Nikita Kuzmin

Ukrainian dancer and choreographer

Nikita Kuzmin
Нікіта Кузьмін
Kuzmin in 2023
Born (1997-12-23) 23 December 1997 (age 26)
Kyiv, Ukraine
Occupation(s)Dancer
Choreographer
Presenter
Known forLet's Dance
Strictly Come Dancing
Celebrity Big Brother
Height5 ft 11 in (180cm)
RelativesAnastasia Kuzmina (sister)

Nikita Kuzmin (Ukrainian: Нікіта Кузьмін; born 23 December 1997) is a Ukrainian-Italian dancer and choreographer. He is best known for being a professional dancer on the RTL and BBC One dance competitions Let's Dance and Strictly Come Dancing. Kuzmin is also the holder of six Italian Championship titles.[1] In 2024, he was the runner-up on the twenty-third series of Celebrity Big Brother.

Early life

Kuzmin was born on 23 December 1997 in Kyiv, Ukraine.[2] His family moved to Italy when Kuzmin was nine.[3] He has an older sister, Anastasia Kuzmina, who has appeared as a professional dancer on Ballando con le Stelle. He has lived in Frankfurt, Germany since the age of 18.[4]

Career

Let's Dance

Season Partner Place
13 Sabrina Setlur 13th

In 2020, Kuzmin became a professional dancer on the RTL dance competition Let's Dance for the 13th season, where he was partnered with rapper Sabrina Setlur.[5] They were the second couple to be eliminated.[6] Kuzmin did not return for the 14th season.[7]

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Result
Gonzalez Mabuse Llambi
LS Group Tango / "Hey Sexy Lady" 5 5 5 No Elimination
1 Viennese Waltz / "Dangerous Woman" 4 4 1 Bottom two
2 Cha-Cha-Cha / "On the Floor" 5 5 2 Eliminated

Strictly Come Dancing

On 26 July 2021, Kuzmin was announced as one of four new professional dancers joining the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing.[8][9] Upon joining the show, Kuzmin said "I've always been amazed by the magic Strictly Come Dancing brings and that no matter what country I have found myself living in, I've never missed a chance to watch it. Joining it as a professional dancer is my big chance to make some magic on the most famous dance floor. I can't wait to give it my all."[10] Kuzmin has also previously worked for judge Motsi Mabuse's dance company in Germany.[11] In his first season, Kuzmin was paired with Tilly Ramsay; they were eliminated from the competition in week 10.[12] In his second season, Kuzmin was paired with Ellie Simmonds; they were eliminated from the competition in week 7. In his third season, Kuzmin was paired with Layton Williams. They made it to the final where they finished as joint runners-up, alongside Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, and behind series champions Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola.

Series Partner Place
19 Tilly Ramsay 6th
20 Ellie Simmonds 10th
21 Layton Williams 2nd

Highest and lowest scoring per dance

Dance Partner Highest Partner Lowest
American Smooth Layton Williams 34
Argentine Tango Layton Williams 40
Cha-cha-cha Layton Williams 37 Ellie Simmonds 26
Charleston Layton Williams 40 Ellie Simmonds 33
Couple's Choice Tilly Ramsay 40 Layton Williams 39
Foxtrot Tilly Ramsay 36 Ellie Simmonds 29
Jive Layton Williams 36 Tilly Ramsay 27
Paso Doble Layton Williams 40 Ellie Simmonds 30
Quickstep Layton Williams 40 Ellie Simmonds 27
Rumba Layton Williams 36
Salsa Layton Williams 39 Ellie Simmonds 30
Samba Tilly Ramsay 30 Layton Williams 29
Showdance Layton Williams 39
Tango Layton Williams 36 Tilly Ramsay 31
Viennese Waltz Layton Williams 28
Waltz Ellie Simmonds 30 Tilly Ramsay 21

Performances with Tilly Ramsay

Week # Dance / Song Judges' score Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke Total
1 Waltz / "Consequences" 5 5 6 5 21 No Elimination
2 Charleston" / "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" 8 9 9 8 34 Safe
3 Jive / "The Nicest Kids in Town" 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
4 Paso Doble / "Diablo Rojo" 6 8 9 9 32 Safe
5 Foxtrot / "Little Things" 9 9 9 9 36 Safe
6 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Spooky Movies" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
7 Tango / "Kings & Queens" 8 8 7 8 31 Bottom two
8 Quickstep / "I Won't Dance" 7 7 7 8 29 Bottom two
9 Couple's Choice / "Revolting Children" 10* 10 10 10 40 Safe
10 Samba / "Levitating" 7 7* 8 8 30 Eliminated
  • Green number indicates when Tilly and Nikita were at the top of the leaderboard.
  • Red number indicates when Tilly and Nikita were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
  • Score given by guest judge Cynthia Erivo

Performances with Ellie Simmonds

Week # Dance / Song Judges' score Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke Total
1 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Dance" 6 7 7 6 26 No Elimination
2 Waltz / "Can't Help Falling in Love" 7 8 7 8 30 Safe
3 Quickstep / "Peppy and George" 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
4 Salsa / "I Love Your Smile" 7 8 7 8 30 Safe
5 Paso Doble / "Montagues and Capulets" 6 8 8 8 30 Safe
6 Foxtrot / "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" 6 8 7 8 29 Safe
7 Charleston / "Too Darn Hot" 7 9 8 9 33 Eliminated

Performances with Layton Williams

Week # Dance / Song Judges' score Result
Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke Total
1 Samba / "Touch" 7 8 7 7 29 No Elimination
2 Quickstep / "Puttin' On The Ritz" 9 9 9 9 36 Safe
3 Viennese waltz / "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
4 Cha-cha-cha / "Million Dollar Bill" 9 10 9 9 37 Safe
5 Salsa / "Quimbara" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
6 Tango / "Vampire" 9 9 9 9 36 Safe
7 Jive / "Shake Ur Body" 8 10 10 8 36 Safe
8 Argentine tango / "Tattoo" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
9 Couple's Choice / "Ain't No Other Man" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
10 American Smooth / "It's Oh So Quiet" 8 9 8 9 34 Bottom two
11 Paso doble / "Backstage Romance" 10 10 10 10 40 No elimination
12 Rumba / "Lift Me Up"
Charleston / "Fit as a Fiddle"
9
10
9
10
9
10
9
10
36
40
Safe
13 Quickstep / "Puttin' On The Ritz"
Showdance / "Friend Like Me"
Argentine tango / "Tattoo"
10
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
40
39
40
Runner-up
  • Green number indicates when Layton and Nikita were at the top of the leaderboard.

Other work

In September 2023, Kuzmin announced he was to appear with Jowita Przystał at "Dancing with the Stars Weekends" 2024.[13]

In March 2024, Kuzmin entered the Celebrity Big Brother house as a housemate on the twenty-third series.[14]

Personal life

In March 2022, Kuzmin appeared on Lorraine to discuss his fears for his grandmother living in Ukraine following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[15] They were later reunited.[16]

In October 2023, Kuzmin was reported to be dating Lauren Jaine, a model signed to First Model Management.[17][18]

Kuzmin is multi-lingual: fluent in five languages, including English and Russian.[citation needed] He is a Type 1 diabetic, having been diagnosed at the age of 13. His CGM sensor is often visible in his Strictly Come Dancing costumes.[19]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Channel Role
2020 Let's Dance RTL Professional dancer (Season 13)
2021–present Strictly Come Dancing BBC One Professional dancer (Seasons 19–21)
2024 The Weakest Link BBC One Contestant; 1 episode.[20]
Celebrity Big Brother ITV1 Runner-up; series 23

References

  1. ^ Adejobi, Alicia (19 July 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing 2021: Four new professional dancers announced ahead of new series". Metro. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Nikita Kuzmin". WEB.DE. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ^ Schwab Dunn, Billie (19 July 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing 2021: Who are the new dancers?". Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Nikita Kuzmin ist als Profitänzer in der 13. "Let's Dance"-Staffel dabei" (in German). RTL. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Nikita Kuzmin privat: Wie lebt der Let's Dance-Star abseits des Tanzparketts?" (in German). 20 July 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Rapperin Sabrina Setlur schwingt bei Let's Dance ihr Tanzbein" (in German). RTL. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Sabrina Setlur muss nach der 2. Show das Tanzparkett verlassen" (in German). 9 March 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  8. ^ Daly, Helen (31 March 2022). "Strictly Come Dancing 2021 professional dancers: Meet the confirmed line-up". Radio Times. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  9. ^ Sarrubba, Stefania (8 September 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing shares new look at 2021 professional dancers and confirms start date". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing: Greatest Dancer winner joins professional dancer line-up". BBC News. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Nikita". Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. ^ Morris, Lauren (28 November 2021). "Who left Strictly Come Dancing? Ninth celebrity voted out revealed". Radio Times. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  13. ^ "5* Weekend Break with the Stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". donaheys.co.uk. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Celebrity Big Brother 2024 cast: Confirmed line-up".
  15. ^ "Lorraine Kelly in tears as Strictly star Nikita pleads for Ukraine crisis help". edinburghlive. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Strictly's Nikita Kuzmin Reunited With Grandmother As She Escapes Kyiv". HuffPost. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  17. ^ Saner, Emine (18 October 2023). "'It's not easy for me!': Layton Williams on Strictly, joy, glitter – and the myth of his unfair advantage". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Meet Strictly star Nikita Kuzmin's new girlfriend Lauren Jaine". HELLO!. 18 October 2023.
  19. ^ Macleod, Melanie (14 October 2023). "Strictly star Nikita Kuzmin's fears about 'career-ending' diabetes". Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  20. ^ "BBC One - The Weakest Link, Series 3, Episode 11". BBC. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
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