Elena Samodanova: biography, career, personal life

Elena Samodanova, whose biography began to interest the viewer immediately after the "Russia-1" TV channel of the project "Dancing with the Stars", is a professional dancer and international judge. How did Elena start her career and what facts about the life of the star can be of interest to her fans?

Biographical information

Elena Samodanova was born in the Rostov region, in the city of Volgodonsk. Her father and mother were professional dancers.

A girl from an early age began to engage in ballroom dancing. Due to his dedication and diligence, Samodanova was already at the age of sixteen considered one of the youngest professional performers of Latin American dances in the world.

Samodanova performed at the dance championships, which were held in China, Australia, Japan and England. Repeatedly Elena was given the title of champion. Once a young athlete even got into the world's top ten best performers of a pair Latin American dance.

During the breaks between the dance championships Samodanova managed to get a higher education - she graduated from the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts, majoring in "Choreography". A little later Elena received a diploma from the Sydney Theater School and passed international certification as a teacher of ballroom dancing. This allowed the choreographer to work in England, Australia, Hong Kong and Russia.

Participation in television projects

Elena Samodanova started participating in television projects in 2010. Then the choreographer was invited as a judge to the Chinese show "Mr. Hong Kong".

In 2012, Elena as a dancer appeared on the Australian show - AACTA and "Everybody Dance Now". And when the project "Dancing with the Stars" was launched on one of the Australian channels the same year, she got in touch with the celebrity there.

After that, Elena as a director and dancer worked on Sydney TV programs "Voice of Australia" and SYTYCD. In 2014, Samodanova participated in the Indian "Dances with the Stars", and in 2015 took an honorable place in the jury of a similar Russian contest.

In Russia, the choreographer showed herself as the most strict judge. Each time she rated the performing couple 2-3 points lower than her colleagues. Elena explained this severity with her objectivity, because she practically does not know Russian stars, so she has an opportunity to evaluate only their choreographic data.

Work with celebrities

Elena Samodanova is not familiar with the Russian beau monde, because she has lived abroad for the past ten years. According to the choreographer, she is invited to perform at world championships for different countries - China, Australia, etc.

An important role in the career of the dancer was played by foreign television projects, which enabled her to get acquainted with the world stars of show business: Ricky Martin, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow and many others.

As a result, as a choreographer in 2009, Samodanova worked on the concert of Sheryl Crow in Hong Kong, in 2012 she collaborated with a rapper named Akon, in 2013 - with British singer Seal and American star Ricky Martin.

Personal life

Elena Samodanova and her husband Gleb Savchenko - both dancers. They met when they were eighteen: during this period, both choreographers were engaged in the same dance studio. Then the young people began to communicate, but the romantic relationship between them did not happen - soon Gleb went to America. A few years later Elena had a simple job, and Gleb called her to the States to dance with him in pairs. Thus began the story of their love.

Personal life of Elena Samodanova began to interest the public immediately after the airing of "Dancing with the Stars". And all because in this project Samodanov was sitting in the chair of the judge, and her husband Gleb Savchenko danced in tandem with the Olympic champion Adeline Sotnikova. The yellow press, after the first broadcast, began to invent stories about the novel by Gleb and Adeline, which were not confirmed. Also, journalists asked, what is it like to evaluate your own husband? But Elena reasonably answered that the organizers of the show did not ask her to evaluate Gleb: the main task of Samodanova was to evaluate the dancing star, not her professional partner.

In her spare time Elena is fond of bikram yoga, surfing and equestrian sports. Of desserts Samodanov loves ice cream.

Raising a daughter

Elena Samodanova, whose daughter has a foreign name, Olivia, admits that they have different views with their husbands on the upbringing of children. But they always find a way to negotiate.

Both spouses are actively working, so they constantly have to schedule, with whom and when their daughter will spend their time. For eight years Gleb and Elena have learned to maneuver in conditions of terrible shortage of time.

Since two years Olivia has been attending a dance studio, and it is possible that the girl will continue the choreographic dynasty. Despite the fact that Samadanova's daughter is growing abroad, Elena tries to instill in her the foundations of Russian culture and teaches Russian with her.

Latest news from Samodanova's life

Elena Samodanova constantly attends social events and is busy with work. For example, in December 2015, the star was invited to the London premiere of the musical "Sleeping Beauty". In addition to Helen, this show will also feature show business stars and even members of the British royal family.

Also Elena and Gleb were invited to the American Christmas show Ballroom with a Twist Christmas, in which they will dance together with American stars of choreographic art.