Robin Windsor

Robin Windsor
Born Robin Windsor
15 September 1979
Ipswich, Suffolk
Occupation Dancer
Television Strictly Come Dancing (2010-14)
Partner(s) Marcus Collins (2014- )
Website
http://www.robinwindsor.com

Robin Windsor (born 15 September 1979), is a British professional Latin and Ballroom dancer, best known for his appearances in the BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing.


Personal life

Windsor was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, and grew up in the Spring Road area. He attended Clifford Road Primary and Copleston High School. He has been dancing since he was three, when his parents took him to the Ipswich School of Dancing.[1] At age 15, Windsor moved to London to pursue his career as a dancer.[2] Windsor lived in London with his partner Davide Cini, to whom he had announced his agement on 21 August 2013.[3] The relationship ended shortly after and in February 2014, it was confirmed that he was in a relationship with X Factor runner-up Marcus Collins.[4]In January 2013 Robin was on the Cover of The Gay Times & again in 2014 with Marcus Collins [5]

Competitive career

Robin’s dance genesis was initiated by his parents when at the age of three they enrolled him in a local dance school in Ipswich, a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England. From the very beginning, Robin studied both Ballroom and Latin dance eventually competing in those disciplines at the highest levels. His skills eventually led him to represent England, amassing numerous World Championships, both on the domestic and international level. Windsor competed successfully in the juvenile and junior ballroom dancer categories. He represented England in the World Championships. [6]

Professional Partnership

In 2010 Robins first season of Strictly Come Dancing Kristina Rihanoff became his Professional Partner [7] Robin and Kristina have performed Solo Routines on Strictly Come Dancing and have also taken their partnership off the Strictly Dance Floor, with them both headlining Burn The Floor in Londons West End in 2013. The Partnership has taken them all over the World, from Charity events to Strictly Cruise Ship events, they have performed in the South African version of Strictly dancing and teaching large groups at this special event.

Dance Shows

Summer 2015 sees Robin and Kristina in the hugely successful Touring Theatre Production of 'Puttin' On The Ritz' Starring Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor from the hit BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing Featuring the most famous song and dance moments of the last 50 years of the golden age of Hollywood, recreated live on stage. Puttin on The Ritz takes the audience on a wonderful song and dance journey and features music from George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and more with a cast of award-winning singers and dancers. [8]

Robin and Kristina will also be taking part in Dance Weekends around the county [9] Dancing with The Stars Weekend Friday 10th – Sunday 12th July 2015 Beaumont Estate Hotel, Old Windsor, Berkshire.

Dance Lessons

Robin has started his own branded Dance Lessons with Beginners Ballroom in March 2015 with a Music Hall feel at Cecil Sharp House in London [10] and Same Sex Ballroom Lessons in a Music Hall Setting starting at The Wilton Music Hall, London in April 2015 [11]

Theatre

From 2003 to summer 2010, Windsor was part of the cast of Burn the Floor,[12] one of the leading ballroom based shows in the world. Two tours with Burn the Floor (2003, 2004) and three with FloorPlay (2006 to 2008) took him several times around the world, leading up to the highlights being a stint on Broadway (2009) and in the London West End (2010). In Windsor's last season with Burn the Floor in London, he was engaged in the role of Swing having to learn all male dancers' parts, to step in for any one who was unable to perform. From Broadway Robin’s abilities took him to Dancing with the Stars Australia and So You Think You Can Dance in Holland. He was also asked to assist in the choreography for the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance. In 2012 Robin starred in Dance To The Music Tour along with his professional partner Kristina Rihanoff, fellow Pro Dancer from Strictly Come Dancing Artem Chigvintsev and Kara Tointon who won the Strictly Glitter Ball in 2010. With music from the Strictly Come Dancing Band the show toured the UK in a successful run. In 2013 from 6 March to 30 June 2013 Robin returned to headline Burn The Floor along with his Professional Partner Kristina Rihanoff, a hugely successful run in the heart of London's West End at The Shaftesbury Theatre. [13]

Charity

Together with fellow SCD dancer Artem Chigvintsev, Windsor posed for the Cosmopolitan December 2010 Centerfold Raising Awareness for Male Cancer.[14] In January 2011 he took part in the Greater Manchester Police's campaign against Domestic Violence,[15] together with the cast of the SCD Tour 2011. Robin supports The Stonewall Charity campaigning for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Equality [16] Robin supports The Mad Trust with it's West End Bares charity event seeing the Theatre Community coming together to raise money for HIV Charity, Robin hosted the auction in 2013 ending up completely naked on stage. [17] Robin and Kristina took part in Eva Longorias Global Gift Foundation in London in 2013 [18]

Strictly Come Dancing

Series 8

In September 2010, Windsor joined the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as one of the three new male professional dancers.[19] For his first year Robin was partnered with actress Patsy Kensit. Robin’s professional partner is Kristina Rihanoff. Both have performed for many celebrities including Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart and Katherine Jenkins. His first series (Series 8), with his Celebrity partner Patsy Kensit, he reached the seven place.

Week # Dance/song Judges' scores Result
Horwood Goodman Dixon Tonioli Total
1 Waltz / When I Need You – Leo Sayer 4 6 6 6 22 N/A
2 Salsa / Canned Heat – Jamiroquai 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
3 Quickstep / Black Horse and the Cherry Tree – KT Tunstall 5 6 7 6 24 Safe
4 Charleston / "Hot Honey Rag" – Chicago 6 8 7 7 28 Safe
5 Jive / Monster Mash – Bobby "Boris" Pickett 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
6 Cha-Cha-Cha / All the Lovers – Kylie Minogue 6 8 7 8 29 Safe
7 Viennese Waltz / Anyone Who Had a Heart – Dionne Warwick 7 9 8 8 32 Safe
8 Samba / Copacabana – Barry Manilow 6 7 8 7 28 Bottom Two
9 Argentine Tango /They – Jem 7 8 8 7 30 Eliminated

On 17 December 2010, Windsor won the Grand Piano Pro Challenge on Strictly Come Dancing's sister programme It Takes Two with 3548 points in front of Brendan Cole (1907) and Natalie Lowe (1091).[20]

Windsor and Kensit also took part in the Strictly Come Dancing pro/celeb tour in January and February 2011 dancing the Salsa and the Viennese Waltz reaching respectable scores of between 60 and 53 out of 60 (including a few 10s for their Viennese Waltz towards the end of the tour).[21]

After the end of the tour, Windsor started a series of performances with his new professional partner Kristina Rihanoff.

Series 9

On 15 June 2011 the BBC announced that Windsor would again be competing in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Dancing.[22] In the launch show for Strictly Come Dancing Series 9 on 10 September 2011, Windsor was paired with actress Anita Dobson,[23] with the couple being named "Team Dobbin" by Robin Windsor on Twitter.[24] They were eliminated on 27 November 2011 after Windsor had been unable to dance for a week due to an injury. Dobson therefore rehearsed and danced the Cha Cha Cha and the Swingathon with Brendan Cole[25] Windsor also won this year's Children in need special and was partnered with BBC Breakfast's Susanna Reid.

Week # Dance/song Judges' scores Result
Horwood Goodman Dixon Tonioli Total
1 Waltz / Three Times a Lady—Commodores 7 7 7 7 28 N/A
2 Salsa / Jump in the Line—Harry Belafonte 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
3 Jive / You Can't Stop the Beat—from Hairspray 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
4 American Smooth / I've Got You Under My Skin—Frank Sinatra 8 8 8 8 32 Safe
5 Tango / Devil Woman—Cliff Richard 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
6 Charleston / I Got Rhythm—George Gershwin 7 8* 8 8 31 Safe
7 Argentine Tango / Tango—from Cirque du Soleil 7 9 8 9 33 Bottom Two
8 Samba / Come on Eileen—Dexys Midnight Runners 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
9 Cha Cha Cha /Uptown Girl—Billy Joel 7 8 7 8 30 Eliminated
Swing Marathon/Chattanooga Choo Choo 2 out of 7

Series 10

In June 2012, it was announced that Windsor would return to be a professional dancer for the third time.This time, he was paired with actress and presenter Lisa Riley. Robin enjoyed his most successful series of Strictly to date in 2012 when he reached the semi-final dancing with actress Lisa Riley. The pair were the people’s favourite and wowed audiences in the UK as part of the Strictly Come Dancing live tour in 2013.

Week # Dance/song Judges' scores Result
Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli Total
1 Cha-Cha-Cha / Think—Aretha Franklin 8 8 7 7 30 N/A
2 Viennese Waltz / Never Tear Us Apart—Paloma Faith 7 6 6 6 25 Safe
3 Jive / Hanky Panky—from Dick Tracy 8 6 7 8 29 Safe
4 Charleston / "Witch Doctor" 6 6 7 7 26 Safe
5 Tango / "Let's Stick Together" 7 7 6 7 27 Safe
6 Foxtrot / "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" 8 8 8 8 32 Safe
7 Samba / "Car Wash" 8 8 8 8 32 Safe
8 Rumba / "As If We Never Said Goodbye" 7 6 7 7 27 Safe
9 Quickstep / "Bring Me Sunshine" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
10 Cha Cha Cha & Tango Fusion / "Voulez-Vous" 7 8 7 8 30 Safe
11 American Smooth / "All That Jazz"
Salsa / "Best Years of Our Lives"		 8
7		 8
8		 8
8		 8
8		 63 Eliminated

Series 11

In June 2013, Windsor confirmed his return as one of the male professional dancers for the eleventh series of the show. His celebrity partner was Dragon's Den panellist, businesswoman and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden. The couple were eliminated in week 5. The pair went on to compete in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour.

Week # Dance/song Judges' scores Result
Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli Total
1 Tango / Money, Money, Money—ABBA 6 6 6 6 24 N/A
2 Cha-Cha-Cha / Respect—Aretha Franklin 5 7 6 6 24 Safe
3 Quickstep / (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher—Jackie Wilson 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
4 Jive / Making Your Mind Up—Bucks Fizz 5 6 6 6 23 Safe
5 Viennese Waltz / "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" 6 7 7 7 27 Eliminated

Series 12

Windsor could not participate as a partner in Series 12 because of a back injury and had surgery on his back and was replaced by Trent Whiddon. But he did appear in week nine, on 23 November 2014, in the opening professional sequence, as a policeman, dancing to "Rock This Town" by the Stray Cats.

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "'Strictly Come Dancing's Robin Windsor engaged to boyfriend – Strictly Come Dancing News – Reality TV". Digital Spy. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Strictly and X Factor Stars Dating". MSN. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.robinwindsor.com/gallery/gay-times-magazine-january-2013
  6. ↑ http://www.robinwindsor.com/about
  7. ↑ http://www.officialkristinarihanoff.com/images/k-r-journey/k-r-journey-60.jpg
  8. ↑ http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/puttin-on-the-ritz
  9. ↑ http://www.donaheys.co.uk/events/dancing-with-the-stars-weekend-beaumont-estate-2014/
  10. ↑ http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/167365
  11. ↑ http://wiltons.org.uk/event.php?p=978
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ http://www.robinwindsor.com/news/robin-returns-to-burn-the-floor-in-2013
  14. ↑ "HOT NAKED PICTURE! Kara Tointon's Strictly Come Dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev goes nude – now". Nowmagazine.co.uk. 18 December 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  15. ↑ "Strictly Valentine | Flickr – Photo Sharing!". Flickr. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  16. ↑ http://www.stonewall.org.uk
  17. ↑ https://www.madtrust.org.uk/news-west-end-bares-2013.php
  18. ↑ http://globalgiftfoundation.org/gala/london/past/
  19. ↑ "BBC One – Strictly Come Dancing – Robin Windsor". Bbc.co.uk. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Piano (i-t-t- 55) Nat-alie Bren-dan Rob-in 2010". YouTube. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "SCD Tour 2011 Scores and Results – Strictly Come Dancing – Digital Spy Forums". Digitalspy.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Press Office – New professional dancer joins Strictly Come Dancing 2011". BBC. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  23. ↑ Anita Dobson. "Strictly Come Dancing 2011 – Celebrities – Anita Dobson". BBC. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  24. ↑ "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  25. ↑ BBC Strictly Nora. "Strictly Come Dancing: Brendan comes to the rescue again!". BBC. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  26. ↑ BBC Strictly Nora. "Strictly Come Dancing: Jennifer Grey joins the judges on Strictly". BBC. Retrieved 22 June 2012.