Aljaz Skorjanec, 30, is a dancer from Slovenia, best known in the UK for his appearances on Strictly, which he joined in 2013, the year he won the famous glitterball with model Abbey Clancy. He is married to fellow professional, Janette Manrara.
I’ve been dancing since I was five. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a dancer. I grew up in a small town in Slovenia an hour-and-a-half’s drive from the capital, Ljubljana. As soon as my parents saw that I was serious about my ambition, my father, Srecko, would drive me there after school to dancing lessons every other day and then wait hours before driving me home again. It’s a sacrifice that I’ve never forgotten.