Katya Jones

Katya Jones (born Ekaterina Andreevna Sokolova; Russian: Екатерина Андреевна Соколова; 12 May 1989)[1] is a Russian dancer and choreographer.[2] She is best known for being a professional dancer on the competition show Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2017 with dance partner Joe McFadden. In the 2020 season, Jones was paired with retired professional and Olympic champion boxer Nicola Adams OBE. They became the first same-sex couple to compete in the history of the UK Strictly Come Dancing competition format.[2]

Katya Jones
Born
Ekaterina Andreevna Sokolova

(1989-05-12) 12 May 1989
Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
NationalityRussian
OccupationDancer, choreographer
Spouse(s)Neil Jones (m. 2013-2019)

Early life

She was born in Sestroretsk, near Leningrad, Soviet Union and started dancing at the age of six, training in gymnastics as well as Ballroom and Latin-American dancing.[3] Her father is a senior oil company executive and her ethnic Korean mother is a graduate in engineering.[4]

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2016, Jones became a professional in the BBC ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing for its fourteenth series.[5] Jones was partnered with former Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls. For the fifteenth series, Jones partnered Holby City actor Joe McFadden and the couple were the series winners.[6] For the sixteenth series Jones partnered comedian Seann Walsh. For the seventeenth series, she was partnered with BBC Sports presenter, Mike Bushell. For the eighteenth series, she became part of the show's first same-sex couple, with professional boxer Nicola Adams. The couple withdrew from the competition on 12 November, after Jones tested positive for COVID-19.

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance
Dance Partner Highest Partner Lowest
American Smooth Joe McFadden 35 Mike Bushell 14
Argentine Tango Joe McFadden 35
Cha-Cha-Cha Ed Balls 26 Mike Bushell 18
Charleston Joe McFadden 40 Ed Balls 23
Couple's Choice Nicola Adams 32
Foxtrot Joe McFadden 32
Jive Joe McFadden 29 Seann Walsh 15
Paso Doble Joe McFadden 35 Ed Balls 16
Quickstep Joe McFadden 38 Seann Walsh 24
Rumba Joe McFadden 33
Salsa Joe McFadden 34 Ed Balls 25
Samba Joe McFadden 37 Mike Bushell 21
Showdance Joe McFadden 39
Something-athon Joe McFadden 6 Ed Balls 1
Tango Mike Bushell 26 Seann Walsh 18
Viennese Waltz Joe McFadden 39 Seann Walsh 20
Waltz Ed Balls 21
Series Partner Place Average score
14 Ed Balls 6th 22.6
15 Joe McFadden 1st 33.8
16 Seann Walsh 11th 22.5
17 Mike Bushell 8th 23.5
18 Nicola Adams 10th 28.3

Performances with Ed Balls

She partnered politician Ed Balls for the fourteenth season of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Ed & Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Performances with Joe McFadden

She partnered Scottish actor Joe McFadden for the fifthteenth season of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Green number indicates Joe & Katya were at the top of the leaderboard.

Performances with Seann Walsh

She partnered comedian and actor Seann Walsh for the sixteenth season of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Seann & Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
^A Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for Tonioli

Performances with Mike Bushell

She partnered television presenter Mike Bushell for the seventeenth season of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Mike & Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
^A Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for Tonioli

Performances with Nicola Adams

She partnered boxer Nicola Adams for the eighteenth season of Strictly Come Dancing. The couple had to leave the competition after week 3 after Katya tested positive for COVID-19.

Tour

Katya took part in the national Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour in 2017.[7]

In 2020 it was announced Katya would be appearing with Neil Jones at Donahey's Dancing with The Stars Weekends in 2021.[8]

Stage Performances

Jones starred in dance show 'Somnium: A Dancer's Dream[9]', directed and choreographed by Neil Jones. The show was performed from the 20th-22nd of June 2019 at Sadler's Wells Theatre.

Personal life

Jones married her boyfriend of five years, Neil Jones, a dancer and fellow cast member of Strictly Come Dancing, on 3 August 2013.[10] In October 2018 a video and photos of Jones kissing her celebrity Strictly partner Seann Walsh were published.[11] On 18 August 2019 Jones and her husband announced that they had separated.[12]

References
  1. "BBC One - Strictly Com Dancing - Katya Jones". BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  2. "Katya Jones & Neil Jones - BBC Strictly Come Dancing Pro Dancers - Donaheys 5* Weekend Breaks". www.donaheys.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  3. "2016 Strictly Professional Dancer line up revealed!". 28 June 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  4. Katya Jones: the 'fierce' ambition behind Team Glitterballs The Guardian, 18 November 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  5. "Strictly Come Dancing celebrities at red carpet launch". BBC News. 2016-08-31. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  6. Westbrook, Caroline (16 December 2017). "The Strictly Come Dancing 2017 winner has been crowned". Metro. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. Laws, Roz (19 January 2017). "First look at Strictly tour and what they're dancing". birminghammail. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. "4* Weekend Break featuring the stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". www.donaheys.co.uk. December 2015. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  9. Avenue, Sadler's Wells Rosebery; London; EC1R. "Somnium: A Dancer's Dream - Sadler's Wells Theatre". www.sadlerswells.com. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  10. Davies, Alex (12 September 2016). "Katya Jones and Neil Jones relationship: Strictly dancers discuss baby plans". OK!. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  11. "Ex-girlfriend of Strictly Come Dancing star Seann Walsh says she is 'no victim'". Sky News. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  12. "Strictly Come Dancing's Neil and Katya Jones announce split". BBC. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
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