Let’s Dance: Winners, veterans and records of the RTL dance show

Let’s dance
Winners, veterans and records of the RTL dance show

The “Let’s Dance” jury awards the “10” for the best performances.

© TVNOW / Stefan Gregorowius

The big “Let’s Dance” final will take place on Friday. Who has been with the dance show the longest and who holds the record?

The big “Let’s Dance” final will take place on Friday, May 28th (8:15 pm on RTL or via TVNow). Who will take home the trophy as “Dancing Star 2021” in the end? In 14 seasons of the dance show, some dancers and jurors stayed true to the successful format from year to year. And numerous celebrities turned out to be real dance talents. The most exciting facts about “Let’s Dance” at a glance.

The winners

Who made it to the top of the podium on the show? Actor Wayne Carpendale (44) was the first to win the trophy with Isabel Edvardsson (38). So far, Susan Sideropoulos (2007), Sophia Thomalla (2010), Manuel Cortez (2013), Victoria Swarovski (2016) and Ingolf Lück (2018) have won the title from the same professional field. In addition, Magdalena Brzeska (2012), Hans Sarpei (2015), Pascal Hens (2019) and Lili Paul-Roncalli (2020) won four celebrities with a sporting background. Maite Kelly (2011), Alexander Klaws (2014) and Gil Ofarim (2017) represent the music business among the winners.

The veterans

Some faces on the show have been around for many seasons. Joachim Llambi (56) has been part of the jury since the first edition. At first, Katarina Witt (55), Michael Hull (61) and Markus Schöffl (58) sat next to him. Since 2011, Motsi Mabuse (40) has been by his side, who had previously been a dancer for two seasons. Jorge Gonzalez (53) has been a permanent member of the jury since 2013. Familiar faces keep returning to dance professionals too. Christian Polanc (43) has been with us since season two, while Isabell Edvardsson and Massimo Sinató (40) each trained celebrities eleven times. Erich Klann (34) has ten missions. Except for Polanc, these are not included in this year’s season. Daniel Hartwich (42) has been in the moderation since 2010, he took over from Hape Kerkeling (56). Sylvie Meis (43) leads the moderating women with seven appearances. Before her, Nazan Eckes (45) led three times and after her four times Victoria Swarovski (27) through the show.

The voice

One of the veterans is also a man in the background: Patrick Linke (51) ensures the official framework of the show with the announcement of the dancing couples, the jury evaluation (“And now the verdict of our expert jury”) and the comment on the fast run-through. The speaker, moderator as well as dubbing and off-speaker is the voice of RTL and lends many trailers and other productions of the private broadcaster such as “Mario Barth covers up!” or “Misses” his voice. One thing has changed in the tonal world of “Let’s Dance”, however: Since season four (2011), a live orchestra has been dispensed with for the dancers’ performances, but now and then there are live acts.

The points

Before the audience decides on the celebrities’ progress, the dance couples must first face the jury’s critical assessment. Up to season five, the experts awarded a maximum of 40 points, since season six they have drawn the “10” at best three times for the top grade of 30 points. Singer Ella Endlich (36) and Valentin Lusin (34) hold a special record. They were given the maximum number of points in the twelfth season a total of ten times, but in the end that was only enough for second place. Vanessa Mai (29) and Christian Polanc follow in the list with nine times 30 points and Lili-Paul Roncalli (23) and Massimo Sinató with eight times. This season, Valentina Pahde (26) set a special record in week seven: For the first time in the “Let’s Dance” story, she got the full number of points for a Viennese waltz.

The offshoots

The show has produced a few specials and offshoots since it premiered in 2006. On the one hand, there was a “Christmas Special” in 2013, in which former participants such as Sophia Thomalla (31) or Moritz A. Sachs (42) competed against each other. Winner Magdalena Brzeska (43) donated the prize money to a good cause. In 2019 and 2020, for the first time, only the professionals competed under the motto “Let’s Dance – The Great Professional Challenge”. Ekaterina Leonova (34) and Massimo Sinató as well as Christina Luft (31) and Christian Polanc won. In the spin-off “Llambis Tanzduell”, the juror sent two professional dancers or stars abroad in 2019 and 2020 to learn traditional dances. Since 2021 there is another offshoot with “Let’s Dance – Kids”. In it, the children of celebrities or young actors dance for the title “Dancing Sternchen”.

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