Izabela Rai

Izabela Rai is a British ballroom and Latin American dancer. Born in Szczecin, Poland, Izabela began dancing jazz and ballet at the age of 9, and started ballroom and Latin American dancing as a teenager. During her competitive career she won international titles in Europe and the United States, winning the Polish Amateur Ballroom Championships in 2001 and again in 2002. In 2005, Izabela appeared as a professional dancer in the third series of the British BBC TV talent show Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with former snooker world champion Dennis Taylor. Described as "Strictly Come Dancing's very own odd couple", the pair survived five weeks in the competition. Izabela has been a choreographer for the BBC dance show 'So You Think You Can Dance' and was Brendan Cole's ballroom dance partner on his 'Live and UnJudged' Theatre Tour between 2010 - 2012. Izabela assisted Brendan Cole to choreograph ballroom dances including the Tango, Waltz and Quickstep for his Live and Unjudged Theatre Tour. Izabela married English businessman David Rai after appearing on the show in 2005, and has since built a successful Ballroom Dance Coaching and Wedding First Dance business in the UK. Through her dance school, Izabela Dance School she offers Dance Classes and Private dance lessons in Ballroom, Latin-American and Salsa style in London, Richmond, Kingston and Surrey. Her clientele includes beginners, social dancers to high level competitors and professional couples. Izabela has also released a number of best selling Ballroom Dance Tutorial DVDs including WeddingFD - step by step Wedding First Dance programme and The Rumba - The Ultimate Dance Class. She also provides Ballroom and Latin-American demonstrations, Ballroom and Latin-American shows, lectures and judges Ballroom and Latin-American competitions around the world.