Denys Samson

Denys Samson
Born (1989-08-21) 21 August 1989 (age 35)
Odesa, Ukraine
Occupation(s)Dancer
Choreographer

Denys Samson (Russian: Денис Самсон; born 21 August 1989) is a Ukrainian ballroom and Latin dancer and choreographer.

Career

Samson is a former two-time Ukrainian Ten Dance Champion and a two-time World Ten Dance Champion.[1][2]

Dancing with the Stars

Ukraine

In September 2021, Samson joined the cast of the ninth season of the Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars, Tantsi z zirkamy, as a professional dancer. He was originally partnered with comedian, Anastasia Orudzhova. However, in preparation for their first dance, Orudzhova suffered a knee injury and was forced to withdraw from the competition following her first performance.[3] Orudzhova was replaced by her colleague and fellow-comedian, Oleksandra Mashlyatina and Samson partnered her instead. They were the second couple to be eliminated from the competition.[4]

Series Partner Place
9 Anastasia Orudzhova 15th
Oleksandra Mashlyatina 13th

Ireland

On 22 December 2021, Samson was announced as one of the new professionals to join the fifth season of the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars.[5][6][7] He reached the final with singer and songwriter, Erica-Cody, finishing as joint runners-up to Nina Carberry & Pasquale La Rocca.

Samson returned for the sixth series in 2023, where he was partnered with drag queen, Panti Bliss. This made them the first same-sex pairing in the history of the show.[8] They were the sixth couple to be eliminated from the show, after losing their dance-off to Brooke Scullion and Robert Rowiński.

Samson returned for the seventh series in 2024, where he was partnered with Ireland's Fittest Family presenter, Laura Fox. They reached the final, finishing as joint runners-up to Jason Smyth &Karen Byrne.

Samson returned for the eighth series in 2025, where he is partnered with Ireland AM presenter, Elaine Crowley.

Series Partner Place
5 Erica-Cody 2nd
6 Panti Bliss 6th
7 Laura Fox 2nd
8 Elaine Crowley TBA

Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance

Series 5 – with celebrity partner Erica-Cody
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Gourounlian
1 No dance performed - - - - No elimination
2 Samba / "Kiss My (Uh Oh)" 8 8 8 24
3 Foxtrot / "My Girl" 7 8 8 23 Safe
4 Charleston / "When We're Human" 9 9 10 28 Safe
5 Rumba / "Girl on Fire" 8 9 9 26 Safe
6 Tango / "Body II Body" 7 6 7 20 No elimination
7 Salsa / "Don't Go Yet" 9 9 9 27 Bottom two
8 American Smooth / "Too Darn Hot" 8 8 9 25 Safe
91 Contemporary Ballroom / "Rise Up" 9 10 10 29 Safe
10 Cha-cha-cha / "Mambo Italiano"
Team Dance / "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" 		10
9 		10
10 		10
10 		30
29 		Safe
11 Jive / "Let's Go Crazy"
Bust-a-Move Marathon / "I'm So Excited" 		8
Awarded 		9
3 		9
points 		26
29 		Bottom two
12 Charleston / "When We're Human"
Showdance / "Glitterball" 		10
9 		10
9 		10
10 		30
28 		Runners-up

1In week 9, Samson tested positive for COVID-19, so his partner, Erica-Cody danced with Ervinas Merfeldas.

Series 6 – with celebrity partner Panti Bliss
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Gourounlian
1 Cha-cha-cha / "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" 7 8 8 23 No elimination
2 Waltz / "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" 6 6 7 19
3 Quickstep / "Karma Chameleon" 7 7 7 21 Safe
4 Jive / "The Witches Are Back" 7 7 8 22 Safe
5 Charleston / "Puttin' On the Ritz" 9 9 9 27 Safe
6 Paso Doble / "It's a Sin" 9 10 10 29 No elimination
Granted immunity
7 Salsa / "Stupid Love" 7 7 8 22 Safe
8 Tango / "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" 8 8 9 25 Bottom two
9 American Smooth / "It's Oh So Quiet"
Team Freestyle / "HandClap" 		9
9 		9
9 		9
9 		27
27 		Eliminated
Series 7 – with celebrity partner Laura Fox
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Gourounlian
1 Jive / "River Deep – Mountain High" 7 7 7 21 No elimination
2 Contemporary Ballroom / "Cruel Summer" 7 7 8 22
3 Paso Doble / "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" 7 8 8 23 Safe
4 Viennese Waltz / "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" 7 7 8 22 Safe
5 Samba / "Échame La Culpa" 9 9 9 27 Safe
6 Quickstep / "Galway Girl" 8 8 9 25 No elimination
7 Cha-cha-cha / "yes, and?" 8 8 8 24 Safe
8 Tango / "Take On Me" 9 9 9 27 Safe
9 Charleston / "Do Your Thing"
Team Dance / "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" 		10
9 		10
10 		10
10 		30
29 		Safe
10 American Smooth / "Monster Mash"
Scare-a-thon / "Dead Ringer for Love" 		8
Awarded 		9
4 		9
points 		26
30 		Safe
11 Jive / "River Deep – Mountain High"
Showdance / "Make It Look Easy" 		10
10 		10
10 		10
10 		30
30 		Runners-up

References

  1. ^ "Denys Samson - Ballroom Pages". ballroompages.com/. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  2. ^ "Twelve professional dancers paired with celebrities for new season of RTE's Dancing with the Stars unveiled -". Ireland On 24 News. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  3. ^ "Anastasia Orudzhova first appeared on stage on crutches after an injury (photo) - Global Happenings". globalhappenings.com. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  4. ^ "В третьем эфире Танців з зірками проект покинула еще одна пара (видео)". Сегодня (in Russian). 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  5. ^ "Dancing with the Stars professional dancers revealed". 2021-12-22. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ "Dancing with the Stars reveal twelve Professional Dancers for new Season". Extra.ie. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  7. ^ "Five new pro-dancers join the new series of Dancing With The Stars". sundayworld. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  8. ^ Glennon, Nicole (2022-12-19). "Dancing with the Stars: Pairings revealed as Dr Marie Cassidy, Carl Mullan, prepare to dance". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2022-12-21.