Artem Chigvintsev, a Russian-American professional dancer, gained fame after winning the eighth series of the British dance competition show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ alongside his celebrity partner, English actress Kara Tointon. Since then, he has become a regular face on the show, appearing in three more seasons. Prior to his success on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, Artem competed on the first series of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and served as a choreographer on its second season. He has also been a part of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ since 2014, although he has yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals. In addition to his dancing career, Artem has worked as a stunt double for the film ‘La La Land’ and made a guest appearance on the TV show ‘The O.C.’.
Quick Facts
- Girlfriend: Nikki Bella
- Also Known As: Artem Vladimirovich Chigvintsev
- Age: 41 Years, 41 Year Old Males
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Giselle Peacock (m. 2004–2005)
- Born Country: Russia
- Height: 5’10” (178 cm), 5’10” Males
- Ancestry: Russian American
Childhood & Early Life
Artem Vladimirovich Chigvintsev was born on June 12, 1982, in Izhevsk, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, RSFSR, Soviet Union. He showed a talent for dance at a young age and won numerous dance competitions in Russia. At the age of 15, he moved to Germany for further training, followed by training in Italy and England.
Career
Artem Chigvintsev relocated to the United States in 2003 and began dancing with champion ballroom dancer Giselle Peacock. In 2005, he competed in the first series of the dance competition show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, where he became one of the top eight male finalists before being eliminated. He later returned as a choreographer on the show’s second season in 2006.
In 2009, Chigvintsev had an uncredited appearance as himself on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and danced with Nicole Scherzinger on the music video for ‘Hush Hush; Hush Hush’ by ‘The Pussycat Dolls’. He joined the cast of the live dance show ‘Burn the Floor’ in London in September 2009, and then went on to participate in the eighth series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ the following year. He and his celebrity partner Kara Tointon performed well throughout the show and ultimately won the series.
Chigvintsev continued to participate in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in subsequent seasons, partnering with Holly Valance, Fern Britton, Natalie Gumede, and others. He also appeared on the 18th season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ as a member of the Dance Troupe and later became a professional dancer for the show. He has partnered with various celebrities on the show, including Lea Thompson, Patti LaBelle, Mischa Barton, and Nikki Bella.
Family & Personal Life
Artem Chigvintsev married his dance partner Giselle Peacock in 2004, but the marriage ended in divorce the following year. He then dated Carrie Ann Inaba, one of the judges on ‘Dancing with the Stars’, for two-and-a-half years before their relationship ended in 2008.
In 2010, Chigvintsev began dating his ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ partner Kara Tointon, but they eventually separated due to the difficulties of maintaining a long-distance relationship. He was later romantically linked to actress Torrey DeVitto in 2016, but they broke up the following year.
In 2017, Chigvintsev found love again through ‘Dancing with the Stars’ when he was partnered with Nikki Bella. They dated for several months before officially confirming their relationship in July 2019.
Trivia
Artem Chigvintsev became a naturalized American citizen on September 17, 2014, and currently resides in Palo Alto, California.