Vito Coppola
Born (1992-09-27) 27 September 1992 (age 31)
Eboli, Salerno, Italy
NationalityItalian
Occupations
  • Dancer
  • choreographer
Known for
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)

Vito Coppola (born 27 September 1992) is an Italian dancer and choreographer. He is best known for appearing as a professional dancer on the sixteenth series of Italian dance competition Ballando con le Stelle (Dancing with the Stars) in 2021 and ultimately winning the competition with Arisa. Since 2022, he has served as a professional on Strictly Come Dancing, the British version of the show, from the twentieth series onwards, winning in 2023 with his celebrity dance partner Ellie Leach.

Early life and competitive career

Coppola was born in Eboli, in Salerno, Italy on 27 September 1992.[1][2] He has a younger brother, Jonathan.[3] Coppola began dancing at the age of 6 and later competed in national championships.[4][5][6] Coppola is a three-time World Championship finalist and a European Cup Winner.[7] He won numerous competitions at provincial, regional and inter-regional level, and went on to win the first Italian championship at the age of 10 in the Juveniles category, as well as being selected by FIDS to represent Italy at the Team Match in Mannheim, Germany.[8] Coppola also won the second Italian championship in the Combined 10 dances, passing with a merit into the higher category.[9]

Ballando con le Stelle

Prior to his appearances on competitive dance series, Coppola worked as a dancer on the Italian version of The Masked Singer.[10][11] In 2021, Coppola joined the Rai 1 Italian dance television series Ballando con le Stelle as a professional for the sixteenth season.[12][13] He was partnered with the singer and actress Arisa and the pair were crowned winners of the series.[14][15] Coppola did not return for the following series, his departure alluding to him becoming a professional on the British version.[16][17][18]

Series Partner Place Average score
16 Arisa 1st —

Series 16: with Arisa

Week no. Dance/song Judges' score Total Result
Zazzaroni Canino Smith Lucarelli Mariotto
1 Charleston 7 7 7 6 8 85[a] No elimination
2 Freestyle Veloce 7 9 10 10 8 54[b] Safe
3 Paso doble 7 7 7 10 9 40 Safe
4 Tango 8 9 9 8 8 42 Safe
5 Rumba 9 10 9 9 10 47 Safe
6 Bachata — — — — — — Safe
7 Freestyle Lento 9 9 10 10 10 73[c] Safe
8 Cha-cha-cha — — — — — — Safe
Safe
10 Waltz 9 9 9 10 10 67[d] Winners
  1. ^ Arisa & Vito received 50 bonus points
  2. ^ Arisa & Vito received 10 bonus points
  3. ^ Arisa & Vito received 25 bonus points
  4. ^ Arisa & Vito received 20 bonus points

Strictly Come Dancing

In July 2022, Coppola was announced to be joining the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing as one of the professionals.[19] Joining alongside Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Michelle Tsiakkas, he said upon his appointment as a professional on the show, "[He was] really excited to become part of this family, adding that [He could not] wait to start this new adventure and to challenge [himself]. Strictly sto arrivando!".[20][21] For his first series, he was paired with singer-songwriter and presenter Fleur East.[22][23][24][25] Together they received the first perfect score of the series.[26] Coppola reached the final with East and the couple finished as runners-up behind Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał, alongside Helen Skelton and Gorka Márquez, and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu.[27][28][29][30][31] Coppola returned for the twenty-first series.[32][33] He was paired with former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach,[34][35][36][37][38][39] and the two of them eventually went on to win the series.[40]

In April 2024, Coppola is set to headline a charity dance show alongside his fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Luba Mushtuk, with the profits going to Macmillan Cancer Support.[41][42]

Series Partner Place Average score
20 Fleur East 2nd 35.5
21 Ellie Leach 1st 35.8

Highest and lowest scoring per dance

Series 20: with Fleur East

Week no. Dance/song Judges' score Total Result
Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke
1 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Let's Get Loud" 7 7 7 8 29 No elimination
2 Viennese Waltz / "Glimpse of Us" 7 8 6 7 28 Safe
3 American Smooth / "Part of Your World" 6 8 7 8 29 Bottom two
4 Argentine Tango / "Paint It, Black" 9 10 9 10 38 Safe
5 Jive / "Waterloo" 7 8 9 8 32 Safe
6 Salsa / "Break My Soul" 8 8 8 8 32 Bottom two
7 Waltz / "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" 9 9 8 9 35 Safe
8 Samba / "Hot Hot Hot" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
9 Couple's Choice / "Jumpin', Jumpin'"/"Independent Women Part I"/"Lose My Breath" 10 10 10 10 40 Safe
10 Rumba / "Too Lost In You" 8 9 9 9 35 Bottom two
11 Quickstep"/"I Got Rhythm" 9 10 9 10 38 Safe
12 Paso Doble / "The Time Is Now" 8 9 8 10 35 Bottom two
Charleston / "Tu vuò fà l'americano" 9 10 10 10 39
13 Samba / "Hot Hot Hot" 10 10 10 10 40 Runner-up
Showdance / "Find Me" 9 10 10 10 39
Couple's Choice / "Jumpin', Jumpin'"/"Independent Women Part I"/"Lose My Breath" 10 10 10 10 40

Series 21: with Ellie Leach

Week no. Dance/song Judges' score Total Result
Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke
1 Jive / "Can't Tame Her" 7 7 7 7 28 No elimination
2 Foxtrot / "Perfect" 8 8 7 8 31 Safe
3 Viennese waltz / "Waiting on a Miracle" 8 9 8 8 33 Safe
4 Samba / "Copacabana" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
5 Paso doble / "Insomnia" 9 10 9 9 37 Safe
6 Salsa / "Murder on the Dancefloor" 9 10 10 9 38 Safe
7 American Smooth / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
8 Rumba / "True Colors" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
9 Charleston / "Love Machine" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
10 Argentine tango / "Bills, Bills, Bills" 9 10 10 9 38 Safe
11 Quickstep / "Belle" 9 9 9 9 36 No elimination
12 Cha-cha-cha / "Mambo Italiano"
Couple's Choice / "Blow Your Mind" & "Physical" 		9
10 		10
9 		9
10 		9
10 		37
39 		Safe
13 Paso Doble / "Insomnia"
Showdance / "On the Floor" & "Dance Again"
American Smooth / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" 		9
9
10 		10
9
10 		10
9
10 		10
9
10 		39
36
40 		Winners

Personal life

Coppola is multi-lingual and is fluent in English, Russian and Spanish, as well as his native language Italian.[43][44]

References

  1. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing: Vito Coppola's age, career, height and more revealed". Smooth.
  2. ^ "Who is Vito Coppola? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2022 professional". Radio Times.
  3. ^ "Vito Coppola". Biografieppiu (in Italian). 22 November 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Chi è Jonathan Coppola, fratello di Vito e campione italiano di ballo". Donna Glamour (in Italian). 27 February 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  5. ^ "20 professional dancers confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing series 20, as four new pros join the line-up". BBC Media Centre. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  6. ^ Mwitumwa, Monde (December 11, 2022). "Strictly Vito Coppola's life from pop star ex to hidden talent". YorkshireLive.
  7. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Meet the new Strictly professional dancers!". Newsround. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Strictly's Vito Coppola; his age, Instagram and 2023 dance partner". Closer. September 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "DancesportInfo.net". www.dancesportinfo.net.
  10. ^ "Il Cantante Mascherato, la semifinale". RAI Ufficio Stampa. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  11. ^ "Vito Coppola pronto per Il cantante mascherato: "Ringrazio Milly Carlucci"". LaNostraTv (in Italian). 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  12. ^ "Arisa e Vito Coppola si sono lasciati ma dichiarano: "Siamo rimasti in buoni rapporti"". Cosmopolitan. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Strictly star Vito Coppola's co-star romance revealed amid Molly Rainford dating rumours". HELLO!. December 7, 2022.
  14. ^ Honebeek, Talya (July 11, 2022). "New Strictly pro Vito Coppola's famous ex and reality TV history". BirminghamLive.
  15. ^ "Arisa wins "Dancing with the Stars". And on the dance floor she also found love with her dancer Vito Coppola". IO Donna. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Arisa, Vito Coppola e il bacio in diretta a Ballando con le stelle". Cosmopolitan. November 22, 2021.
  17. ^ Heslop, Katherine (October 15, 2022). "Inside the life of Strictly pro Vito - from TV victory to Italian popstar flame". Daily Mirror.
  18. ^ "Strictly's Vito reveals strange rituals on Hits Radio Breakfast". October 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing reveals new professionals joining for 2022". Radio Times. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Strictly It Takes Two fans slam host's 'cruel' comments to Vito". Liverpool Echo. December 7, 2022.
  21. ^ "Four new pros join the show in 2022!". BBC Blogs. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  22. ^ "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Vito Coppola". BBC.
  23. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2022 couples' first official photos are here". Digital Spy. September 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "BBC responds to Strictly controversy after Fleur East "incident"". Radio Times.
  25. ^ Curry, Alicia (October 17, 2022). "Strictly's Fleur East admits Vito was 'very, very ill' and had little practice". MyLondon.
  26. ^ "Strictly's Fleur East scores first 40 of the season". Radio Times.
  27. ^ "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing, Series 20, The Final, Fleur East & Vito Coppola Couple's Choice". BBC. December 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "Fleur East And Vito Coppola Respond To Strictly Fans' Complaints Of Underscoring From Judges". HuffPost UK. December 2, 2022.
  29. ^ "Strictly best thing to ever happen to me - Hamza". BBC News. December 17, 2022.
  30. ^ "Strictly star wraps arms around Brummie beauty ahead of live arena tour". BirminghamLive. January 19, 2023.
  31. ^ "Fleur East pranks Vito Coppola ahead of new Strictly series".
  32. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2023 Professional Dancers, Judges, Presenters and more confirmed". BBC Media Centre.
  33. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing professionals line-up: Meet the 2023 dancers". Radio Times.
  34. ^ "Strictly's Ellie Leach scares Vito in cheeky behind-the-scenes video". Digital Spy. September 25, 2023.
  35. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2023 couples revealed in launch show featuring spectacular performances from professional dancers and Judges". BBC Media Centre.
  36. ^ Farrell, Lucy; Letcher, Lisa (September 24, 2023). "Strictly's Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola's 'chemistry' sparks romance rumours". Daily Record.
  37. ^ "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing, Series 21, Week 1, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola Jive". BBC. September 23, 2023.
  38. ^ "This Year's Strictly Couples Have Been Revealed. Here's Which Celebs And Pros Have Been Paired Up". HuffPost UK. September 16, 2023.
  39. ^ "Strictly's Ellie Leach reveals Vito "nearly lost an ear" in training". Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  40. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Winner of glitterball trophy announced". BBC News. December 16, 2023.
  41. ^ "Charity Dance Show headlined by Vito Coppola and Luba Mushtuk | Dudley Town Hall". boroughhalls.co.uk.
  42. ^ "BBC Radio 2 - OJ Borg, With guests Fleur East and Vito Coppola". BBC.
  43. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing: Vito Coppola's age, girlfriend, height and more revealed". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  44. ^ "Who is Vito Coppola dating? Strictly star's love life revealed". Hello!. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
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