Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin is bringing his Midnight Dancer show to Dublin. Here, he talks to RTÉ Entertainment's John Byrne about the tour - and his love of Strictly.
Although he's still in his 20s, he's packed a lot into that time and has led quite a unique life. Born in the Ukraine in 1997, his family moved to Italy when he was nine, in order to support his older sister, Anastasia Kuzmina, in her dancing career.
He also got the dancing bug and became a six-time Italian Champion in Latin and Ballroom dance.
Nikita moved to Germany when he was eighteen, where he started working at future fellow Strictly alumni Motsi Mabuse’s dance studio before landing a spot as a professional dancer on Let’s Dance - Germany’s version of Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars - in 2020.
He became a familiar sight to Irish TV viewers when he joined the original of the species, BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 as one of four new dance professionals.
In the four seasons so far on Strictly, his best performance was in 2023 when he and celeb partner Layton Williams finished second in the final, missing out to champions Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola.
He and Layton redeemed their runner-up status on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in February 2024, when they were crowned as glitter ball winners.
Nikita’s celebrity status in the UK was confirmed when he entered the ITV Celebrity Big Brother House in March 2024. His presence resonated with housemates and viewers alike, securing him a place in the final and a second-place finish.
Now 27, he’s embarked on his first ever solo tour, entitled Midnight Dancer. The show comes to Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin for one night only on Sunday May 4.
Talking to him over the blower, he’s clearly a very upbeat kind of guy who loves nothing better than getting out on a dance floor or stage and entertaining people.
John Byrne: Hi Nikita. You’re obviously in the middle of it, so how’s the Midnight Dancer tour going so far?
Nikita Kuzmin: It’s going really, really well and it’s just a dream come true. It’s great seeing so many people happy and joyous, and at the end of the show - when you see every single person dancing, singing - just enjoying themselves - it’s just an incredible feeling.
Given its your first solo tour, it must have been great to put pre-tour nerves to bed and just get out on the road and get stuck into it.
John, do you know what? When I was involved in the creation and preparation of the show, it was actually quite fun and I was just enjoying my time. But the moment I could see all the people sitting down in the theatres and just waiting for me to come on - that was a scary feeling!
It’s that moment of 'Oh gosh!’ There are thousands of people waiting for you to come on. It’s generally so, so scary. But again, I love going on stage any time I feel nervous or have any kind of anxiety.
That’s the thing about dancing. It’s very liberating and takes you away from thinking of anything else.
Yeah. Absolutely. It’s great for all ages. It’s great for social skills, coordination skills, and physical skills. I’m not even saying professionally - if you just go and have and enjoy yourself, it kind of takes you away from reality a little bit.
Or sometimes you could use it for stress relief, you know - and I love it. And I’ve been doing it for 23 years. I wouldn’t have been doing anything else for that long if I didn’t.
So tell us a bit about your show, Midnight Dancer. I believe it's got a bit of a Cinderella vibe to it?
That is right, yeah. It’s a story of love. There is obviously the drama part, which is the betrayal and pain, and all of that kind of stuff - but yeah, it is sort of like the Cinderella story.
There is a surprise at the end of Act One. I talk about the story quite a lot but I think the best parts - for me - going to each city and making it fresh, having that open relationship with the audience where we try to make it special every single night.
Just to have that open conversation and banter with the audience - which I think is absolutely hilarious - and there’s another surprise, which the audience adores, at the end of Act Two.
Again, it’s just a little bit of fun, but having that openness, having people accepting me for what I am, accepting themselves for what they are.
We have 120 costume changes - there is so much stuff going on! And the show is so fast-paced, there is so much positivity, and at the end of the show, everyone is so happy. It’s the best ending in the world.
And with all the bad stuff happening in the world today, we need entertainment more than ever now.
Yeah. And I think people will come to the show to be taken away from reality for two-and-a-half hours, to be able to enjoy themselves, to be entertained and have a laugh.
To also be impressed, obviously. There’s a lot of talent on stage.
But the most important thing is to entertain them and take them away from whatever thing is coming in their life, and for everybody to have a good time.
I was reading that you hope to move into music. Presumably, this is your first step in that direction?
Who knows? Honestly, I just follow whatever life gives me. When I get excited about something I go with my gut and I commit myself 100%. So, you never know. You never know.
Whatever great things are in the future, I will be with them.
And you’re obviously enjoying your time on Strictly Come Dancing. You came second in 2023 with Layton Williams, and you were on stage with Midnight Dancer when you heard Layton had received an Olivier award.
Yeah. Listen, I am so, so happy for him. We’re like brothers and winning an Olivier award is just incredible. He deserves that and way, way more.
Some people prefer stage, while others prefer television. But I’d imagine there’s a great immediacy with Strictly because it’s live TV. It must be just like being on stage?
Oh, I love live TV! Live TV is great because you need to react straight away - so, whatever you say, it’s going to be out there. Watched by millions of people. I think it’s great.
I get very excited about it and I live for that adrenaline rush. Same as it is for my own show. You just have one chance . . . I love it.
Midnight Dancer is at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Sunday, 4 May. Tickets are available now from Ticketmaster.
