10 STEPS ST TO DANCE AND ROMANCE
THEY are two of the most popular stars of Strictly Come Dancing.
But pro dancers Kevin Clifton, 34, and wife Karen, 34, could hardly be more different.
He’s the Grimsby lad from a family steeped in dance – she’s the Venezuelan beauty who used it to escape her poor background.
They found fame on the Strictly dance floor and love along the way.
They are taking to the stage in Kevin and Karen Dance at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on June 6 and Gateshead Sage on the 7th. Tickets from kevinandkarenlive.com
The duo share their 10 steps to success in love, life and glitterball glory.
FIRST STEPS
Kevin: When my gran and grandad couldn’t babysit, my mum and dad would take me and my sister Joanne (who won Strictly with Ore Oduba last year) along to their dance school. I was four when I started joining in. The first thing I remember is going to a competition in Liverpool with Joanne when I was seven. We were too scared to go on the floor at first but won as we were the only ones in our age group.
Karen: We moved to New York when I was eight and I got into a dance programme in the Bronx for kids with difficult backgrounds who couldn’t afford classes. I didn’t speak English, had no friends and had low self-esteem. I’d go to this once a week and it helped my confidence. It gave me a path I’d never dreamed of before.
LEARNING CURVE
Kevin: Dance was always there for me and everything was about winning the British Open Championships in Blackpool. But there’s a lot of politics and there came a time when I was offered a world title for a price. A powerful figure said I was a potential champion and if I paid they could pretty much guarantee a title. I decided to walk away then.
Karen: I wanted to be a contemporary dancer and studied for 10 years, but when I was 19 I stumbled into Latin dancing. Being a Latina I felt that was in my blood. I didn’t actually like competitions, I wanted to learn and not be judged. I felt it was about expression and not about money or trophies.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Kevin: I was trying various office jobs to fund my career and my mum and dad helped so much. That was one of the reasons I quit as I didn’t want to waste their money winning a trophy I couldn’t be sure I’d earned.
Karen: My mum was a single parent so she just couldn’t afford to finance dance, which is an expensive hobby. So, I always had to try and be good enough to win scholarships. But she always helped, as did my brother and sister. They never imagined I’d end up on a massive show like Strictly and when they’ve been able to come and see me I feel like I’ve made them proud.
TURNING POINT
Kevin: I joined a dance company called Burn The Floor and it was huge, not just performing but also because it’s where I met Karen. But I did question why I was dancing. I stopped for a while before coming back and watching Burn The Floor. It was like, after all these years, suddenly deciding I did want to be
a dancer.
Karen: I’d won championships, which was great but I wasn’t fulfilled. Like Kevin, Burn The Floor was the big moment because that was all about the entertainment and inspiring people.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Kevin: Karen was coming into Dance The Floor as I was leaving and I was asked to teach her the choreography. I was trying to show her all my best moves – but she tells me she doesn’t remember any of it, so I clearly made no impression whatsoever!
Karen: When I joined everybody was talking about this Kevin Clifton kid. What I remember, different from Kevin, was watching him do a solo and it was his hands that caught my attention. He dances with his hands.
ROMANCE WINS OUT
Kevin: When I went back to see Burn The Floor, Karen was the one I couldn’t take my eyes off. She was
incredible. When I rejoined we became good mates, despite being completely different. We became closer and I put my cards on the table, said I was in love with her and we finally wed. The best thing about her is that she’s completely mad, in a good way of course!
Karen: When I joined I was really focused on my dream of dancing on Broadway and the last thing I wanted was boys. But he just won me over. He loves football and if you could see him scream when a game’s on you wouldn’t recognise him from Strictly!
STRICTLY HITCHES
Kevin: The first year they wanted Karen and not me. We’d always said that if one got taken and not the other that was fine, that person had to do it.
Karen: It was a bit of a nightmare when I got called into the big meeting because I still had my Venezuelan passport and I couldn’t get a Visa. I was crying because I was on the verge of getting this dream job and I thought I was going to miss it because of a bit of paper.
DEBUT AT LAST
Kevin: The year after Karen’s first year I had another audition – and they said no to me again. But they did say that they might go with 15 celebrities, rather than the usual 14 and they’d put me on a shortlist.
Karen and I were in Paris when I got the call a week before the series saying I had to start on the Monday. We had a few sparkling waters that night. I got paired with Susanna Reid and we went all the way to the final.
Karen: It was bittersweet as Kevin and I had wanted to do it together. It was a very tough first year. I had no idea about the amount of pressure and I’d come home crying to Kevin. I’d say: “I don’t know what I’m doing but I’m dancing, I’ve got Nicky Byrne and I’m going to Dublin and hopefully I won’t get him kicked out!”
STRICTLY SENSATIONAL
Kevin: I’m very proud to be the first dancer to make four finals. I’d love to win. I get my partners almost there and then fall at the final hurdle.
Doing a paso doble at Blackpool with Susanna where we got the loudest-ever cheer was the moment I felt my career changed. With Frankie Bridge my highlight was doing Defying Gravity from Wicked when she was a green witch.
Kellie Bright had always wanted to do something classy and there was a great moment in the semi-final when we did a Fred and Ginger number and she was amazing in a beautiful dress. Last year Louise Redknapp was really scared and it wasn’t until we did an Argentine tango that she really let herself go.
Karen: A big high point was making the final with Mark Wright. And Jeremy Vine and Dave Myers brought out the comical, quirky side of me.
My lowest point was definitely Will Young quitting last year. He had the potential to be a finalist and make Strictly history and when he left for personal reasons it came out of the blue and was a real shame.
OUR SHOW
Kevin: Our journey has taken us from Grimsby and Venezuela via New York and now to Strictly. We wanted to tell how we came from different backgrounds but have developed a style together. We’ll have the audience playing the celebrities and it’ll be a great, fun show.
Karen: We’ll have plenty of what people love from Strictly. And hopefully kids will be inspired to want to be on stage themselves some day.