FROM her wrinkles to her wobbly bits, dancer Kristina Rihanoff admits she has body hang-ups just like any other woman.
But the 45-year-old will not give up wearing miniskirts any time soon and says it is a misconception that women of a certain age have to lengthen their hemlines.
Kristina Rihanoff admits to having body hang-ups – but they wouldn’t stop her wearing a miniskirt
Kristina tells all on daughter Mila, six, and her own passion for dance
After being pictured recently in a thigh-skimming outfit on holiday in Turkey, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional insists you should wear what you want, when you want, regardless of your age.
Kristina says: “I don’t think we should be like ‘OK, from the age of 40, you’re not allowed to wear miniskirts any more’. That’s ridiculous.
“You should be able to wear whatever you want — and anyone criticising that is wrong and unkind.
“People shouldn’t be judgmental.
“I feel very sad when I see any judgment towards women about what they choose to do. Why do you have to judge?
“I’m more content with myself than I’ve ever been. Turning 45 somehow made me feel more content about what I am and who I am.
“I’ve learned to love myself. I don’t have another body. I’m never going to have another one.”
However, the journey to self-acceptance hasn’t been easy, as Kristina struggled with the changes to her body after she departed the prime-time show in 2015.
Her lack of body confidence was exacerbated by the birth of daughter Mila, now six, a sentiment echoed by fellow Strictly pro Ola Jordan.
The 40-year-old has also talked openly about her own weight gain after becoming a mum.
Kristina says: “Your body changes after you have a child and it’s a natural thing to experience. Ninety-nine per cent of mums will tell you that their body will never be the same.
“Ola always looks gorgeous . . . and it’s healthy to be real and for other mums to see there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Kristina was slim and toned while working on Strictly because she would dance for up to ten hours a day and she put herself under pressure to stay that way long after leaving the show.
She says: “When you work on shows like Strictly or you’re a professional dancer, you’re dancing eight, nine or even ten hours a day.
“So obviously, you’ll be on the slim side because you’ll be burning so many calories.
“Ola was like, ‘Oh I’m not myself, I’m not that size any more’ and I had very unhealthy attitudes about my body just because I thought I had to get back to the same size I was on the show — and I was struggling.
“But then I thought, ‘Why am I putting that extra pressure on myself?’ I am not on Strictly any more.
“I’m not going to dance in those small outfits and I don’t have to be stressed about that.
Kristina has revealed that she feels less pressure to stay the same size now she’s no longer on Strictly
Although she had ‘unhealthy attitudes’ about her body after leaving Strictly, she’s no longer feeling the stress
“I’m in a different stage of my life now.”
Turning to the current series of Strictly, Kristina insists she had no firm favourites but revealed a soft spot for two couples — Karen Hauer and Jayde Adams and Giovanni Pernice and Richie Anderson — who have since left the contest.
She says: “I was always quite close with Karen, she did a fantastic job with her partner Jayde and it was lovely to see two women dancing together.
“I think it’s such a wonderful thing that we now have on the show.”
Kristina watches the show with daughter Mila, who is an avid fan.
Last year, Mila was glued to the screen and would ask Kristina to rewind the show several times.
She says: “Her favourite contestants last year were Giovanni and his partner Rose Ayling-Ellis.
“She loved watching them dance and would say: ‘Can I do that move?’”
As to whether Mila — who is pictured on her mother’s Instagram holding multiple ballroom dance competition medals — is keen to follow in her mum’s dance steps, she says: “I don’t think she has that concept in her mind yet of what professional dancing is.
“For now, she’s just enjoying the process. She’s more interested in freestyle and acrobatics.
“When she was younger, I would take her with me when I went to dance competitions with other children.
“When she would see them getting medals and trophies, she would say, ‘Mummy, I want a trophy, I want a medal’.
“I told her, ‘You have to put in the work’. From January, she started dancing; a little bit of cha-cha-cha and the waltz.
“She has a little bit of competitiveness in her but she’s not like, ‘I have to win, I have to win’.”
So what if, in ten or 15 years, Mila wants to go on Strictly or a similar dance show?
Kristina says: “I think it will be quite interesting if it comes full circle. I will support her no matter what, whatever she decides to do — whether it’s ballroom dancing, competitive sport, stage, TV.
“But I’ll have a very honest conversation about the fact that it’s a very hard lifestyle because you have to live and breathe it.
“She’ll have to be very disciplined, skip birthday parties and things like that.”
Kristina has no time for a second child with daughter Mila and boyfriend’s twins in the house
Kristina met her boyfriend, former rugby player Ben Cohen, 44, when they were paired together on Strictly in 2013, but they have no plans to extend their brood.
Kristina says: “The house is full. We have three kids in the house [Ben has twin daughters with ex-wife Abbie Blayney] and a dog so I think that’s plenty.
“There’s simply no more time or energy. Once in a while, we do try to do little trips, just the two of us.”
Kristina runs a dance academy for children up to 16 years old and a yoga studio with Ben in Northampton.
She adds: “It’s difficult because we run a business and have a family to take care of.
“But the thing is — and any couple will tell you — it’s really important to have a little bit of time to yourself.
“He is my best friend, my partner in business and in life, and we work well together.”
Choreography corner
As for the Russian beauty returning to the dance floor any time soon, she says: “It’s been seven years since I left Strictly and I don’t think it’s a lifestyle I can do right now. Life does rotate around Mila.
“I have my own business and wellbeing centre and it all takes 100 per cent of my time. As much as I love Strictly, and the first year I left I definitely had nostalgic feelings, life has changed so much now.
“If they want me involved in the show in another capacity, aside from dancing, then why not?
“It’s always a pleasure to be there. Sometimes I go into the choreography corner or do a little commentating and it’s lovely to be part of that. But being a mum is the most important thing now.
“I don’t want to be in any project that will take me away from my family for a long time.”
