the World Latin American Championships in 1982 and 1983, and was a finalist in the British National Championships in 1984.
After retiring from competitive dance, Ballas began teaching and choreographing. She has taught and choreographed for numerous television shows, including Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. She has also been a judge on the US version of Strictly Come Dancing since 2017.
Ballas is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in British ballroom dancing. She has been praised for her technical knowledge, her eye for detail, and her ability to bring out the best in dancers. She has also been credited with helping to make ballroom dancing more popular in Britain.
Awards and Accolades
Ballas has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including the British Empire Medal in 2018 for her services to dance. She has also been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Ballroom Dance Council.
In addition, Ballas has been inducted into the International Dance Hall of Fame and the National Ballroom and Dance Association Hall of Fame. She has also been recognised by the British Dance Council with the Outstanding Achievement Award, and the International Dance Teacher of the Year Award.
5. Brendan Cole
Brendan Cole
Brendan Cole is one of the most iconic British ballroom dancers of all time. He began his career in the late 1990s when he was chosen to be a professional dancer on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. During his time on the show, he won the show twice and was the first professional dancer to ever do so.
Cole has also been a judge on the show and appeared on a variety of other television shows, including The One Show and The X Factor. He has also appeared in a number of stage productions, including the musicals Chicago and Grease.
He has been one of the most successful ballroom dancers of all time and has won numerous awards, including the British National Professional Ballroom Championship and the International Latin Championship. He has also been a mentor and coach to many aspiring ballroom dancers.
Achievements
Cole has won numerous awards over the course of his career, including the British National Professional Ballroom Championship and the International Latin Championship. He has also been a mentor and coach to many aspiring ballroom dancers.
Legacy
Cole’s legacy is one of success and inspiration for aspiring ballroom dancers. His achievements on the show Strictly Come Dancing and his subsequent appearances on other television shows and stage productions have helped to raise the profile of ballroom dancing in the UK. He is still highly respected in the ballroom dancing community and is seen as an inspiration to many.
6. Darcey Bussell
6. Darcey Bussell
Darcey Bussell is a British ballerina who began her career at the Royal Ballet School in London. She has been a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet for over 15 years and has performed in some of the most famous ballets in the world. She was also a judge on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show for seven years.
Bussell began taking ballroom classes at the age of 13 and quickly rose to prominence in the field. She has won numerous awards for her ballroom dancing, including the British Amateur Ballroom Championships in 1990 and 1991. She has also won several competitions in the United States, including the United States Open Ballroom Championship in 1992 and the International Latin Championship in 1993.
Bussell has also choreographed for numerous television shows, including the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and the West End production of Singin’ in the Rain. She has also appeared in several films, including the 2004 movie Shall We Dance?.
Achievements
Bussell has been recognised for her achievements in ballroom dancing over the years. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1995 and was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2007. She is also a patron of the Royal Academy of Dance and is a former president of the Royal Ballet.
Bussell is an inspiration to many aspiring ballroom dancers and is a living legend in the world of British ballroom dancing.
7. Wayne Sleep
7. Wayne Sleep
Wayne Sleep OBE is a British dancer, choreographer, actor, and television presenter. He is best known for his success in the field of classical ballet, but he has also made a name for himself in the world of ballroom dancing.
Born in Plymouth in 1948, Sleep began his ballet career at the age of seven. He trained at the Royal Ballet School and then joined the Royal Ballet in 1965. After a successful career in ballet, Sleep turned to ballroom dancing in the 1980s and won a number of competitions.
In addition to his competitive successes, Sleep has also choreographed a number of ballroom routines for television shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. He is also a sought-after judge on the show, and has been a guest judge on the British version of Dancing with the Stars.
Sleep has been awarded an OBE for his services to the world of dance, and is a recipient of the prestigious Order of the British Empire. He is an inspiration to many aspiring dancers, and is a shining example of what can be achieved with dedication and hard work.
8. Erin Boag
8. Erin Boag
Erin Boag is a professional ballroom dancer from New Zealand who has achieved great success in the UK. After moving to London in 1997, she partnered with Anton du Beke and together they became one of the most successful partnerships in the history of British ballroom dancing.
Erin has won numerous British Open titles, as well as being a five-time British National Champion. She has also been a regular on the BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ since 2004, appearing in seven series and four Christmas specials.
Erin has also appeared in the West End musical ‘Burn the Floor’ and has been a judge on the BBC show ‘DanceX’. She has also choreographed and danced in the films ‘Shall We Dance’ and ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’.
Erin is currently a coach on the BBC show ‘DanceX’. She is also a patron of the charity ‘The Royal Academy of Dance’.
Accomplishments
• Five-time British National Champion
• Numerous British Open titles
• Appeared in seven series and four Christmas specials of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’
• Appeared in the West End musical ‘Burn the Floor’
• Choreographed and danced in the films ‘Shall We Dance’ and ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’
• Coach on the BBC show ‘DanceX’
• Patron of the charity ‘The Royal Academy of Dance’
9. Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy is a British professional ballroom dancer and choreographer, best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing. Hardy has been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing since the age of 16, competing at the British Championships and the World Championships.
In 2004, Hardy was invited to join the Strictly Come Dancing team as a professional dancer and choreographer. She stayed with the show for four years, winning the show with celebrity partner Mark Ramprakash in 2006. She also reached the finals in 2007 with her partner, Chris Hollins.
In 2008, Hardy was appointed Creative Director of Dance at the London Palladium, where she created a new show, Dancing with the Stars. She was also a judge on the BBC show, DanceX.
In 2009, Hardy opened her own dance studio in London, Karen Hardy Studios. She currently teaches weekly classes there, and also offers private lessons and workshops.
Charity Work
Hardy is also a patron of the charity, Dance for Life, which helps to raise funds for cancer research. She is also a member of the British Dance Council, which works to promote ballroom dancing in the UK.
Awards and Honours
Hardy has won numerous awards, including the British Dance Council’s Most Outstanding Ballroom Dancer of the Year, and the British Dance Council’s Most Outstanding Choreographer of the Year. She was also awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2006.
10. Antonia Franceschi
10. Antonia Franceschi
Antonia Franceschi is one of the most well-known British ballroom dancers of all time. She began her career in the 1970s and quickly became a star in the dance world. She has won numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious British National Ballroom Championship.
Franceschi has an impressive competitive record, having won several competitions including the British National Ballroom Championship, the British Open Latin American Championship, and the International Latin American Championship. She has also been a finalist in the World Latin American Championship and the European Latin American Championship.
Franceschi has also been a judge at many of the major ballroom competitions, including the World Latin American Championship and the European Latin American Championship. She is also a sought-after coach and mentor, having trained and coached many of the top dancers in Britain.
Franceschi is well-known for her grace and style, and her ability to capture the audience’s attention. She is a true British ballroom legend, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of ballroom dancers.
