Kristina Rihanoff

Kristina Rihanoff (Кристина Пшеничных,: Kristina Pshenichnykh; born 22 September 1977) is a world finalist professional ballroom dancer, instructor, choreographer and author.

She has a degree in Tourism and Hospitality; after finishing public school she studied with St Petersburg Branch of Modern Humanitarian Academy which has several colleges around Russia including Vladivostok.

The daughter of two engineers, Rihanoff was born and grew up in Vladivostok, Russia, and started taking dance lessons from aged 5.

Her parents divorced when she was aged 12, during the time when the breakup of the Soviet Union was occurring.

Living with her mother, aged 15 she became a part-time dance instructor to help the household budget, earning in a day what her professionally educated mother could earn in a month.

Aged 21, she was asked to become an instructor to Russian dancers based in the United States.

She also undertook displays and instructed on dance classes in the evenings.

She developed her career over the next few years through a combination of teaching and performing, in the United States as well as choreographing shows in China, Hong Kong and Japan.

Continuing her professional dance career, she gained 1st place in the South African International Latin Championship (2005–2006), 2nd in the US National American Rhythm Finals (2003–2005), 2nd in the Open to the World, Mambo Championship (2003–2004), and was a semi-finalist at the Open to the World, Blackpool Dance Festival in 2007.

Rihanoff competed as a professional dancer in the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008.

She was partnered up with political broadcaster and author John Sergeant.

On 19 November 2008, Sergeant announced that he would be withdrawing from the series, leaving them in seventh place.

Rihanoff returned in 2009 to compete for the show's seventh series, in which she was partnered with professional boxer Joe Calzaghe.

The couple were eliminated on week five of the competition, landing in eleventh place.

Rihanoff has been taken part in the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour from 2009 to 2015.

In 2009 she performed with fellow professional dancer, Matthew Cutler and filled in for Lilia Kopylova at one show, partnering Julian Clary.On the Strictly 2010 tour, Rihanoff was partnered with Series 4 Champion Mark Ramprakash.

They danced the Salsa and the Argentine Tango.

Rihanoff returned to compete for the show's eighth series in 2010, in which she was partnered with musician and DJ Goldie.

The couple were eliminated on week two from the competition, landing in fourteenth place.

Later in the year, she took part in and won the show's Christmas Special, partnering actor John Barrowman.

After being partnered with American professional Brian Fortuna, she has performed in the UK with Robin Windsor since 2011.

On 15 June 2011, Rihanoff was announced as one of the professional dancers for the show's ninth series.

She was partnered with Australian actor and singer Jason Donovan.

The couple reached the final of the competition, and finished in third place.

Rihanoff returned to compete in the show's tenth series, partnering actor Colin Salmon.

The couple were eliminated on the fifth week of the competition, landing in eleventh place.

On the Strictly 2011 tour, Rihanoff was partnered with actor Jimi Mistry, they danced the Foxtrot and Paso Doble.

In 2012, 2014 and 2015 Rihanoff reunited with her dance partners from the television series, Jason Donovan, Ben Cohen and Simon Webbe, respectively.

In 2012 Rihanoff and Robin Windsor joined fellow professional Artem Chigvintsev and former Strictly contestant Kara Tointon for the first 'Dance to the Music Tour'.

Rihanoff and Calzaghe subsequently began a relationship, which lasted until 2013.

In 2013 (series 11), she was partnered with former England rugby player Ben Cohen.

The couple were eliminated in the ninth week of the competition, finishing in eighth place.

In 2014, Rihanoff returned to compete in the show's twelfth series.

She was partnered with Blue singer Simon Webbe.

The couple reached the final of the competition, and finished as one of the runners-up.

In 2015, she competed in the show's thirteenth series, partnering with Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell.

They became the third couple to be eliminated from the competition, leaving in thirteenth place.

1 Jennifer Grey temporarily replaced Goodman as a judge for week 6.

1 Donny Osmond appeared as a guest judge for week 3.

Rhianoff and Webbe went on to win the overall tour in 2015.