Amy Dowden
Amy Dowden (born 10 August 1990) is a ballroom and Latin American dancer from Wales. Dowden and her dancing partner Ben Jones are former British National Champions in Latin American Dance. Dowden was a finalist in the seventeenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with Karim Zeroual in 2019.[5][6]
Amy Dowden | |
---|---|
Born | Amy Dowden 10 August 1990 Caerphilly, South Wales[1] |
Occupation | Dancer |
Partner(s) | Gino Gabriela[2] 2002–2008 Tom Parkes[3] 2008–2011 Benjamin Jones[4] 2011–present |
Early life
Dowden was born in Caerphilly, South Wales, on 10 August 1990[7] and began dancing at the age of eight.[8] She is engaged to Ben Jones, her professional dance partner, and together they run the Art in Motion dance school in Dudley.[9]
Dowden has suffered from Crohn's disease since she was a child. In May 2019, she spoke out about the effect the condition has had on her career as a professional dancer.[10]
Strictly Come Dancing
Dowden is the first Welsh professional to take part in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.[6]
Series | Partner | Place | Average Score |
---|---|---|---|
15 | Brian Conley | 12th | 19.8 |
16 | Danny John-Jules | 9th | 28.3 |
17 | Karim Zeroual | 2nd | 35.7 |
18 | JJ Chalmers | 6th | 28.0 |
Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance
Dance | Partner | Highest | Partner | Lowest |
---|---|---|---|---|
American Smooth | Karim Zeroual | 38 | Brian Conley | 22 |
Argentine Tango | Karim Zeroual | 36 | ||
[Cha-Cha-Cha] | Karim Zeroual | 31 | Brian Conley | 19 |
Charleston | Karim Zeroual | 39 | JJ Chalmers | 27 |
Couple's Choice | Karim Zeroual | 38 | ||
Foxtrot | Karim Zeroual
JJ Chalmers |
32 | Danny John-Jules | 27 |
Jive | Karim Zeroual | 40 | Brian Conley | 22 |
Paso Doble | Karim Zeroual | 29 | Brian Conley | 21 |
Quickstep | Karim Zeroual | 40 | Danny John-Jules | 22 |
Rumba | ||||
Salsa | Karim Zeroual | 36 | ||
Samba | Danny John-Jules | 27 | Karim Zeroual | 26 |
Showdance | Karim Zeroual | 39 | ||
Tango | Karim Zeroual | 38 | Brian Conley | 16 |
Viennese Waltz | JJ Chalmers | 33 | Danny John Jules | 27 |
Waltz | JJ Chalmers | 25 |
Performances with Brian Conley
In 2017 Dowden appeared as a professional dancer in the fifteenth series of the British BBC TV talent show Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with comedian Brian Conley.[11]
Week # | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revel Horwood | Bussell | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | |||
1 | Tango / "Temptation" | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | No Elimination |
2 | Cha-cha-cha / "Shake Your Groove Thing" | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 19 | Bottom Two |
3 | American Smooth / "If I Only Had a Brain" | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 22 | Safe |
4 | Paso Doble / "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 21 | Safe |
5 | Jive / "It's Not Unusual" | 4 | 6 | 6 | N/A | 16 | Eliminated |
- Red number indicates Brian & Amy were at the bottom of the leaderboard
Performances with Danny John-Jules
Dowden returned for her second series in 2018[12] where she was partnered with Danny John-Jules. The couple were awarded the first 10 score of the series when Darcey Bussell marked their Jive to "Flip, Flop and Fly" in week 5. The couple were eliminated in Week 8 after losing a dance off to Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse, their elimination came days after controversial bullying allegations, with tabloids reporting that John-Jules had reduced Dowden to tears.[13]
Week # | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revel Horwood | Bussell | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | |||
1 | Foxtrot / "Top Cat (Theme Song)" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | No Elimination |
2 | Cha-cha-cha / "Beggin'" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
3 | Paso Doble / "The Greatest Show" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 28 | Safe |
4 | Viennese waltz / "I've Gotta Be Me" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | Safe |
5 | Jive / "Flip, Flop and Fly" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 37 | Safe |
6 | American Smooth / "Spirit in the Sky" | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 30 | Safe |
7 | Quickstep / "Freedom" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 22 | Safe |
8 | Samba / "Feels Like Home" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | Eliminated |
- Blue score awarded by guest judge Alfonso Riberio
- Green number indicates Danny & Amy were at the top of the leaderboard
- Red number indicates Danny & Amy were at the bottom of the leaderboard
Performances with Karim Zeroual
In 2019 she appeared as a professional dancer in the seventeenth series of the show partnered with CBBC presenter, Karim Zeroual. The pair received the first perfect 40 of the series for their Jive in Week 11.
Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revel Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | |||
1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "If I Can't Have You" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 31 | No Elimination |
2 | Foxtrot / "The Way You Look Tonight" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
3 | Samba / "Kung Fu Fighting" | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 26 | Safe |
4 | Tango / "Paradise" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
5 | Salsa / "Who Let the Dogs Out?" | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe |
6 | Paso Doble / "Smalltown Boy" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 29 | Safe |
7 | Quickstep / "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
8 | Viennese Waltz / "Give Me Love" | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 30 | Safe |
9 | Charleston / "Happy" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
10 | Contemporary / "Drops of Jupiter" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 38 | Bottom Two |
11 | Jive / "You Can't Stop the Beat" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Safe |
12 | Argentine Tango / "Libertango" American Smooth / "Sweet Caroline" |
8 9 |
10 10 |
9 9 |
9 10 |
36 38 |
Bottom Two |
13 | Quickstep / "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" Showdance / "A Million Dreams" Jive / "You Can't Stop the Beat" |
10 9 10 |
10 10 10 |
10 10 10 |
10 10 10 |
40 39 40 |
Runner-up |
- Blue score awarded by guest judge Alfonso Riberio
- Green number indicates Karim & Amy were at the top of the leaderboard
Performances with JJ Chalmers
In Series 18, she partnered TV Presenter JJ Chalmers. They finished in 6th place reaching musical week. The scores for this series were out of 30.
Week No. | Dance/Song | Judges'Score | Total | Result | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revel Horwood | Ballas | Mabuse | ||||
1 | Waltz / "What a Wonderful World" | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | No Elimination |
2 | Paso Doble / "Believer" | 5 | 6 | 6 | 17 | Safe |
3 | Foxtrot / "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"-from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe |
4 | Jive / "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" | 4 | 6 | 7 | 17 | Safe |
5 | Quickstep / "For Once in My Life" | 7 | 9 | 9 | 25 | Safe |
6 | Viennese Waltz / "Rescue" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 25 | Safe |
7 | Charleston / "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"- from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 20 | Eliminated |
- Blue score was awarded by Anton Du Beke who filled in for Motsi Mabuse as judge for Week 4 and 5.
Dance tours and other professional engagements
In 2019, Dowden headlined her own tour ‘Here Come The Girls’ with fellow Strictly Professional Dancers- Dianne Buswell and Chloe Hewitt. Dowden has also taken part in The Strictly Live Tour since 2018. In 2020, she performed with a celeb partner for the first time on Live Tour, her 2019 partner Karim Zeroual. Dowden has announced her appearance with Jones at 2021 Dancing With The Stars Weekend[14] at Alton Towers Resort Hotel. In summer 2021, Dowden will be touring with the show Strictly Present The Power Of Dance.
References
- Eames, Tom (20 October 2018). "Who is Amy Dowden? Strictly Come Dancing star's age, height, career and more facts". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- "Gino Gabriela (England) & Amy Dowden (England)". DancesportInfo. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- "Tom Parkes (England) & Amy Dowden (England)". DancesportInfo. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- "Benjamin Jones (England) & Amy Dowden (England)". DancesportInfo. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- Laws, Roz (14 October 2017). "Strictly Come Dancing star runs Zumba classes in Great Barr". Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- Mainwaring, Rachel (9 September 2017). "Who is Strictly pro dancer Amy Dowden?". Wales Online. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- "Who is Amy Dowden? Strictly Come Dancing star's age, height, career and more facts". Smooth Radio. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- "Caerphilly dancer becomes first Welsh professional on Strictly Come Dancing - Caerphilly.Observer". caerphillyobserver.co.uk. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- "Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden announces she's engaged to boyfriend Ben Jones". Good to Know. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- Mapstone, Lucy; Owen, Cathy (6 May 2019). "Strictly dancer Amy Dowden reveals her health battle for the first time". Wales Online. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- "Strictly Come Dancing - Amy Dowden". BBC. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- "We reveal our biggest pro-dancer line-up ever! As a trio of outstanding dancers join the show". Strictly Come Dancing. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- Hogan, Michael (11 November 2018). "Strictly Come Dancing 2018, week 8 results: Danny John-Jules eliminated in wake of bullying allegations". Retrieved 11 November 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- "5* Weekend Break with the Stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". www.donaheys.co.uk.
External links
- Amy Dowden at IMDb