Keep Dancing

With Strictly Come Dancing back on our screens, the show’s former dance pro, Flavia Cacace-Mistry, and her Hollywood actor husband and Strictly dance partner, Jimi Mistry, chat with Angela Sara West about their careers, life in Surrey and their healthy new business venture

- Angela Sara West

Having moved from her native Naples with her family at four-years-old, Flavia Cacace-Mistry has lived in Guildford most of her life. Finding her passion for dance when she was five at local dance school Hurley’s, she started competitive dancing at 14, before sashaying her sequined way into our Saturday nights.

As one of the BBC show’s best-loved professional dancers, Flavia performed on Strictly for seven years, winning not only the nation’s hearts with her bubbly character but clinching the coveted competition’s crown in 2012 with Louis Smith. How did it feel to win with the Olympic gymnast? “Amazing,” Flavia tells me. “I’ve been privileged to have so many proud moments in my career, from winning various championships whilst competing when I was younger, to winning Strictly, the Strictly Christmas special 2014, and performing at some of the UK’s most beautiful theatres during eight years of touring.”

She also won the Children in Need People’s Champion trophy with Russell Grant, who remains a close friend. “My favourite moment was when Russell and I performed our Jive at Wembley and he was launched out of a cannon! It won TV Moment of the Year’ at the National TV Awards!”

AN ENERGETIC SURREY LIFE

For the past six years, the tiny village of Jacobs Well has been home to the accomplished dancer and her Hollywood actor husband, Jimi Mistry, whom she met when they were partnered on the show. “We like the outdoor space and access to dog walks [the couple have two cockapoos called Pablo and Zak], I’m lucky to have my family nearby, and it’s easy to get to London,” Flavia explains