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Ian Waite
Ian Waite
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Ian Waite (born 29 January 1971) is a British professional dancer specialising in Latin American dance, a teacher and choreographer.

Key Information

Biography

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Waite was born in Reading, Berkshire.[1] He started dancing at the age of 10. Mary Richardson, a former Latin American champion (and now his stepmother) put him through a rigorous medallist regime. By the age of 14, he had completed all his grades and won almost every competition that he had entered. He went on to the open circuit where he achieved international success by becoming the European Youth Latin American Champion. This started a ten-year partnership with Melanie Walker (now Melanie Lane), with whom he competed all over the world, representing England in many World and European championships.

He turned professional in 1997 and formed a partnership with the former Latin American world champion, Inga Haas. After nine months, they came third in the British Professional Rising Stars.[2]

He decided to further his dance career by moving to the Netherlands to train with the choreographer and dance coach, Ruud Vermeij. There, he formed a four-year partnership with Natalia Panina, with whom he won the Dutch Championship. They also made the final of both the World Showdance Championship and the European Professional Latin American Championship.[3] He went on to dance with Daisy Croes, from Belgium, who now appears on the Belgian version of Strictly Come Dancing.

After five years in the Netherlands he returned to home. By the summer of 2004, he had started to dance with Camilla Dallerup. Their first competition was the International Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, where they made the semi-final and in November of that year, they made the final of the British National Dance Championships.

Waite lives in Finchampstead in Berkshire, and has expanded his career involving lecturing, demonstration dancing and big spectaculars. He has also made a dance video with Angela Rippon and presented a documentary called 'Inside Out' for BBC South following the progress of a young couple from Bournemouth. With Camilla Dallerup he performs a series of ballroom and Latin dances on the DVD The Magic of Dance.

Waite created a Ballroom and Latin dance fitness programme with Mark Foster and fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Natalie Lowe called FitSteps.[4]

Strictly Come Dancing

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Waite has taken part in 7 series of Strictly Come Dancing, a popular televised celebrity ballroom competition, appearing as a professional dancer. His partners on the programme have been:

  • Athlete Denise Lewis with whom he finished runners-up in 2004.
  • Presenter Zoë Ball, with whom he made the final in 2005, finishing in 3rd place.
  • Singer Mica Paris, with whom he was eliminated in the second week in 2006.
  • Model Penny Lancaster-Stewart with whom he made the sixth week of the competition in 2007.
  • Model Jodie Kidd, with whom he made the tenth week of the competition, finishing in sixth place in 2008.
  • Athlete Jade Johnson, with whom he reached the ninth week of the competition before having to pull out due to an injury sustained by Johnson in rehearsals in 2009. Ian danced with Natalie Lowe in Series 7, as his professional partner, Camilla Dallerup, no longer appeared on Strictly Come Dancing.[citation needed]
  • In series 8 Ian Waite did not have a celebrity partner to teach but appeared in the newly formed dance troupe, the Strictly Showdancers,[5] and choreographed several of their routines. He returned to the Saturday night show on 23 October 2010 when he partnered Michelle Williams whilst Brendan Cole was unable to do so, and appeared regularly on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two using a telestrator to illustrate his critiques of contestants' rehearsals.[6]

Waite has also appeared in three Strictly Come Dancing tours, reprising his partnerships with Zoë Ball in 2008, and with Jodie Kidd in 2009. In the 2010 tour Ian Waite appeared with Natalie Lowe in a showdance. In the 2011 tour he took on the role of the choreographer for all the Pro and Pro/Celeb group dances. He has also appeared in Strictly Come Dancing Christmas specials, with his best performances being runner-up with Denise Lewis in 2004 and Zoë Ball in 2006.

Dancing with the Stars

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In 2023, Waite joined the cast of the twentieth season of the Australian franchise of Dancing with the Stars. Waite and his celebrity partner Virginia Gay consistently scored the highest score of the week, and achieved a perfect 40 with their foxtrot on the second night of the semi finals, but did not receive enough votes for their freestyle routine from the studio audience to win the final.

Dance tours and other professional engagements

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In September 2024, Waite announced he would be teaching & performing at Donahey's Dancing with The Stars Weekends in 2025.[7]

In August 2017, Waite & Oti Mabuse announced a 60 date 2018 UK Tour An Audience With.[8][9]

Personal life

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In the first episode of It Takes Two in 2017, it was announced that Waite had married his boyfriend Drew Merriman earlier that year on 22 July.[10]

References

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from Grokipedia
Ian Waite (born 29 January 1971) is a British professional dancer, choreographer, and television personality specializing in Latin American and . He gained prominence as one of the original professional dancers on the BBC's , competing in eight series from 2004 to 2011 and reaching the final in 2004 with , finishing second, and third place in 2005 with . Waite began his competitive career turning professional in 1997, achieving titles such as European Youth Latin American Champion, runner-up in the British Professional Rising Stars, winner of the Dutch Championships, and finalist in the World Showdance and European Professional Latin American Championships. Beyond Strictly Come Dancing, where he also served as a choreographer for group dances and a presenter on the companion show It Takes Two for a with his "Waite's " segment, Waite co-created the dance fitness program FitSteps in collaboration with and Mark Foster, which has trained over 2,000 instructors worldwide as of 2024. In recent years, Waite expanded his television presence by joining in 2023, where he won the 2024 Mirrorball Trophy with partner . He continues to perform on stage through tours such as Legends of the Dance Floor (2024) and The Return of the Legends (2025), featuring collaborations with fellow Strictly alumni, with a new tour The Legends in Vegas: After Hours scheduled for 2026, and teaches dance classes in the UK.

Early Life and Career

Childhood and Introduction to Dance

Ian Waite was born on 29 January 1971 in , . He grew up in a close-knit with his father, Alan, a precision who owned an engineering company, and his younger brother, David, after his parents divorced when Waite was about 10 years old. As a young boy, Waite displayed artistic tendencies, earning the nickname "the artist" at school for his paintings that were exhibited there, and he developed an early fascination with performance by watching classic films featuring and alongside his grandmother. In the wake of the family , Waite's father enrolled his younger brother in weekly Saturday dance classes at a local school, motivated by a friend's suggestion that it was a good place for a single man to meet women. At age 10, Waite reluctantly accompanied his five-year-old brother to the classes to look after him, having previously focused on sports like rugby and football at school and fearing ridicule from peers for trying dance. Once persuaded to participate in a session, Waite discovered an immediate passion for , with his first experiences centering on Latin American styles that captivated him from the outset. What started as a supportive outing for his brother swiftly transformed from a lighthearted into a profound commitment, fueled by Waite's innate talent and his father's ongoing support for the lessons.

Training and Early Achievements

At the age of 10, Ian Waite enrolled in classes in , initially accompanying his younger brother but soon discovering his aptitude for the activity. His formal training began under the guidance of his stepmother, , who ran The County School of Dancing, where he developed foundational skills in and Latin American styles. Waite's early lessons emphasized technique and performance, transitioning from reluctant participation to dedicated practice as he competed in local events by age 11. By age 13, Waite had achieved recognition as a junior Latin American champion in national competitions, showcasing his emerging talent in styles like cha-cha and . He partnered with Melanie Walker from age 14, forming a duo that represented in international youth events and secured multiple junior awards, including victories in UK championships. Their collaboration highlighted Waite's precision in Latin American routines, earning them placements in European junior circuits. Waite's pinnacle youth achievement came in 1989 at age 18, when he and Walker won the European Youth Latin American Championship. This title, organized under the International Sport Federation, marked his breakthrough on the global stage and solidified his focus on Latin American dance before turning professional in 1997. Additional recognitions, such as medals in World Youth events, underscored his rapid ascent in the under-19 category.

Professional Competitive Career

Ian Waite turned in 1997, specializing in Latin American after a successful amateur career. His first major professional partnership was with Haas, lasting from 1997 to 2000; together, they achieved runners-up in the British Professional Rising Stars competition. Waite formed a partnership with Natalia Panina, lasting approximately four years (c. 1998–2002). During this time, the pair won the Dutch Professional Championship and advanced to the finals of both the World Showdance Championship and the European Professional Latin American Championship. They also contributed to Waite's overall international rankings, including a Ten Dance title. During this partnership, Waite lived in the for seven years, training under renowned choreographer Ruud Vermay. Waite's longest professional partnership began in 2003 with Camilla Dallerup, extending through 2007. This collaboration elevated his competitive profile, with notable placements such as semi-finalist in the 2004 and finalist in the European Professional Latin Championship. The duo achieved multiple high rankings in British Latin events and international competitions, solidifying Waite's reputation in the field. Around 2007, Waite retired from full-time competition to concentrate on teaching and media pursuits.

Television Career

Strictly Come Dancing

Ian Waite joined the BBC's as a professional dancer in series 2, which aired in 2004, specializing in Latin American styles and taking on the role of choreographer and trainer for his celebrity partners throughout his tenure until 2009. In this capacity, he designed routines tailored to each partner's strengths, emphasizing technique and performance flair to compete against other couples. In series 2, Waite partnered Olympic heptathlete , guiding her through the competition with a focus on building her confidence in and Latin dances. Their performances included a paso doble in week 6 that earned scores of 8, 9, 9, and 9 from the judges, totaling 35 points, and they advanced to the final, where their showdance to "Mambo Italiano" secured a runner-up position behind winners and Darren Bennett. Lewis and Waite's partnership highlighted Waite's ability to adapt choreography for an athletic background, resulting in consistent mid-to-high scores averaging around 32 points per dance. For series 3 in 2005, Waite was paired with television presenter Zoë Ball, with whom he reached the final and finished third overall. Their standout routine was a jive in the semi-final to "Trouble" by , scoring perfect 10s across the board for a total of 40, though they were eliminated in the final after dances including a that received 37 points. Ball and Waite's progress demonstrated Waite's training expertise, as they improved from an opening score of 35 to near-perfect marks in later weeks, behind winners Darren and . Waite's subsequent seasons saw varied outcomes with earlier eliminations. In series 4 (2006), partnering singer , they were eliminated in week 2 after a scoring 24 points, placing 13th out of 14 couples. Series 5 (2007) paired him with model Penny Lancaster-Stewart, who survived a dance-off in week 2 but was eliminated in week 6 with a total placement of 9th; their in week 5 earned 32 points, showcasing Waite's in highlighting Lancaster-Stewart's elegance. In series 6 (2008), Waite and fashion model reached week 10, finishing 6th after elimination following a scoring 31 points, with notable highs including a 35 for their American smooth. Series 7 in 2009 marked Waite's final year as a competing professional, partnering Olympic long jumper Jade Johnson, whose progress was hampered by a knee injury. They performed up to week 7, with a salsa in week 4 scoring 28 points, before Johnson withdrew on 21 November, unable to continue due to the injury sustained during training. Waite's emphasized Johnson's athleticism, adapting routines like a that scored 30 points in week 3. Following his time partnering celebrities, Waite transitioned to the professional dance troupe in series 8 (2010), contributing to group routines and opening numbers without a celebrity partner. He made occasional guest appearances in subsequent specials and tours, reprising elements of his earlier choreography, such as in the 2010 tour.

Dancing with the Stars

In 2023, Ian Waite made his debut on the Australian edition of Dancing with the Stars during its twentieth season, partnering with actress and comedian . The duo quickly garnered attention for their energetic performances, starting with a strong showing in the Latin-themed week where their Paso Doble earned 32 points and topped the leaderboard, praised for Gay's theatrical intensity and precise footwork. Throughout the competition, they tackled challenges like a that highlighted Gay's elegance, receiving commendations from judges for embodying the dance's romantic essence. Media outlets lauded their partnership as vibrant and chemistry-driven, with Gay describing Waite as "kind, patient, silly, and very tall" in posts that reflected their playful dynamic. In the semi-finals, their to a contemporary soundtrack secured a perfect score of 40—all 10s from the judges—with Sharna Burgess calling it "damn sexy" for its sultry execution and emotional depth. Despite advancing to the grand finale, they placed third overall with 36 points for their final routines, as singer claimed the Mirrorball Trophy. Waite's prior experience on the UK's Strictly Come Dancing provided essential preparation for the Australian format's rigorous rehearsals and live performances, though he noted subtle adaptations like the emphasis on contestant chemistry during pairings, akin to Strictly but with a more relaxed Australian vibe. The show's structure, featuring weekly themed dances and elimination based on judge scores plus public votes, mirrored Strictly but incorporated local cultural elements, such as inclusive themes that Waite appreciated for their progressiveness compared to earlier UK seasons. Challenges included adjusting to the Southern Hemisphere's pace and audience energy, but Waite adapted seamlessly, drawing on his competitive background to guide Gay through lifts and synchronization under tight schedules. Returning for the 2024 season (the twenty-first), Waite partnered with actress Lisa McCune, known for Blue Heelers, and they emerged as frontrunners from the outset. Their season opener, a "red hot tango," set a passionate tone, earning high marks for McCune's dramatic flair and Waite's precise leading. Key performances included a show-stopping contemporary routine themed around a jailbreak stunt, which faced minor technical hiccups but was celebrated for its storytelling and athleticism. Media reception highlighted their underdog journey, with outlets noting McCune's transformation from novice to confident dancer under Waite's mentorship. In the grand finale, their Old Hollywood-inspired freestyle clinched a perfect 40, securing the Mirrorball Trophy for McCune and marking Waite's first win as a professional—described by McCune as "unexpected" and a thrill for her partner. The victory underscored Waite's adaptation to the Australian show's inclusive environment, where he observed greater openness to diverse expressions in dance compared to his Strictly era, while maintaining his fitness regimen to meet the physical demands. In the 2025 season (the twenty-second), Waite partnered with actress Rebecca Gibney and they were eliminated third on 13 July 2025.

It Takes Two and Other Appearances

Ian Waite joined Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two in 2011 as a regular dance expert and analyst, providing insights into the main show's performances and offering predictions on contestant progress. His role involved breaking down choreography, critiquing techniques, and sharing behind-the-scenes perspectives drawn from his professional dance experience, appearing consistently through 2020 to engage audiences with detailed commentary on weekly routines. Beyond It Takes Two, Waite made guest appearances on other programs, including charity and holiday specials. In 2010, he partnered with Rochelle Wiseman from for a segment in the appeal, performing a routine to support the fundraiser. He also featured in Christmas specials, such as the 2012 edition where he offered behind-the-scenes analysis, and the 2013 holiday show partnering with for a festive performance. Following his regular stint on It Takes Two, Waite's contributions to Strictly-related programming became more sporadic after 2020. In 2025, he commented publicly on proposed format changes to the main show, advocating for an "all star" version to revive interest by featuring returning professional dancers and emphasizing the need to "shake up" the structure amid ongoing discussions about revitalizing the series. These insights highlighted his continued role as a knowledgeable commentator on the show's evolution.

Other Professional Engagements

Dance Tours and Productions

Following his prominence on Strictly Come Dancing, Ian Waite has engaged in several live performance tours and productions, often collaborating with fellow professional dancers to showcase and Latin routines. In 2018, Waite co-headlined a 60-date tour entitled An Audience With Ian Waite and , which began on 20 March and featured energetic performances inspired by global dance rhythms, including and cha-cha, alongside audience Q&A sessions. Waite has since participated in high-profile reunion productions with other Strictly alumni, emphasizing ensemble choreography and nostalgic tributes to their television legacy. In 2024, he joined , James Jordan, , , and others for the sell-out Legends of the Dance Floor tour, a brand-new live show featuring competitive-style dances, group numbers, and entertainment across multiple venues. The 2025 Return of the Legends tour, which ran from September to October with 37 dates across venues such as and , reunited Waite with , James Jordan, , and for a mix of competitive-style dances, group numbers, and light-hearted banter. Building on this success, the group announced a follow-up 30-date tour for 2026 titled The Legends in Vegas: After Hours, starting 3 October in and incorporating Las Vegas-themed glamour with high-energy show dances, elaborate costumes, and nods to iconic performers like . In addition to these tours, Waite performed in showcase events at Donahey's Weekends in 2025, including a three-day event at in Newport from 21-23 November, where he joined other Strictly for live demonstrations of Latin and styles. These productions have drawn large audiences, capitalizing on Waite's television exposure to deliver immersive live experiences.

Fitness Programs and Teaching

After retiring from competitive dancing in the mid-2000s, Ian Waite transitioned into a multifaceted teaching career, focusing on , fitness instruction, and to share his expertise with dancers of all levels. His post-competitive evolution emphasized accessible , drawing on his professional background to mentor aspiring dancers through structured classes and workshops, while expanding into innovative fitness formats that prioritize health and enjoyment over competition. In 2013, Waite co-created FitSteps, a dance-based fitness program blending elements of Latin and ballroom dancing from Strictly Come Dancing with aerobic exercises to deliver an energetic, partner-free workout suitable for all ages and abilities. Collaborating with fellow Strictly professional and Olympic swimmer Mark Foster, the program was designed to make dance accessible as a calorie-burning activity, incorporating routines inspired by dances like the cha-cha, jive, and . Launched amid growing interest in dance fitness, FitSteps quickly gained popularity, leading to widespread classes across the , instructional DVDs, and online resources that have sustained its appeal for over a decade, with instructors reporting diverse participant groups including those up to age 87. Waite actively teaches at regular dance weekends and workshops, including events organized by Donahey's in 2025, where he leads immersive sessions on and Latin styles for to advanced participants. These workshops, held at luxury resorts like Celtic Manor, provide hands-on instruction in a , allowing attendees to learn techniques directly from Waite in tailored group classes. He also conducts weekly in-person classes in , covering FitSteps and for all abilities, priced accessibly to encourage broad participation. Beyond group settings, Waite offers services for non-televised events, creating custom routines that adapt his competitive precision to corporate functions, weddings, and amateur productions. He provides private lessons, available through his official channels, focusing on personalized technique refinement in Latin American and disciplines to support individual progress. This hands-on approach underscores his commitment to nurturing the next generation of dancers outside the competitive spotlight.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Ian Waite married his long-term partner, airline pilot Drew Merriman, on 22 July 2017 in an intimate ceremony at the Sculpture Gallery of in , . The event featured an emotional exchange of vows accompanied by Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" and Adele's "Sweetest Devotion," with Waite escorted down the by his , Linda, and Merriman by his , . Their pet dog, Oliver, played a prominent role as the best dog, walking up the alongside Merriman's sisters, while nephews Lucas and Leonardo served as ring bearers. The wedding was attended by close family, including Merriman's sisters Harriet, Fliss, and Verity, as well as Waite's stepsister Anna, and drew a notable gathering of Waite's colleagues such as , , , and . Following the marriage, Waite and Merriman began their shared life together, incorporating Oliver as a central part of their family dynamic, often referring to the as a beloved companion in their household. The couple did not have children, and no public details indicate plans for parenthood during their union. In July 2024, after seven years of marriage, Waite and Merriman announced their amicable separation, citing differing outlooks on life and fundamental incompatibilities as the reasons for the split. Waite has expressed well-wishes for Merriman and his new partner, emphasizing that the decision was mutual and unrelated to external factors like the so-called "Strictly curse."

Residence and Interests

Ian Waite has resided in , , since reaching adulthood, with his home located on Lower Wokingham Road in the village. Beyond his professional commitments, Waite maintains an active involvement in local community initiatives, serving as a patron for Arts4Wokingham to support projects such as The Arc, which aims to enhance cultural spaces in the borough. He has also collaborated with to raise awareness about the need for foster carers, highlighting his commitment to local social causes. As an ambassador for the WellChild charity, Waite contributes to efforts supporting seriously ill children and their in the UK. His personal fitness routines emphasize dance-inspired activities, reflecting a balanced lifestyle that integrates and time alongside his career.

References

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