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Pavel "Pasha" Kovalev (russian: Па́вел "Па́ша" Ковалёв) is a Russian professional
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
and ballroom dancer. Kovalev started dancing at the age of eight, and in 2001, moved to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
with his professional dance partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
. In 2007, the couple competed on the third season of the American version of ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...
'',Pasha Kovalev on his journey from Siberia to Strictly Come Dancing
''
Liverpool Echo The ''Liverpool Echo'' is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales – a subsidiary company of Reach plc and is based in St Paul's Square, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Sunday, and is Liver ...
'' 22 March 2013. and they have since participated in the eight subsequent seasons as either choreographers or All-Star partners to the contestants. In 2011, Kovalev moved to the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
to take part in the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's '' Strictly Come Dancing'' as a professional dancer. After finishing runner-up on both the ninth and tenth series with celebrity partners Chelsee Healey and
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
, he went on to win series twelve with his partner Caroline Flack. Despite facing backlash over her past dance experience and landing in the bottom two three times, he and his celebrity partner,
Ashley Roberts Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
, later became runners-up on the sixteenth series of the show. They currently hold the record of the highest average for any celebrity on the show – with an average of 36.9 – and another record for scoring the most perfect scores – with a total of five. Kovalev announced that 2018 was his final series on the show as he had decided to "find a new challenge" after "eight incredible years".


Early life and competitive career

He began dancing at the age of eight, and until 2000, he competed with his partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
in the Amateur Latin category in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
. After moving to the US, Kovalev and Garnis turned professional and from 2002 started competing in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Their competitive achievements include being finalists in the US Open from 2002 to 2006.


''So You Think You Can Dance''

In 2007, Kovalev and Garnis auditioned for
season 3 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In tempera ...
of the US reality show ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...
''. Garnis made it to the Top 12 stage, whereas Kovalev made it all the way to the Semi-Finals. The pair have since participated in all following seasons as either choreographers or as All-Stars.


Season 3: Contestant

Although originally he only attended the audition to support
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
, he was asked to audition as well and together with Garnis became one of the 20 dancers chosen to compete in the show's third season from June to August 2007. After making it all the way to the Top 6, Kovalev was eliminated on 13 August, in the last round before the final, losing out to the two remaining males,
contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...
dancers
Danny Tidwell Daniel Arnold Tidwell (August 1, 1984 – March 6, 2020) was an American dancer and actor best known for being the runner-up on Fox's third season of ''So You Think You Can Dance'' in 2007. Tidwell began dancing as a child, at first focusing ...
and Neil Haskell.
Sabra Johnson Sabra Elise Johnson (born July 29, 1987) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress from Roy, Utah and the Season 3 Champion of the Fox reality television show ''So You Think You Can Dance''. She was born in the Netherlands, lived nine ye ...
, the remaining female contemporary dancer, went on to win the competition. Kovalev and Garnis both later took part in the '' So You Think You Can Dance Tour''.


Seasons 4–11: Choreographer

On
Season 4 Season 4 may refer to: * "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock'' See also * * Season One (disambiguation) * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album) * '' 2econd Season'' See also * ...
, Kovalev assisted
Mia Michaels Mia Michaels Melchiona (known professionally as Mia Michaels; born February 22, 1966) is an American choreographer and judge on the television show ''So You Think You Can Dance''. She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, M ...
on a
Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...
routine, and he and his partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
choreographed a Cha-Cha routine performed by Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian. On Season 5, Kovalev and Garnis choreographed a Samba for Evan Kasprzak and Randi Evans. On Season 6, he and Garnis returned to ''So You Think You Can Dance'' to lead the choreography rounds during the auditions, and later that season choreographed a Jive for
Russell Ferguson Russell Ferguson is an American Krump dancer from Boston, Massachusetts. He won ''So You Think You Can Dance'' season 6, making him the first Krumper to win the title. Russell is a graduate of the Boston Arts Academy and attended the University of ...
and Mollee Gray. Kovalev was announced as an "All-Star" for both Season 7 and
Season 8 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of the show, performing all the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
and Ballroom dances with the female finalists, including winners Lauren Froderman and Melanie Moore. For
Season 9 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
, the following year, he returned to choreograph a Cha-cha routine for contestants Janelle Issis and Dareian Kujawa on the third week of live shows. Finally, on 16 July 2014, Kovalev returned with Garnis to choreograph a new Jive routine for contestants Bridget Whitman and Emilio Dosal during Season 11.


''Strictly Come Dancing''

In September 2011, Kovalev joined BBC's '' Strictly Come Dancing'' as the new professional dancer of its ninth series, replacing Jared Murillo who had left after only one series with the BBC programme. He has since reached the finals three out of five series, finishing runner-up on his first and second series, and winning on his fourth.


Statistics and ''Strictly'' records

As a ''Strictly'' professional dancer, Kovalev holds the record for most perfect scores, with a total of 13. He was also the second dancer to reach the finals three times (after
Brendan Cole Brendan Cole (born 23 April 1976) is a New Zealand ballroom dancer, specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing as a professional dancer on the BBC One show, ''Strictly Come Dancing''. From 2005 to 2009, he was a j ...
) as the runner up of Series 9 and 10, and the winner of Series 12. Along with his Series 12 partner the late Caroline Flack and Series 16 partner
Ashley Roberts Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
, Kovalev holds the record for the longest consecutive run of perfect scores, after scoring a 40 for each of their last four dances. Flack and Kovalev were also the first to receive a perfect score for all three of their dances in the final. With Roberts, Kovalev holds the record for most maximum scores of 40, by any couple, with five. Key : Winner of the series : Runner-up of the series : Non finalist : First elimination of the series : Participating Kovalev has received the highest score in the history of ''Strictly Come Dancing'' for ten of the show's eighteen dance styles and is the first ''Strictly'' professional dancer to receive a perfect score for the
Paso Doble Pasodoble ( Spanish: ''double step'') is a fast-paced Spanish military march used by infantry troops. Its speed allowed troops to give 120 steps per minute (double the average of a regular unit, hence its name). This military march gave rise ...
and also for the
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
. Furthermore, he has received a ten from at least one of the judges for all of the show's dance styles, except the
Waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...
. He holds the record for the highest score ever awarded to the Paso Doble and the
Rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba. ...
, with Series 9 partner Chelsee Healey; to the Charleston and the
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
, with Series 10 partner
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
; to the Salsa, the Cha Cha Cha, the Charleston and the Showdance, with Series 12 partner Caroline Flack; and to the Jive, the
American Smooth This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those. This glossary lists terms used in various types of ballroom partner dances, leaving out terms of highly ...
, the Salsa, the Showdance and the Charleston with Series 16 partner
Ashley Roberts Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
. Kovalev and Walsh also received the only perfect score for the Series 10 Fusion dance, dancing to a mashup of the Cha Cha Cha and the Tango. Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance ;*Scores earned on Christmas or any other specials are not included; ;*Green and Red numbers indicate the scores that were the best and worst per dance in Strictly history; ;*Kovalev received an additional perfect score (40) for a Fusion dance of the Cha Cha Cha and
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
with Series 10 partner
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
. Number of tens received per dance between series 9 and 16 ;*10s earned on Christmas or any other specials are not included; ;*Kovalev received 4 additional 10s for a Fusion dance of the Cha Cha Cha and
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
with Series 10 partner
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
. All marks received per dance between series 9 and 16 ;*Marks earned on Christmas or any other specials are not included; ;* * This style of dance was introduced for one series only and was performed as a mashup of the Cha Cha Cha and
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
on Week 10 of Series 10, receiving a perfect score from the judges.


Series 9: Chelsee Healey

In the ninth series, his first, Kovalev was partnered with ''Waterloo Road'' actress, Chelsee Healey. The couple received the only perfect score ever awarded for the
Paso Doble Pasodoble ( Spanish: ''double step'') is a fast-paced Spanish military march used by infantry troops. Its speed allowed troops to give 120 steps per minute (double the average of a regular unit, hence its name). This military march gave rise ...
and made it all the way to the finals, finishing as runners-up to
Harry Judd Harry Mark Christopher Judd (born 23 December 1985) is an English musician, dancer and author. He is the drummer for the band McFly. Judd won the 2011 series of ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Judd published his first book, ''Get Fit Get Happy'', in ...
and his partner Aliona Vilani.McFly's Harry Judd wins Strictly Come Dancing
''The Telegraph'', 18 December 2011 ;*Green number indicates Chelsee & Pasha were at the top of the leaderboard. ;*''Red'' number indicates Chelsee & Pasha were at the bottom of the leaderboard.


Series 10: Kimberley Walsh

For the tenth series it was revealed that he would be dancing with
Girls Aloud Girls Aloud were an pop girl group that was created through the ITV talent show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. The group comprised singers Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. The group achieved a str ...
singer
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
. The couple received the first perfect score ever awarded for the
Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
and made it all the way to the finals, finishing as the runners-up to Olympic gymnast Louis Smith and his partner
Flavia Cacace Flavia Cacace-Mistry born 1980 is an Italian British professional dancer. Her professional dance partner is Vincent Simone (they are branded when performing together as 'Vincent and Flavia'), and for ten years both partners appeared on the BBC's ...
.Girls Aloud star finishes runner up
''Mirror Online'', 24 December 2012 By coming second, Pasha became the first male professional dancer to reach two consecutive ''Strictly'' finals, and the third professional dancer to do so overall after Lilia Kopylova and Aliona Vilani. ;*Green number indicates Kimberley & Pasha were at the top of the leaderboard


Series 11: Rachel Riley

For the eleventh series, Kovalev was partnered with '' Countdown'' & ''
The Gadget Show ''The Gadget Show'' (currently known as ''The Gadget Show: Better Tech, Better Life'') is a British television series which focuses on consumer technology. The show, which is broadcast on Channel 5, is currently presented by Ortis Deley, Geo ...
'' co-presenter,
Rachel Riley Rachel Annabelle Riley (born 11 January 1986) is a British television presenter. She co-presents the Channel 4 daytime puzzle show ''Countdown'' and its comedy spin-off '' 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown''. She is a mathematics graduate. Her t ...
. During their time at the competition, the couple were never at the top or bottom of the leaderboard, and on Week 6, despite receiving their highest score of the series, they were eliminated after losing out in the dance-off to
Abbey Clancy Abigail Marie Clancy (born 10 January 1986) is an English lingerie and catwalk model, and television personality. She was the runner-up of '' Britain's Next Top Model (cycle 2)'' in 2006 and won series 11 of '' Strictly Come Dancing'' in 2013 ...
and Aljaž Skorjanec.


Series 12: Caroline Flack

For the twelfth series of the show in 2014, it was announced that Kovalev would partner former '' The Xtra Factor'' presenter, the late Caroline Flack. The couple earned the first perfect 40 of the series for their salsa in the semi-finals, followed by an additional 3 in the finals giving them a perfect total of 120 points, a feat unmatched in the history of the competition. On 20 December 2014, the couple were crowned the champions of the series.Watch: Caroline Flack crowned Strictly champion
''The Telegraph'', 21 December 2014 As the reigning Strictly champions, The couple performed their Salsa routine a second time during the launch show of Series 13. ;*Green number indicates Caroline & Pasha were at the top of the leaderboard


Series 13: Carol Kirkwood

For the Thirteenth series of the show in 2015, Kovalev returned as the reigning Strictly champion, and was paired up with '' BBC Breakfast'' weather presenter Carol Kirkwood. Although the couple regularly landed at the bottom of the leaderboard, they successfully made it seven weeks without ever being in the bottom two. Kirkwood also set a record for joint lowest scoring Rumba on the show, tied with previous contestant
Fiona Phillips Fiona Phillips (born 1 January 1961) is an English journalist, broadcaster and television presenter. She is best known for her presenting roles with the ITV Breakfast programme '' GMTV Today''. Early life Phillips was born in Canterbury Hospi ...
, with just thirteen points out of a possible forty. On their seventh and final week, they were eliminated by '' EastEnders's'' Kellie Bright and Kevin Clifton in the dance off. ;*Red number indicates Carol & Pasha were at the bottom of the leaderboard


Series 14: Naga Munchetty

For series fourteen Kovalev was partnered with BBC
news presenter A news presenter – also known as a newsreader, newscaster (short for "news broadcaster"), anchorman or anchorwoman, news anchor or simply an anchor – is a person who presents news during a news program on TV, radio or the Internet. ...
Naga Munchetty. They were eliminated in week 4 against Anastacia and
Brendan Cole Brendan Cole (born 23 April 1976) is a New Zealand ballroom dancer, specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing as a professional dancer on the BBC One show, ''Strictly Come Dancing''. From 2005 to 2009, he was a j ...
in unanimous decision by the judges.


Series 15: Chizzy Akudolu

For series fifteen Kovalev was paired with British actress
Chizzy Akudolu Andrea Chizoba "Chizzy" Akudolu (born 7 October 1973) is a British actress. Career In 2002, Akudolu was one of eight new comedy performers who won the BBC Talent Initiative, The Urban Sketch Showcase. All eight performed a comedy sketch sho ...
. They were the first couple eliminated after losing to Brian Conley and Amy Dowden in the first dance-off of the series, on 1 October 2017.


Series 16: Ashley Roberts

For Series 16, Kovalev was partnered with former
The Pussycat Dolls The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
singer,
Ashley Roberts Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
. The couple went on to become the highest scoring couple of all time. The pair matched Kovalev's previous record, set in 2014 with his former partner Series 14 winner the late Caroline Flack, of scoring perfect 40s for all three dances in the final. They also set the records of achieving the most 40s during a series, with five, as well as the highest average score in the history of the series with 36.94. They finished as joint runners-ups to winners
Stacey Dooley Stacey Jaclyn Dooley (born 9 March 1987) is an English television presenter, journalist, and media personality. She came to prominence in 2008 when she appeared as a participant on '' Blood, Sweat and T-shirts''. Since then, she has made socia ...
and Kevin Clifton. *Score awarded by guest judge
Alfonso Ribeiro Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and television host. He is best known for his roles as Alfonso Spears on the sitcom ''Silver Spoons'', Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ...
* ;*Green number indicates Ashley & Pasha were at the top of the leaderboard


Other television appearances

In 2008, Kovalev and Garnis appeared on the sixth season of '' Dancing with the Stars'' in a results show performance, dancing to " Come On Over" by Jessica Simpson. In early 2009 he again performed with Garnis on the international dance show '' Superstars of Dance'', representing Russia in the duet category, but they were then replaced by another couple in the 19 January episode. In early 2010, the pair guest-choreographed for the third season of ''
So You Think You Can Dance Australia ''So You Think You Can Dance Australia'' is an Australian version of the American reality dance competition ''So You Think You Can Dance''. The show is hosted by Carrie Bickmore, with judges Paula Abdul, Shannon Holtzapffel, Jason Gilkison and ...
''. On 4 January 2013, Kovalev guest starred in the music video of "
One Day I'll Fly Away "One Day I'll Fly Away" is a song performed by American jazz singer Randy Crawford, from her fourth studio album, '' Now We May Begin'' (1980). The song was written by Joe Sample and Will Jennings and produced by Sample, Wilton Felder and Stix ...
", the lead single of '' Centre Stage'', his series 10 partner
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
's first solo album. Filming occurred on 4 January 2013 at Pinewood Studios, and the music video premiered on 17 January 2013. It features Walsh performing the song in different settings, until she is joined by Kovalev and they perform a ballet number. In March 2013, ahead of
Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic epis ...
's Red Nose Day 2013, comedian
Miranda Hart Miranda Katherine Hart Dyke (born 14 December 1972) is an English actress and writer. Following drama training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Hart began writing material for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and making appearances in va ...
took part in a ''Strictly Extravaganza'', where she attempted to dance ballroom with Kovalev, as one of her five '' Miranda's Mad March'' challenges.


Strictly Come Dancing Children in Need Specials

On 18 November 2011, Kovalev took part in a ''Strictly'' BBC Newsreaders programme benefiting Children in Need, where he partnered with newsreader
Emily Maitlis Emily Maitlis (born 6 September 1970) is a British journalist, documentary filmmaker, and former newsreader for the BBC. She was the lead anchor until the end of 2021 of ''Newsnight'', the BBC Two news and current affairs programme. Early lif ...
for a group dance. In 2016, Kovalev was partnered with Olympic champion rower Helen Glover for the ''Strictly Come Dancing'' Children in Need Strictly Special, taking place on 18 November. Key : Winner of the special : Non winner : Participating


Sport Relief Does Strictly Come Dancing Specials

On 23 March 2012, Kovalev and his Strictly Series 9 partner Chelsee Healey took part in the Sport Relief 2012 '' Strictly Come Dancing Underwater'' special, in aid of
Sport Relief ''Sport Relief'' was a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, established in 2002. It was the idea of Kevin Cahill, CBE, who had joined Comic Relief in 1991 to establish a new department as Director of Educat ...
, competing against winners
Harry Judd Harry Mark Christopher Judd (born 23 December 1985) is an English musician, dancer and author. He is the drummer for the band McFly. Judd won the 2011 series of ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Judd published his first book, ''Get Fit Get Happy'', in ...
and Aliona Vilani. After receiving even scores from the judges, the pair won the show due to head judge
Len Goodman Leonard Gordon Goodman (born 25 April 1944) is an English professional ballroom dancer, dance judge, and coach. He has appeared as head judge on the television dance programmes ''Strictly Come Dancing'', a programme where various celebrities c ...
breaking the tie in their favour. In 2014, during a Paralympian special for Sport Relief 2014, Kovalev was partnered with Paralympic gold medalist
Hannah Cockroft Hannah Lucy Cockroft (born 30 July 1992) is a British wheelchair racer specialising in sprint distances in the T34 classification. She holds the world records for the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres ...
. After performing a group dance with the other contestants, the couple was declared the winners by the judges. Key : Winner of the special : Non winner : Participating


Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Specials

In December 2012, Kovalev and Healey were partnered again for a Strictly Allstar group dance during the 2012 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. In December 2013, Kovalev was partnered with West End star
Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...
during the 2013 Strictly Christmas Special. The couple received a total of 39 points for their Cha-Cha, the highest score of the night, with only judge
Len Goodman Leonard Gordon Goodman (born 25 April 1944) is an English professional ballroom dancer, dance judge, and coach. He has appeared as head judge on the television dance programmes ''Strictly Come Dancing'', a programme where various celebrities c ...
giving them a 9. They ultimately lost to comedian
Rufus Hound Rufus Hound (born Robert James Blair Simpson 6 March 1979) is an English actor, comedian and presenter. Early life Hound was born on 6 March 1979, in Essex and moved to Surrey at the age of seven. He was educated at Hoe Bridge School Woking ...
after a vote by the studio audience. In December 2015, the full lineup of the 2015 Christmas special featured six returning contestants, including four former champions, in a change to recent tradition. Kovalev was partnered with television and radio presenter
Lisa Snowdon Lisa Snowdon
7 May 2001, ''People'' (born Lisa Snawdon on 23 January 1972) is an English television an ...
, who finished in third place in the sixth series of the show. The pair earned 37 points from the judges for a Quickstep to " Let It Snow!", but eventually lost to series 9 winner
Harry Judd Harry Mark Christopher Judd (born 23 December 1985) is an English musician, dancer and author. He is the drummer for the band McFly. Judd won the 2011 series of ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Judd published his first book, ''Get Fit Get Happy'', in ...
. The celebrity lineup of the 2016 Christmas special, which like the previous year, featured six returning contestants, was announced on 7 November 2016. Kovalev was partnered with New Zealand writer and actress
Pamela Stephenson Pamela Helen Stephenson, Lady Connolly (born 4 December 1949) is a New Zealand-born psychologist, writer, and performer who is now a resident in both the United Kingdom and the United States. She is best known for her work as an actress and co ...
, and danced the Cha-Cha to "
Jump Jumping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jump or Jumping also may refer to: Places * Jump, Kentucky or Jump S ...
" from the "
Love Actually ''Love Actually'' is a 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. It features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous film and television proje ...
" soundtrack. The pair earned 39 points from the judges but lost to comedian
Melvin Odoom Melvin Odoom is a British radio DJ and television presenter. He is best known for presenting on BBC Radio 1 alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges. Education Odoom attended the University of Bedfordshire and studied a Media Per ...
. The full line-up of the 2017 Christmas special, which features six returning contestants and their professional partners, was announced on 6 November 2017. Kovalev was partnered with ex-partner and Series 10 runner-up
Kimberley Walsh Kimberley Jane Scott (née Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, fashion designer, model, variety performer, television presenter, actress and dancer. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series '' Po ...
and danced the Jive to "
Run Rudolph Run "Run Rudolph Run" is a Christmas song written by Chuck Berry but credited to Johnny Marks and M. Brodie due to Marks' trademark on the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP) and was first recorde ...
". The pair earned 39 points from the judges, the highest score of the night, but lost to newscaster
Katie Derham Catherine Beatrice Margaret Derham (born 18 June 1970) is a British newscaster and a presenter on television and radio. Early life and education Derham was born on 18 June 1970 in Canterbury, Kent to Margaret, a teacher, and John Derham, a chem ...
. Key : Winner of the special : Non winner : Participating Performances and judges' scores ;*Green number indicates the couple was at the top of the judges' leaderboard.


Stage work


''Burn the Floor''

In August 2009, Kovalev and his partner Garnis joined the cast of Jason Gilkison's production '' Burn the Floor'', one of the leading ballroom based shows in the world, during its stint on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
. The pair succeed departing Dancing with the Stars performers
Maksim Chmerkovskiy Maksim "Maks" Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy ( uk, Максим Олександрович Чмерковський ; born January 17, 1980) is a Ukrainian-American Latin–ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He is widely known ...
and Karina Smirnoff. Later in 2010, the pair joined the touring company of the show from 7 September to 28 November. Kovalev left the show in the summer of 2011 to join the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's Strictly Come Dancing.


Personal life

Kovalev and professional partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
started dating as teenagers in the late 1990s, after meeting in dance class in
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...
. In 2001, the couple moved to the United States together. Kovalev started dating his former ''Strictly'' partner
Rachel Riley Rachel Annabelle Riley (born 11 January 1986) is a British television presenter. She co-presents the Channel 4 daytime puzzle show ''Countdown'' and its comedy spin-off '' 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown''. She is a mathematics graduate. Her t ...
in 2013, and the couple now live together in London. In May 2019, Riley and Kovalev announced via social media that they were expecting their first child in December. The couple subsequently married in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
on 28 June 2019. Their daughter was born on 15 December 2019. They welcomed their second daughter on 5 November 2021.


Live tours


2007: So You Think You Can Dance Live tour

In 2007, Kovalev headlined the '' So You Think You Can Dance Season 3 Live Tour'', along with the other Top 10 contestants, visiting 50 cities in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Although eliminated in the Top 12 stage of the competition, his professional partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
was invited to take part as an alternate performer. The pair were able to perform together on the tour due to dancer
Lacey Schwimmer Lacey Mae Schwimmer (born June 28, 1988) is an American ballroom dancer and singer. She is best known as a fourth place finalist of the third season of ''So You Think You Can Dance''. She is the daughter of noted dancer Buddy Schwimmer, as well ...
needing a replacement in some of her routines because of an injury to her meniscus.


2012–2013: Strictly Come Dancing Live!

Kovalev took part in the '' Strictly Come Dancing Live! 2012 Tour'' with his celebrity partner Chelsee Healey from 20 January to 26 February, and was partnered with Series 10 finalist
Dani Harmer Danielle Jane Harmer (born 8 February 1989) is an English actress, television personality, and former singer. She is best known for her lead role as Tracy Beaker in the CBBC series ''The Story of Tracy Beaker'' (2002–2006), '' Tracy Beaker R ...
on the ''
2013 Tour Thirteen or 13 may refer to: * 13 (number), the natural number following 12 and preceding 14 * One of the years 13 BC, AD 13, 1913, 2013 Music * 13AD (band), an Indian classic and hard rock band Albums * ''13'' (Black Sabbath album), 2013 ...
'', starting 18 January 2013. He didn't take part in the '' 2014 Tour'' with partner
Rachel Riley Rachel Annabelle Riley (born 11 January 1986) is a British television presenter. She co-presents the Channel 4 daytime puzzle show ''Countdown'' and its comedy spin-off '' 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown''. She is a mathematics graduate. Her t ...
, and the following year, he opted to focus on his own tour, with
Tristan MacManus Tristan MacManus (born 23 July 1982) is an Irish dancer and television presenter. He best known for his professional appearances on ''Dancing with the Stars'', ''Strictly Come Dancing'' and '' Dancing with the Stars Australia''. In 2017, he wen ...
stepping in to partner with the late Caroline Flack during the ''
2015 Tour Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music * Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak alb ...
''.


2012–2014: An evening with Katya and Pasha

Kovalev formed a new professional partnership with fellow Strictly professional Katya Virshilas. With their show ''An evening with Katya and Pasha'' they toured the UK from 27 March to 6 May 2012. The couple reprised the tour in 2013, and finally in 2014.


2015: Life Through Dance

Beginning March 2015, Kovalev performed throughout Britain, with original partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
as his special guest, on his ''Life Through Dance'' Tour.


2016: It's All About You

Kovalev announced his 2016 ''It's All About You'' tour, including 74 shows from 18 March to 12 June. Professional partner
Anya Garnis Anna "Anya" Garnis (Russian: Анна "Аня" Гарнис; born May 26, 1982) is a Latvian American ballroom dancer based in New York City. In 2007 she was a finalist on the American reality television show '' So You Think You Can Dance.'' In ...
guest starred once again.


2020: Dancing With The Stars Weekend

Kovalev announced his appearance at Dancing With The Stars Weekend Friday 24th – Sunday 26 April 2020 at Celtic Manor Resort Hotel.


References


External links

*
Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovalev, Pasha Living people Russian male dancers Russian ballroom dancers So You Think You Can Dance choreographers So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) contestants Strictly Come Dancing winners People from Komsomolsk-on-Amur Russian expatriates in the United Kingdom Russian expatriates in the United States 21st-century American dancers 21st-century Russian dancers Year of birth missing (living people)