Slavik Kryklyvyy

Slavik Kryklyvyy (Vyacheslav Kryklyvyy, Ukrainian: Славік Крикливий, Вячеслав Крикливий) (born 1976 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union^[1]) is a professional ballroom dancer specializing in International Latin. Born and raised in Ukraine, he is currently residing in New York, USA.

He and Joanna Leunis were amateur world champions in International Latin. In 2000 the couple took first place in the IDSF World Amateur Championship, the British Open (Blackpool), the ARD Masters Gala (Germany), and the IDSF European Latin Championship.^[2]

After becoming a professional dancer, he won a number of competitions with various partners. His longest and therefore most successful partnership was with Karina Smirnoff, whom he split with in 2005.^[3]

Kryklyvyy and then partner Smirnoff were featured in the film Shall We Dance?. Slavik was credited as the current Blackpool partner of Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) and as dance instructor.^[4]

Following the partnership with Karina, he paired with Elena Khvorova. They won second place in the 2006 and 2007 World Championships.^[3]

He next had a short-lived partnership with Hanna Karttunen.^[3]

In 2009-2010, Slavik Kryklyvyy partnered with Anna Melnikova, then amateur Latin champion, representing Russia in the international arena. Slavik and Anna were guest competitors as Show Performers.^[5] The couple were the subject of a feature documentary "Ballroom Dancer", directed by Christian Holten Bonke & Andreas Koefoed.^[6]

In the fall of 2012 it was announced that Slavik would be dancing with Ekaterina Lapaeva, and their debut was announced to be at the UK Championships in January 2013.^[7] However, on November 22, Lapaeva announced that she was retiring from professional dancesport.^[8]

In April 2014, Kryklyvyy reunited with former partner Karina Smirnoff to perform in Dance Legends.^[9]

References