A Pasha for dance
H E’S the sex symbol from Siberia, and regularly heats things up on the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor.
With scores of adoring fans, professional ballroom dancer Pasha Kovalev is not only a favourite for his dashing good looks, but for his history of record perfect scores.
Dancing since the age of eight, he joined Strictly for series nine in 2011 and immediately wowed the judges. He placed second for two years running with Chelsee Healey and Kimberley Walsh, and won the show with partner Caroline Flack in 2014.
When it comes to Strictly, almost everything he touches turns to gold, but the humble Russian attributes this to being paired with the right partner: “I think good scores come from getting the right partner. Some come to Strictly and they can dance, others come and they can’t dance at all.
“If you get a person with a bit more ability at the start of the competition, these kind of people are more likely to stay in the competition longer.
“But I do try to treat every person differently and adapt my approach to teach them, and the key to unlock their capabilities. It’s almost like psychology in a way.”
“The performance that everyone remembers is when I danced with Chelsee Healey and I was dressed as Shrek, all in green with Shrek ears in my head.
“But one of my best was with Caroline Flack with our showdance in the final. That particular one, Caroline found her inner dancer. The things she was going through at the time, she transformed them into her dance.
“It would probably have never happened again. That particular day, that particular dance was so strong.”
After the shock axing of fellow dancer Brendan Cole, uncertainty has hung in the air regarding his future on the BBC show.
But the 37-year-old is confident, regardless of whether he will be signed for the next series: “I’ve dancing since I was eight. I’ve always danced. I’m not ready to hang up my dancing shoes yet and I don’t see myself doing anything else.
“But whatever happens, happens. In life, we have no control. There’s no point in being nervous. I always try my best and I’m always trying to be honest with myself. I’m never holding back.
“But if it’s my time to go, it’s time to go. No point in being worried about it.
“I know that Brendan was the most helpful person during his time on Strictly. If anyone needed help he was there all the time.
“But whatever happened between him and the show, it happened. It’s unfortunate though, and I am sad he’s not coming back.
“All the pro’s have said what they had to say to him. Some prefer public expressions, others have spoken in private. But we’ve all said what we need to say.”
After partnering Rachel Riley in 2013, the Countdown mathematician left her husband and went on to have a real-life relationship with the dancer: they are still currently dating.
Several high profile relationships have broken down following appearances on the show, which sees personal relationships begin to fail when the celebrities fall in to the dancer’s arms, dubbed the “Strictly Curse”. Kovalev has strong feelings about the impact the show has on couples and the so-called curse: “Relationships don’t suddenly break down within a week or month of being on the show. Relationships break down a long time before then.
“What happens on Strictly is people become stronger. People realise who they are, they develop confidence. People realise they can do better.
“They feel great about themselves. So then if something was wrong in their personal life before they come on the show, it surfaces at that time. It magnifies the problems. The person starts to value themselves differently and things happen.” ■ Pasha Kovalev will bring his show The Magic of Hollywood to Rhyl Pavilion Theatre on April 14.