Pavel "Pasha" Kovalev is a Russian professional Latin and ballroom dancer.
31 Facts About Pasha Kovalev
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Between 2011 and 2012 Pasha Kovalev moved to the United Kingdom to take part in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer.
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Pasha Kovalev announced that it was his final series on the show as he had decided to "go to the west end" after " 7 series ".
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Garnis made it to the Top 12 stage, whereas Pasha Kovalev made it all the way to the Semi-Finals.
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On Season 4, Pasha Kovalev assisted Mia Michaels on a Contemporary routine, and he and his partner Anya Garnis choreographed a Cha-Cha routine performed by Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian.
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Pasha Kovalev was announced as an "All-Star" for both Season 7 and Season 8 of the show, performing all the Latin and Ballroom dances with the female contestants, including winners Lauren Froderman and Melanie Moore.
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Finally, on 16 July 2014, Pasha Kovalev returned with Garnis to choreograph a new Jive routine for contestants Bridget Whitman and Emilio Dosal during Season 11.
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In September 2011, Pasha Kovalev joined BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as the new professional dancer of its ninth series, replacing Jared Murillo who had left after only one series with the BBC programme.
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Pasha Kovalev has since reached the finals three out of five series, finishing runner-up on his first and second series, and winning on his fourth.
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Pasha Kovalev was the second Strictly professional dancer to reach the finals four times as the winner of Series 12 and the runner-up of Series 9, Series 10 and Series 16.
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Flack and Pasha Kovalev were the first to receive a perfect score for all three of their dances in the final.
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Pasha Kovalev holds the record for most perfect scores, with a total of 13.
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Pasha Kovalev has received the highest score in the history of Strictly Come Dancing for nine of the show's eighteen dance styles - eight of which except for the Rumba achieved perfect scores - and was the first Strictly professional dancer to receive a perfect score for the Paso Doble and for the Tango.
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For series fourteen Pasha Kovalev was partnered with BBC news presenter Naga Munchetty.
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For series fifteen Pasha Kovalev was paired with British actress Chizzy Akudolu.
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For Series 16, Pasha Kovalev was partnered with former The Pussycat Dolls singer, Ashley Roberts.
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On 4 January 2013, Pasha Kovalev guest starred in the music video of "One Day I'll Fly Away", the lead single of Centre Stage, his series 10 partner Kimberley Walsh's first solo album.
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On 18 November 2011, Pasha Kovalev took part in a Strictly BBC Newsreaders programme benefiting Children in Need, where he partnered with newsreader Emily Maitlis for a group dance.
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In 2016, Pasha Kovalev was partnered with Olympic champion rower Helen Glover for the Strictly Come Dancing Children in Need Strictly Special, taking place on 18 November.
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In 2014, during a Paralympian special for Sport Relief 2014, Pasha Kovalev was partnered with Paralympic gold medalist Hannah Cockroft.
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In December 2013, Pasha Kovalev was partnered with West End star Elaine Paige during the 2013 Strictly Christmas Special.
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Pasha Kovalev was partnered with television and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon, who finished in third place in the sixth series of the show.
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Pasha Kovalev was partnered with New Zealand writer and actress Pamela Stephenson, and danced the Cha-Cha to "Jump" from the "Love Actually" soundtrack.
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Pasha Kovalev was partnered with ex-partner and Series 10 runner-up Kimberley Walsh and danced the Jive to "Run Rudolph Run".
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Pasha Kovalev left the show in the summer of 2011 to join the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.
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Pasha Kovalev started dating his former Strictly partner Rachel Riley in 2013, and the couple now live together.
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In May 2019, Riley and Pasha Kovalev announced via social media that they were expecting their first child in December.
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In 2007, Pasha Kovalev headlined the So You Think You Can Dance Season 3 Live Tour, along with the other Top 10 contestants, visiting 50 cities in the United States.
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Pasha Kovalev didn't take part in the 2014 Tour with partner Rachel Riley, and the following year, he opted to focus on his own tour, with Tristan MacManus stepping in to partner with the late Caroline Flack during the 2015 Tour.
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Pasha Kovalev formed a new professional partnership with fellow Strictly professional Katya Virshilas.
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Pasha Kovalev announced his 2016 It's All About You tour, including 74 shows from 18 March to 12 June.