No show on television brings the joy quite like Strictly Come Dancing – and, this year, a much-needed dose of it is being delivered by one contestant in particular: Ellie Goldstein.
On Saturday night, Goldstein and her professional partner Vito Coppola performed their Couple’s Choice. Aptly set to “Golden” by Kpop Demon Hunters’ group Huntr/x , the routine was an action-packed contemporary number, filled with energetic choreography and perfectly executed lifts, before confetti (gold, of course) rained down on the dancefloor.
It cemented Goldstein’s status as a total superstar who can bring a grin to even the sternest of faces (Exhibit A: Craig Revel Horwood). But that’s not to say it wasn’t emotional.
One of the best things about the Couple’s Choice routines is that viewers get to learn a little more about the celebrities performing them. Having discovered a love for performing at an early age, the Essex-born Goldstein began modelling as a teenager and has dabbled in acting too, making her television debut in a CBBC series earlier this year. Her achievements are incredible and made even more so given her start in life.
Before she and Coppola took to the floor, a VT aired featuring Goldstein’s mother, Yvonne, sharing her daughter’s story. She explained: “Within a few hours of Ellie being born, we were told that she wouldn’t walk or talk, which was all a huge shock.
“We decided to bring Ellie up as Ellie, not with a title of having Down’s syndrome. I think that’s made a difference in her life.”
She continued: “I’d like people to see that having Down’s syndrome, anything is possible [and] here’s every chance for you to be successful.”
Goldstein is, without a doubt, showing the nation exactly that. The self-confessed Strictly superfan is the first person with Down’s syndrome to appear on the show and she’s made history before too, as the first person with the condition to feature on the cover of Vogue.
But the thing that stands out more than anything, is the sheer joy she brings to the show. Which, quite frankly, is something we could all do with right now.
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In week one, Goldstein set the bar high for herself with an energetic cha cha to Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?”. This was followed by a softer waltz to “Your Song”, but even with a more serious and emotional performance to tackle, it was clear she’d had a ball with Coppola in rehearsals.
For Movie Week, the pair upped their game yet again, with a salsa to “Dance the Night Away” from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. And this week – while the VT no doubt left some viewers reaching for the tissues – the dance that followed was nothing short of a glorious show-stopper, with Goldstein energetically bounding onto the floor and closing the show with a celebration of everything she’s achieved so far.
On Saturday night, it was Coppola who summed Goldstein up best. “When Ellie comes in the room, everything lights up,” he said. “All of a sudden, looking at Ellie, the world becomes in colour. And I’ve realised that I have always lived in black and white.” Who could possibly put it better than that?
