The glitterball is spinning once more as Strictly Come Dancing continues its twenty-third series, captivating audiences across the UK. While the celebrity contestants take centre stage, the show's incredible professional dancers are the backbone of the competition, choreographing stunning routines and guiding their partners week after week.
The Complete 2025 Professional Dancers Line-Up
The roster of professional dancers for this year's series features a blend of beloved familiar faces and fresh talent. The confirmed line-up includes: Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas, Vito Coppola, and the two new professionals, Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon.
A welcome return this series is Amy Dowden, who is back dancing after being forced to withdraw from the 2024 series due to a foot injury. She had been partnered with JB Gill but was hospitalised just before the Halloween episode, with Lauren Oakley stepping in to replace her.
New Faces on the Dancefloor
This autumn, two new dancers are making their Strictly debut. Alexis Warr, an American-born dancer, joins the show with an impressive pedigree. She is best known for winning the US series So You Think You Can Dance in 2022, where she was crowned ‘America’s Favourite Dancer’ and became the first female Ballroom and Latin specialist to claim the title.
Alexis is no stranger to televised dance, having performed as a guest professional and in the dance troupe on the American version of Strictly, Dancing With The Stars. She has also been a part of that show's US tour for the past three years and has appeared on America's Got Talent and World of Dance.
On her new role, Alexis said: “I’ve admired Strictly for years, so joining this incredible family is such an honour. I can’t wait to step into the ballroom, pour my heart into every moment, and share my love of dance with the UK.”
Hailing from Australia, Julian Caillon has been dancing since he was ten years old, specialising in Ballroom and Latin American and representing Australia internationally. He appeared as a professional dancer on three seasons of Australia’s Dancing With The Stars and has toured globally with the hit show Burn The Floor.
Alongside his dance career, Julian holds a degree in Exercise Physiology and has worked as a Personal Trainer and Exercise Physiologist. He is also a keen athlete, having already completed two triathlons in 2025.
Julian commented: “Joining the cast of Strictly really is a dream come true. I’ve watched it for years, especially cheering on all the amazing dancers I know and work with who've been part of it. I can’t wait to get stuck in, have some fun, and be part of something special!”
Partnerships and Professionals Without Partners
Both of the new dancers, Alexis and Julian, were lucky enough to be paired with a celebrity partner for series 23. However, not every professional in the line-up received a partner this year. The five professionals without a celebrity for this series are: Neil Jones, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Nancy Xu.
The current celebrity and professional pairings for the competition are as follows:
- Alex Kingston & Johannes Radebe
- Amber Davies & Nikita Kuzmin
- Balvinder Sopal & Julian Caillon
- George Clarke & Alexis Warr
- Harry Aikines-Aryeetey & Karen Hauer
- Karen Carney & Carlos Gu
- La Voix & Aljaž Škorjanec
- Lewis Cope & Katya Jones
- Vicky Pattison & Kai Widdrington
The competition is now in its seventh week, and the pressure is mounting in the ballroom. With no specific theme for this weekend, the couples have free rein to showcase their talents and fight for their place in the competition.
