Strictly Come Dancing has announced Latin dancer Nancy Xu will join the line-up of professionals for this year’s show.
Originally from China, Xu was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance in her home country, and performed in hit West End and Broadway show Burn The Floor.
A specialist in Latin, she was a finalist in the U21 World Championships in 2010, took third place in the 2010-2012 CBDF National Amateur Latin Championships and was a runner-up at the 2013 International Singapore Championships.
We’ve got a new #Strictly pro-dancer. Meet Nancy Xu! 💃🏻👉 https://t.co/MZDyOwbG4K. Happy Birthday Nancy and welcome to the show! pic.twitter.com/RJW7zD7Y3A
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) July 30, 2019
The dancer, who turns 28 today, said: “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!”
She will join returning professionals AJ Pritchard, Aljaz Skorjanec, Amy Dowden, Anton du Beke, Dianne Buswell, Giovanni Pernice, Gorka Marquez, Graziano Di Prima, Janette Manrara, Johannes Radebe, Karen Clifton, Katya Jones, Kevin Clifton, Luba Mushtuk, Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones and Oti Mabuse.
Pasha Kovalev, who won the show with Caroline Flack in 2014, announced earlier this year he would not be returning.
It was announced last week that Mabuse’s sister Motsi will join the judging panel when the show returns in the autumn.
She will replace departing judge Dame Darcey Bussell.