Janette Manrara Škorjanec (born November 16, 1983) is an American professional dancer and television presenter. She is best known for her appearances on the US series So You Think You Can Dance and British dance reality television competition, Strictly Come Dancing (the original version of Dancing with the Stars). She is married to Slovenian dancer and co-star Aljaž Škorjanec. In June 2021, she quit being a dancer to co host Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two with Rylan Clark, and later Fleur East.
Early life Manrara is from Miami, Florida, US. Born to Cuban parents, Luis and Maritza, Janette is the oldest of three children. Originally a singer, learning from her Cuban family, she formally studied dance from the age of 19. She began performing in musical theatre at age 12, and started her formal dance training at 19, studying ballroom, ballet, pointe, jazz and hip-hop. Manrara studied finance at Florida International University, and worked in a bank for seven years, as a senior loan processor; this was while she was completing her dance training in Ballroom, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Salsa.
So You Think You Can Dance
Manrara made it through her audition to be selected for season 5, where she was paired with Brandon Bryant. During their time on the show, Janette received much praise from the judges; both Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe said Janette was their favorite female dancer that season and Lythgoe went on to say he hoped she would win the entire competition. However, she was eliminated during week 7 along with contemporary contestant Jason Glover.
During the show's eighth season, Manrara returned as an All Star to perform a Paso Doble with contestant Marko Germar.
Strictly Come Dancing and It Takes Two
Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance Dance Partner Highest Partner Lowest American Smooth HRVY 40 Dr.Ranj Singh 25 Argentine Tango Jake Wood 29 Cha Cha Cha Aston Merrygold 35 Julien Macdonald 20 Charleston HRVY 40 Jake WoodPeter Andre 38 Couples Choice HRVY 40 Will Bayley 32 Foxtrot Aston Merrygold 31 Will Bayley 24 Jive HRVY 39 Dr.Ranj Singh 20 Paso Doble Aston Merrygold 38 Will Bayley 23 Quickstep Aston Merrygold 32 Dr. Ranj Singh 20 Rumba HRVY 31 Jake Wood 27 Salsa HRVY 36 Julien Macdonald 23 Samba Jake Wood 38 Dr.Ranj Singh 27 ShowdanceHRVY 39 - - Dance-athon Jake WoodPeter Andre 1 - - Tango HRVY 35 Julien Macdonald 18 Viennese Waltz Peter Andre 34 Aston Merrygold 25 Waltz Jake WoodAston Merrygold 32 - -
In 2013 Manrara became a professional dancer on British TV show Strictly Come Dancing. Her first celebrity partner in the 11th series was fashion designer Julien Macdonald; they were the third couple to be eliminated. She returned for the 12th series and partnered actor Jake Wood, with whom she made it to the Semi-Finals and finished in 5th place overall. For the 13th series, she was paired with TV personality Peter Andre; they were the 9th couple to be eliminated.
Manrara has also taken part in one-off specials of the show: In 2013 she performed a Quickstep with actor Ricky Norwood on the Christmas special. In 2014 Manrara scored a maximum of 40 points in 'The People's Strictly for Comic Relief' for an American Smooth with, 'Kidz R us' founder, Phillip Barnett. Manrara took part in the 2016 'Strictly Come dancing Live tour''' with her series 12 partner Jake Wood. For series 14, she was partnered with radio DJ Melvin Odoom, and were the first couple to be eliminated after receiving the fewest public votes. Odoom and Manrara reprised their partnership in the 2016 Christmas special, she also danced with canoeist Joe Clarke in the 2016 Children in Need special. For series 15, she was partnered with former JLS singer Aston Merrygold. They were the sixth couple eliminated in week 7, losing the dance-off to Mollie King and her partner AJ Pritchard. For series 16, she was partnered with children's television and This Morning doctor Dr. Ranj Singh. They were the sixth couple to be eliminated. During her seventh series on the show, in 2019, she was partnered with paralympian, Will Bayley. They had to withdraw from the competition on week 7, after Will sustained a knee injury in rehearsals the previous week. For her eighth series, she was partnered with pop singer, HRVY, and made the earliest perfect score for their Street/Commercial routine in week 6. They reached the final, her first final, and they were runners-up.
On 10 June 2021, it was announced that Manrara would become the new presenter of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, taking over from Zoe Ball who stepped down from the series earlier in the year. Manrara therefore did not continue as a professional dancer on the show.
Series Partner Place Average score 11Julien Macdonald13th 20.812Jake Wood5th 32.113Peter Andre7th 30.814Melvin Odoom15th 22.515Aston Merrygold10th 32.116Dr. Ranj Singh24.317Will Bayley25.818HRVY2nd 35.9
Strictly Come Dancing performances
Series 11 For series 11, Manrara was paired with Julien Macdonald. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Vogue"356620No elimination2Tango / "Applause"355518Bottom two3Jive / "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love"457622Bottom two4Salsa / "Spice Up Your Life"467623Eliminated
Series 12 For series 12, Manrara was paired with Jake Wood. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Tango / "Toxic"777728No elimination2Salsa / "Mambo No.5"8999Safe3Waltz / "The Godfather Waltz"8888*40Safe4Jive / "All Shook Up"8988Safe5Quickstep / "I'm Still Standing"788831Safe6Paso Doble / "Black Betty"678829Safe7Rumba / "Strangers in the Night"677727Safe8American Smooth / "Feeling Good"999936Safe9Samba / "Macarena"910109Safe10Argentine Tango / "Zorbas"588829Safe11Charleston / "Entrance of the Gladiators"99101038SafeWaltz-a-thon / "The Last Waltz"Awarded1extrapoint3912Cha-cha-cha / "Boogie Shoes"6888EliminatedViennese Waltz / "When a Man Loves a Woman"7888 *In week three Guest Judge, Donny Osmond, gave Jake and Janette 8 extra points
Series 13 For series 13, Manrara was paired with Peter Andre. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Ain't No Other Man"7887No elimination2Quickstep / "Valerie"787830Safe3Paso Doble / "He's a Pirate"777728Safe4Tango / "Blue Monday"888832Safe5Rumba / "Thinking Out Loud"778729Safe6Foxtrot / "Ghost"777728Safe7Charleston / "Do Your Thing910109Safe8Viennese Waltz / "You're My World"898934Safe9Jive / "River Deep, Mountain High"6788Bottom two10American Smooth / "I Get the Sweetest Feeling"7888EliminatedQuickstep-a-thon / "Sing, Sing, Sing"Awarded1extrapoint
Series 14 For series 14, Manrara was paired with Melvin Odoom. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "Loco in Acapulco"466622No elimination2Tango / "Moving on Up"566623Eliminated
Series 15 For series 15, Manrara was paired with Aston Merrygold. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellBallasTonioli1Foxtrot / "It Had to Be You"7888No elimination2Salsa / "Despacito"788932Safe3Cha-cha-cha / "Can't Stop the Feeling!"8999Safe4Quickstep / "Mr. Blue Sky"788932Safe5Waltz / "Can't Help Falling in Love"888N/A*24Safe6Paso Doble / "Smells Like Teen Spirit"91091038Safe7Viennese Waltz / "Who's Lovin' You"477725Eliminated *In week 5, Bruno Tonioli was not present, so scores were out of 30
Series 16 For series 16, Manrara was paired with Dr. Ranj Singh. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellBallasTonioli1Cha-cha-cha / "How Will I Know"668727No elimination2Salsa / "Fireball"567624Safe3Quickstep / "Prince Ali" 455620Safe4Paso Doble / "Canción del Mariachi" 677727Safe5American Smooth / "Wouldn't It Be Nice" 5677*25Safe6Jive / "Monster Mash" 5555Safe7 Samba / "Freedom! '90"677727Eliminated
Series 17 For series 17, Manrara was paired with Paralympic table tennis player Will Bayley.
The couple's Contemporary dance, to Lukas Graham's song "7 Years", was dedicated to the patients and staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Bayley had been treated for cancer, aged seven. Michael Hogan of The Daily Telegraph said the pair "... didn't leave a dry eye in the house after their beautiful, barefoot contemporary dance."
Due to a knee injury sustained during studio rehearsals, Bayley was unable to perform in week 6 (Halloween Week). On 30 October it was confirmed that he had withdrawn from the competition.
Week No.Dance/songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasTonioli1 Quickstep / "Pencil Full of Lead"577726No elimination2 Salsa / "1-2-3"666624Safe3 Paso Doble / "Gotta Catch 'Em All"665623Safe4 Foxtrot / "Señorita"666624Safe5 Contemporary / "7 Years"788932Safe6 Jive / "Casper The Friendly Ghost"—————Given bye7 Waltz / "Weekend in New England—————Withdrew Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for Tonioli
Series 18 For series 18, Manrara was paired with HRVY. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all scores are out of 30 as Bruno Tonioli could not participate due to travel restrictions. This was the first series that Manrara got her first ever perfect score, also the first perfect score in Week 6. It was also her first ever Final since she first joined the show in 2013. Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBallasMabuse1Jive / "Faith"889No elimination2Viennese Waltz / "Stuck with U"78924Safe3Cha-Cha-Cha / "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"—from Gnomeo & Juliet"67821Safe 4Salsa / "Dynamite"8109*27Safe 5Tango / "Golden"899*26Safe 6Street / "Sky Full of Stars"101010Safe7American Smooth / "One (A Chorus Line song)"91010Safe8Rumba / "Only You"—Kylie Minogue & James Corden"788SafeCharleston / ""Another Day of Sun"—from La La Land"1010109Jive / "Faith" Showdance / ""Boogie Wonderland"—Brittany Murphy" American Smooth / "One (A Chorus Line song)"9910101010101010Runner-up
During Weeks 4 and 5, Anton Du Beke replaced Mabuse.
Dance tours and other professional engagements
Manrara took part in the national Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour in 2017.
In 2018, Manrara & Aljaž Škorjanec announced dates for their 2019 UK Tour 'Remembering The Movies'.
In 2020 Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanec announced dates for their 2021 UK Tour "Remembering The Oscars"
In 2026, Manrara announced she would be teaching & performing with Aljaž Škorjanec at Donaheys Dancing with the Stars weekends in 2027.
Other projects Following her appearance on So You Think You Can Dance, Manrara joined musical TV series, Glee as a principal dancer. She also made her "Burn the Floor - West End" debut at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London on 21 July 2010. Additionally, she was part of the Burn the Floor US cast, which toured the United States from late 2010 through May 2011. She also appears on the BBC One show Morning Live doing a fitness workout. She has also co presented the show.
On 12 September 2024, Manrara's first book titled Tiny Dancer, Big World was published.
Personal life In 2015, Manrara became engaged to long-time partner Strictly Come Dancing and Burn the Floor'' co-star Aljaž Škorjanec. They were married on 15 July 2017.
In February 2023, Janette and Aljaž announced that they were expecting their first child in late summer 2023. Their child, a girl, Lyra Rose was born on 28 July 2023.
References