Strictly professional dancer Carlos Gu, aged 33, emerged victorious alongside Lioness Karen Carney in the dance competition, attributing his true learning experience to another show. Hailing from Taiyuan, China, Carlos relocated to the UK in 2022 to participate in Strictly. He revealed, “I first began learning English by watching Downton Abbey. My goal was to emulate Maggie Smith’s sophisticated speech and embrace the posh and upper-class culture.”
Despite moving to the UK for Strictly, Carlos’s admiration for British talent, particularly singer Adele, dates back to 2010. He shared a poignant memory, confessing, “I once used my mother’s credit card to travel to Belfast for Adele’s concert. Her song ‘A Million Years Ago’ held a special place in my heart during a challenging period when I lost my cousin to cancer.”
In a society where dancing is not commonly pursued by males in China, Carlos expressed gratitude towards his mother for supporting his passion. Reflecting on his family’s expectations, he mentioned, “My family desired me to embody masculinity and strength. However, my mother recognized my love for dancing and enrolled me in a dance club, leading me to my current path. Strictly provided me with a platform to explore various dance styles, and my mother’s unwavering love fueled my journey.”
During his solo cabaret show, “Hush: An Evening with Carlos Gu,” in London’s West End, Carlos reminisced about his Strictly victory with Karen Carney but expressed a special bond with TV presenter Angela Scanlon, his partner in 2023. Impressed by the evolving skills of celebrity dancers on Strictly, Carlos remarked, “The caliber of celebrities’ dance abilities has significantly improved over the years, surpassing the initial seasons where their dancing skills were minimal.”
Carlos also showered praise on fellow professional dancer Katya Jones, predicting her potential victory in the upcoming competition. Transitioning from his Chinese name, Gu Kunxuan, to a Western alias, Carlos humorously revealed, “Initially considering ‘Bob,’ I settled on ‘Carlos’ after my teacher jokingly remarked, ‘No Latin dancer goes by the name Bob.'”
Despite harboring aspirations to star in the renowned musical “Cabaret” in the West End, inspired by choreographer Bob Fosse, Carlos acknowledged the challenges of pursuing a singing career due to early discouragement. Recalling his cousin’s critique, he shared, “I once dreamt of becoming a singer, but my cousin, a pianist, bluntly told me, ‘You lack musicality. Singing isn’t your forte.'”
Dreaming of emulating iconic performers like Liza Minnelli, Carlos expressed his desire to carve a unique identity in the entertainment industry. Envisioning himself as the male equivalent of Liza, he playfully added, “I aim to adopt the moniker ‘Liza Gu’ in homage to my inspiration, Liza Minnelli, and the legendary Bob Fosse.”
While Carlos’s aspirations may face obstacles, his unwavering passion for dance and performance continues to drive his journey towards artistic fulfillment.