For #FlashbackFriday, I’m revisiting this gorgeous Bridgerton-inspired same-sex waltz performed by the oh-so-talented dance pros of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing back in 2021.
Set to a lush arrangement of Taylor Swift’s “Lover” and “Love Story,” the dance begins with mixed-sex couples who pause as Johannes Radebe enters via a grand staircase to meet his dance partner Kai Widdrington.
(photo: Henrik Ohsten/VildMedDans via Facebook) History was made in Denmark as the first same-sex team to compete on the country’s version of Dancing with the Stars took home the trophy over the weekend. Openly gay actor Jakob Fauerby and professional dancer Silas Holst consistently impressed the judges and the TV audience throughout the season.
The same-sex partnering was Fauerby’s idea and the show’s producers approved his request. Earlier in the season, the actor told the press he had a sense the series was looking to feature a same-sex team but probably didn’t know how to approach possible contestants with the request. “It’s difficult to ask someone ‘Hey do you want to be in the show, but do you want to be the LGBT representation of it?’” he said. “So, I think they just waited for someone to express the willingness to do it themselves.” Holst ended a five-year sabbatical from the show and returned to compete with Fauerby as the first same-sex dance duo in the show’s 16-year history. The dance competition, one of the most popular shows in Denmark, draws a huge audience each week. “We are a small country of only 5.6 million people, and every Friday more than a million people tune in to watch the show and many more watch it on-demand afterward,” Fauerby told the press. “There are very few shows that everyone sees, and this is one of them, so there are a lot of feelings connected to it.”
Celebrating the triumph, Fauerby shared the jubilation on his Instagram writing, “It’s totally crazy and absolutely amazing. Thank you so much to all of you for your wonderful messages and great support over the last 12 weeks.” Noting the impact of representation on television, he added, “I am so proud that my daughter, her big brother, and all other little boys and girls can go out into the world and love the way they want and dance with whomever they want.”
He also thanked his professional partner for not only being “the bravest man” but “getting me out into the deepest water – it was worth it!” Holst returned the praise thanking Fauerby for his courage to take the journey writing, “It will forever sit in my heart.”
There have been same-sex dance teams on various iterations of the reality competition around the world, but this is the first time they’ve taken home the gold. Italy’s version of the show featured a male duo last year where the team came in third at the season finale. There have also been same-sex teams in the Austrian and Israeli editions, and drag performer Courtney Act participated in the Australian series with a male partner.
Johannes Radebe & Graziano di Prima (right couple – image via Instagram/BBC) This past weekend the UK TV show Strictly Come Dancing put the spotlight on two male dancers partnering together in a routine. The reality competition series, a precursor to ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in the U.S., gave professional dancers Johannes Radebe and Graziano di Prima a solo spot during a production number showcasing Emeli Sande singing “Shine.” Radebe, who was eliminated last week with his celebrity partner Catherine Tyldesley, grew up in South Africa and is openly gay. In an interview with Hello! Magazine, he said, “I’ve never felt so liberated.” “For the first time, I feel accepted for who I am,” Radebe told the publication. “That says so much about the people of this country.” “To be able to dance with a friend I respect and adore is joyous,” he continued. “There’s bromance galore between us, but there were no male and female roles, just free movement. It was beautiful, classy and elegant.”
In advance of the performance, the 32-year-old dancer shared with The Sun that a same-sex dance would have never happened when he was dancing on the South African edition of Strictly. Growing up near Johannesburg, Radebe said he was bullied from an early age and was called names like “sissy boy” frequently. At the age of 17, he was attacked with a baseball bat by a boy at school who called him “f*gg*t.” That journey to now made Sunday’s performance that much more meaningful for him. “When I got to the UK it was beautiful – for the first time I felt liberated,” he explained. “It’s just people accepting you for who you are no matter what you do. So now I feel more confident and comfortable because of my surroundings.” Radebe posted photos of himself and di Prima with the caption, “Love knows no boundaries” with rainbow and heart emojis and tagged di Prima. Di Prima, who is heterosexual (he proposed to his girlfriend live on stage earlier this year), also celebrated the moment taking to Twitter writing, “REPRESENTATION always matters! Unforgettable moment, dancing with you @johannesradebe @bbcstrictly”
Former Strictly professional dancer Robin Windsor scolded the negative comments asking people to “just enjoy the artistry.”
This was absolutely stunning @jojo_radebe@GrazianoDiPrima – I’m appalled at some of the comments… I mean come on people it’s two people dancing together and very well…. can you just not enjoy the artistry? https://t.co/EUoNnGmxcC
