DANCE HAUL
Dancing with the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing professional GLEB SAVCHENKO can dance rings round most people on the gym floor as well as in the ballroom. He tells us why he’s never happy with his body, and why he’d gladly pair up with a male contestant
Words Tim Heap
Gleb wears vest, by Fila, joggers, by Lonsdale at Sports Direct, socks, by Sockshop, trainers, by adidas
Photography Markus Bidaux Styling Nick Byam
Did you enjoy the most recent series of Dancing with the Stars which ended in May?
It was exciting because all the contestants were athletes, there were no actors or whatever. So, the standard was higher and everyone a little more competitive, and we started with two dances in week one, instead of week six.
How much pressure does that put on you as a choreographer?
A lot. But then again, it depends on who you dance with. If you have someone shit, then you’re really going to struggle to come up with something suitable for them. But if you have someone who’s really good, there’s still a lot of pressure. You want to have an underdog who’s going to improve towards the end of the show, who’s got a great story and a great personality that people are going to fall in love with. I always want someone young who’s willing to work hard and wants to win.
You did one series of Strictly a few years ago and got pretty far in the competition. Would you ever return to the show?