Nationality English Years active 1983 - Siblings Kevin Clifton | Name Joanne Clifton Role Professional dancer | |
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Full Name Joanne Kirsty Clifton Born 24 October 1983 (age 41) ( 1983-10-24 ) Waltham, Lincolnshire Occupation Dancer, presenter, model, actress, singer Parents Keith Clifton, Judy Clifton Similar People Kevin Clifton, Karen Clifton, Natalie Lowe, Kristina Rihanoff, Aliona Vilani Profiles | ||
Paolo bosco joanne clifton ita show dance
Joanne Kirsty Clifton (born 24 October 1983), also known as Jo, is a British professional dancer, presenter, actress, singer. born in Waltham, Lincolnshire. She won the World Ballroom Showdance Championship in 2013 and also won the European Professional Ballroom Championship and World Dancesport Games. She has been a professional dancer on the BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing since 2014, winning the Christmas Special in 2015 with Harry Judd who was series 9 champion and the fourteenth series in 2016 with Ore Oduba. Also appearing as an expert presenter on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two in 2015.
Contents
- Paolo bosco joanne clifton ita show dance
- Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton Jive to Runaway Baby Strictly Come Dancing 2016 Week 4
- Dancing career
- Strictly Come Dancing
- Strictly Come Dancing performances
- Personal life
- References
She is also an actress and singer, and recently played the title role of Millie Dillmount in the UK tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2017.
Joanne is currently playing the lead role of Alex Owens in the UK Tour of Flashdance the Musical.
Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton Jive to 'Runaway Baby' - Strictly Come Dancing 2016: Week 4
Dancing career
Clifton started dancing ballroom and Latin as a child in her home village of Waltham, taught by her parents, former World number ones Keith and Judy Clifton. She competed nationally and internationally as a child, initially partnering her brother Kevin. Later, she chose to specialise in ballroom so as not to directly compete against her brother. She has competed in both ballroom and Latin since the age of 4 and has been a British Champion five times, Italian Champion three times, Professional Ballroom European Champion in 2012 and Professional World Dancesport Games Champion in 2013.
In 2000, Clifton moved to Bologna, Italy, to train with Team Diablo, the biggest dance school in Europe. She was initially partnered with Marco Cavallaro, reaching sixth in the world in amateur rankings with him. She moved to professional competition when she was chosen to partner Paolo Bosco in 2011. In 2013, they were amongst ten other professional dancing couples to be invited to perform at the Kremlin. She and her partner became champions of the World Dancesport Games in Taiwan in 2013 and won the World Professional Ballroom Showdance Championships in Merano, Italy, later that year. Clifton danced with Bosco competitively until his retirement on 15 December 2013. She retired from competitive dancing on 19 December 2013.
From April to May 2014, she joined her brother as a dancer in the Burn the Floor Dance Company, performing in the show’s tour of Australia and Japan.
In 2015, Clifton appeared in her first musical production, Face the Music at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre, playing Street Walker for which she received an Offie nomination for her role. In 2016, she appeared in Norma Jean The Musical, playing the title character, Marilyn Monroe.
In early 2017, Joanne appeared as the lead role of Millie Dillmount, in the UK Tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. It has also been revealed that Joanne is soon to play the lead role of Alex Owens in the UK Tour of Flashdance the Musical.
Strictly Come Dancing
In 2014, Clifton was confirmed as a professional dancer on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with the DJ Scott Mills. They made it through to week six but were eliminated in the Halloween show. On 6 November 2014, Clifton appeared on BBC Radio 1's Innuendo Bingo. Clifton remained part of the professional line up for the following series but was not given a partner for the main show. She did, however, compete in the Children in Need special with the actor Stephen McGann and went on to win the Christmas Special with the series 9 winner Harry Judd. Clifton returned full-time to the main show for the fourteenth series and was paired with the TV presenter Ore Oduba. On December 17 they were crowned the winners giving her, her first win of the main series.
It was announced on June 21 that Joanne was to leave Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer after 3 years, due to wanting to progress in her musical theatre career.
Strictly Come Dancing performances
Series 12 with Scott Mills
*In week three Guest Judge Donny Osmond gave Scott and Joanne 7 extra points
Series 14 with Ore Oduba
Personal life
Clifton grew up in the small North East Lincolnshire village of Waltham with her older brother, Kevin Clifton, mother, Judy Clifton and father Keith Clifton. She attended East Ravendale Primary School and Caistor Grammar School.