What does it take to transform elite athletes accustomed to stadiums and arenas into graceful ballroom champions? The global television phenomenon Dancing with the Stars (known as Strictly Come Dancing in the UK) has provided a surprising answer over two decades, with sports stars becoming some of its most memorable and successful contestants.
While athletes like gymnast Shawn Johnson and speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno have lifted the coveted glitterball trophy, many others have struggled to translate their physical prowess into dance-floor magic. The challenge lies in adapting a body trained for power and precision to the fluid, expressive movements of ballroom and Latin dance.
Two professional dancers who have mastered this unique coaching challenge recently shared their insights. Raimondo Todaro, a five-time champion on Italy's Ballando con le Stelle, has partnered with champions from track, fencing, and Paralympic sports.
"I prefer working with athletes because they understand discipline, sacrifice, and the process of learning a new skill," Todaro explained. "The challenge is rewiring their muscle memory. A long jumper like Fiona May is programmed for explosive, linear power. I had to teach her sustained, rotational movement and partnership connection."
Todaro also recounted the unforgettable first season featuring football icon Diego Maradona. "It was less about technique and more about capturing his incredible charisma. The audience wasn't watching a perfect foxtrot; they were watching Maradona dance."
In Sweden, professional dancer Annika Sjöö faced an extraordinary physical challenge on Let's Dance: teaching former World's Strongest Man Magnus Samuelsson.
"My first thought was, 'How do I choreograph for someone who lifts cars for fun?'" Sjöö recalled. "We focused on using his strength as an advantage—creating powerful lifts and holds that told a story. The real breakthrough was teaching him musicality and softness, qualities completely foreign to strongman competition."
Sjöö described the unique experience of their partnership. "Being lifted by Magnus was unlike anything in dance. There was an absolute, effortless stability. He could hold a lift indefinitely while I focused purely on the line and expression."
Their partnership defied expectations, culminating in a championship win. Sjöö's approach highlights the key to success: not diminishing the athlete's physical gifts, but redirecting them.
Both dancers emphasized that successful athlete-dancers share common traits beyond physicality: mental resilience, coachability, and the humility to be a beginner again. As Todaro noted, "In their sport, they are masters. On the dance floor, they must become students. That psychological shift is often the hardest step."
From the football pitch to the ballroom, these stories reveal that the most thrilling performances occur when world-class discipline meets artistic transformation, proving that champions can indeed reinvent themselves under the glittering lights.