WALTZING ON
Who is Nancy Xu and when was the professional Strictly dancer and Shayne Ward eliminated off show?
Find out which dancer she is dating
IT'S FAIR to say Nancy Xu has become a fan favourite on Strictly Come Dancing.
For the 2024 series, the Latin dance pro was partnered with Shayne Ward and they enjoyed a long run on the show.
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Born on July 30, 1991, in China, Nancy Xu is a pro dancer and Strictly Come Dancing star who specialises in Latin dance.
She is no stranger to appearing in a hit TV series, as she was on the Chinese version of So You Think You Can Dance?.
Nancy also took to the stage in the Broadway and West End versions of Burn The Floor.
What’s more, she has numerous titles to her name including runner-up at the 2013 International Singapore Championships, third place in the 2010-2012 CBDF National Amateur Latin Championships and a finalist in the U21 World Championships in 2010.
Becoming a Strictly star
The professional dancer got her big break on Strictly in 2019.
It followed news that pro-dancer Pasha Kovalev had quit the show.
Speaking about landing the job, she said at the time: “I'm thrilled and excited! I cannot wait to start this new journey with all these amazing people and share the magic together.
"Thank you so much Strictly for one of the most beautiful birthday gifts ever, thank you for making my dream come true!”
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Nancy's Strictly journey
Nancy was not paired with a celebrity during her fist two seasons on the show.
Her first partner was Rhys Stephenson in 2021.
Les Dennis eliminated after tense dance-off with Nikita Kanda
This was followed by Well Mellor in 2022, and Les Dennis in 2023.
In 2024, Nancy was paired with X Factor winner Shayne Ward.
Together they had an impressive run on the show and made it to week eight before losing his place.
Speaking about his time on the show with Nancy, Shayne said: “I'm proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer."
A massive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go.
Nancy has also won the Christmas special of Strictly with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick in 2023.
In 2019, she danced with EastEnders actor Rudolph Walker for Children in Need.
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Nancy's man
Nancy is in a long-term relationship Mikee Introna Michele.
He is an Italian performer, who also appeared in Burn The Floor.
Mikee features heavily on Nancy’s Instagram page, with the two often seen kissing and cuddling in snaps.
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