Katya Virshilas
Encyclopedia
Katya Virshilas is a Lithuanian-Canadian dancer and actress.
to a Jewish family. She subsequently moved to Israel
at age six, and to Vancouver, Canada at thirteen.
She was a Vancouver British Columbia Dancesport Champion four times, from 1998 to 2002. In 2001, she and her partner won the Canadian Latin Dance Championship. Virshilas has appeared in the Hollywood films Shall We Dance?
(2004), Take the Lead
and John Tucker Must Die
(both 2006), and in the television shows Smallville
, Supernatural
, and others.
Based in the United Kingdom
from the start of her appearances in the BBC
's Strictly Come Dancing series, she has since 2009 been professionally partnered with Danish dancer Klaus Kongsdal. The couple announced their engagement in January 2011.
(2009) of Strictly Come Dancing
partnering cricket
er Phil Tufnell
. They were knocked out of the competition in week 9. Their scores were as follows (all out of a possible 40 marks):
On that week, they were in the bottom two couples after a combination of the judges' points allocation and the audience's votes, alongside Ricky Groves
and Erin Boag
but were not saved by the judges.
Virshilas returned for the eighth series
of the dancing show in autumn 2010 and was partnered by Gavin Henson
. In week 1 they scored 28 (their highest so far) and in week 4 they scored 23 for a tango to Britney Spears
' "Toxic". However, were knocked out on the semi final. In the 9th series she has been paired with Dan Lobb
who is one of the presenters of Daybreak
. However, they were eliminated in week 3 of the competition.
Katya was seen to have choreographed or semi-choreographed four routines for different aspiring dancing couples.
Virshilas reappeared on the second series to choreograph more routines:
Life and career
Virshilas was born in LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
to a Jewish family. She subsequently moved to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
at age six, and to Vancouver, Canada at thirteen.
She was a Vancouver British Columbia Dancesport Champion four times, from 1998 to 2002. In 2001, she and her partner won the Canadian Latin Dance Championship. Virshilas has appeared in the Hollywood films Shall We Dance?
Shall We Dance? (2004 film)
Shall We Dance? is a 2004 American film. It is a remake of the award-winning Masayuki Suo 1996 Japanese film, Shall We Dance?. The film made its US premier at the Hawaii International Film Festival.-Plot:...
(2004), Take the Lead
Take the Lead
Take the Lead is a movie starring Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown, Alfre Woodard, Dante Basco, Marcus T. Paulk, Jenna Dewan, Lauren Collins and also features former America's Next Top Model contestant, Yaya DaCosta. The film was released in mainstream cinema on April 7, 2006...
and John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die is a 2006 American high school comedy romance film, directed by Betty Thomas.The film is about a trio of girls who plot to break the heart of manipulative basketball star John Tucker after they learn he has been secretly dating all three and pledging each is "the one"...
(both 2006), and in the television shows Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
, Supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
, and others.
Based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from the start of her appearances in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Strictly Come Dancing series, she has since 2009 been professionally partnered with Danish dancer Klaus Kongsdal. The couple announced their engagement in January 2011.
Strictly Come Dancing
She appeared as a professional dancer on series 7Strictly Come Dancing (series 7)
The seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing commenced on BBC One on 18 September 2009. Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly returned as presenters together with Craig Revel Horwood, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli as judges. Series 5 winner, Alesha Dixon, joined the judging panel, replacing Arlene Phillips...
(2009) of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
partnering cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er Phil Tufnell
Phil Tufnell
Philip Clive Roderick Tufnell is a former English cricketer turned television personality. A slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler, "Tuffers" as he was known played 42 Tests and 20 One Day International matches for England, as well as playing for Middlesex from 1986 to 2002...
. They were knocked out of the competition in week 9. Their scores were as follows (all out of a possible 40 marks):
- Week 2: WaltzWaltzThe waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
- 29 (7,8,7,7) & Cha Cha ChaCha-cha-cha (dance)The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
(4,6,6,6) - 22 - Week 3: QuickstepQuickstepThe quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
(5, 6, 6, 7) - 24 - Week 4: SalsaSalsa (dance)Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
- 24 - Week 5: Viennese WaltzViennese WaltzViennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
- 27 (6,7,7,7) - Week 6: Samba - 25 (6,7,6,6)
- Week 7: TangoTango (dance)Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
- 30 (7,7,8,8) - Week 8: RumbaRumbaRumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
- 28 (6,8,7,7) - Week 9: American Smooth - 31 (7,8,8,8)
On that week, they were in the bottom two couples after a combination of the judges' points allocation and the audience's votes, alongside Ricky Groves
Ricky Groves
Richard "Ricky" Groves is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in EastEnders from 2000–09. Before his role in EastEnders he appeared in the series Burnside, a spin-off from The Bill.-Other TV work:...
and Erin Boag
Erin Boag
Erin Boag is a professional ballroom dancer. She has danced from the age of three, originally starting ballet and later moving into ballroom, Latin and jazz...
but were not saved by the judges.
Virshilas returned for the eighth series
Strictly Come Dancing (series 8)
The eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing began with a red carpet launch show on 11 September 2010, and the competitive live shows began on 1 October. The series concluded on 18 December when Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev won the competition...
of the dancing show in autumn 2010 and was partnered by Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
. In week 1 they scored 28 (their highest so far) and in week 4 they scored 23 for a tango to Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' "Toxic". However, were knocked out on the semi final. In the 9th series she has been paired with Dan Lobb
Dan Lobb
Daniel "Dan" Jonathon Lobb is a British retired tennis player, currently working as a presenter, and is the sports editor for ITV's Daybreak.-Tennis:...
who is one of the presenters of Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
. However, they were eliminated in week 3 of the competition.
So You Think You Can Dance
On the first series of the televised reality dancing competition So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (UK)
So You Think You Can Dance is a televised dance competition and reality show that launched in the United Kingdom in January 2010 and similar to the version of the program that has began airing in the USA in 2005. The show is broadcast on BBC One. The content of the show is similar premise to the...
Katya was seen to have choreographed or semi-choreographed four routines for different aspiring dancing couples.
- Week 1 - Helped James JordanJames Jordan (dancer)James Jordan is a British ballroom dancer and choreographer. His dance partner is wife Aleksandra "Ola" Jordan, with whom he turned professional in 2000.-Dancing career:...
with the choreography of Robbie White and Yanet Fuentes's American Smooth style Foxtrot. - Week 2 - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Mark Calape and Lizzie Gough's Viennese WaltzViennese WaltzViennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
, which was highly praised by the judges. - Week 5 - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Mandy Montanez and Alastair Postlethwaite's Paso Doble, which was criticized by the judges for the lack of passion, in particular, Nigel LythgoeNigel LythgoeNigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
, series creator and judge, said it was the worst performance the pair had given over the course of the whole series. - Week 6 (Final): Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Lizzie Gough & Tommy Franzén's Tango, much to the praise of the judges.
Virshilas reappeared on the second series to choreograph more routines:
- Week 2 - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Stephanie Powell and Gian Luca Loddo's Cha Cha ChaCha-cha-cha (dance)The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
, which was praised by the judges, despite Powell and Loddo being placed in the bottom two couples by public vote and consequently eliminated. - Week 2 - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Alice Woodhouse and Charlie Wheeller's American Smooth style WaltzWaltzThe waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
, praised highly by the judges. - Week 7 - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) the boys' group Paso Doble performance (Lee Bridgman, Luke Jackson and Matt Flint).
- Week 8 (Final) - Choreographed (alongside professional partner Klaus) Matt Flint and Kirsty Swain's American Smooth style WaltzWaltzThe waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
/Foxtrot.