Ian Waite
| Ian Waite | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 29, 1971 Reading, Berkshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer |
| Known for |
Strictly Come Dancing (2005–09) Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two (2010–) |
Ian Waite (born 29 January 1971) is a professional dancer specialising in Latin American dance, a teacher and choreographer.
Waite was born in Reading, Berkshire. 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.
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. 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.
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