# Denys Samson

Denys Samson (Russian: Денис Самсон; born 21 August 1989) is a Ukrainian ballroom and Latin dancer and choreographer.

## Career

Samson is a former two-time Ukrainian Ten Dance Champion and a two-time World Ten Dance Champion.

## Dancing with the Stars
### Ukraine

In September 2021, Samson joined the cast of the ninth season of the Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars, Tantsi z zirkamy, as a professional dancer. He was originally partnered with comedian, Anastasia Orudzhova. However, in preparation for their first dance, Orudzhova suffered a knee injury and was forced to withdraw from the competition following her first performance. Orudzhova was replaced by her colleague and fellow-comedian, Oleksandra Mashlyatina and Samson partnered her instead. They were the second couple to be eliminated from the competition.
| Series | Partner | Place |
| 9 | Anastasia Orudzhova | 15th |
| 9 | Oleksandra Mashlyatina | 13th |

### Ireland

On 22 December 2021, Samson was announced as one of the new professionals to join the fifth season of the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars. He reached the final with singer and songwriter, Erica-Cody, finishing as joint runners-up to Nina Carberry & Pasquale La Rocca.
Samson returned for the sixth series in 2023, where he was partnered with drag queen, Panti Bliss. This made them the first same-sex pairing in the history of the show. They were the sixth couple to be eliminated from the show, after losing their dance-off to Brooke Scullion and Robert Rowiński.
Samson returned for the seventh series in 2024, where he was partnered with Ireland's Fittest Family presenter, Laura Fox. They reached the final, finishing as joint runners-up to Jason Smyth &Karen Byrne.
Samson returned for the eighth series in 2025, where he is partnered with Ireland AM presenter, Elaine Crowley.
| Series | Partner | Place |
| 5 | Erica-Cody | 2nd |
| 6 | Panti Bliss | 6th |
| 7 | Laura Fox | 2nd |
| 8 | Elaine Crowley | 10th |
Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance
| Dance | Partner | Highest | Partner | Lowest |
| American Smooth | Panti Bliss | 27 | Erica-Cody | 25 |
| Cha-cha-cha | Erica-Cody | 30 | Panti Bliss | 23 |
| Charleston | Erica-Cody Laura Fox | 30 | Panti Bliss | 27 |
| Contemporary Ballroom | Erica-Cody | 29 | Laura Fox | 22 |
| Foxtrot | Erica-Cody | 23 | | |
| Jive | Laura Fox | 30 | Elaine Crowley | 18 |
| Paso Doble | Panti Bliss | 29 | Elaine Crowley | 17 |
| Quickstep | Laura Fox | 25 | Panti Bliss | 21 |
| Rumba | Erica-Cody | 26 | | |
| Salsa | Erica-Cody | 27 | Elaine Crowley | 15 |
| Samba | Laura Fox | 27 | Erica-Cody | 24 |
| Showdance | Laura Fox | 30 | Erica-Cody | 28 |
| Tango | Laura Fox | 27 | Erica-Cody | 20 |
| Viennese Waltz | Laura Fox | 22 | | |
| Waltz | Panti Bliss | 19 | Elaine Crowley | 17 |

#### Series 5 – with celebrity partner Erica-Cody

| Week No. | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week No. | Dance/Song | Redmond | Barry | Gourounlian | Total | Result |
| 1 | No dance performed | - | - | - | - | No elimination |
| 2 | Samba / "Kiss My (Uh Oh)" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | No elimination |
| 3 | Foxtrot / "My Girl" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 23 | Safe |
| 4 | Charleston / "When We're Human" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 | Safe |
| 5 | Rumba / "Girl on Fire" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 26 | Safe |
| 6 | Tango / "Body II Body" | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 | No elimination |
| 7 | Salsa / "Don't Go Yet" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Bottom two |
| 8 | American Smooth / "Too Darn Hot" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 25 | Safe |
| 9$^1$ | Contemporary Ballroom / "Rise Up" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 | Safe |
| 10 | Cha-cha-cha / "Mambo Italiano" Team Dance / "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" | 10 9 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 30 29 | Safe |
| 11 | Jive / "Let's Go Crazy" Bust-a-Move Marathon / "I'm So Excited" | 8 Awarded | 9 3 | 9 points | 26 29 | Bottom two |
| 12 | Charleston / "When We're Human" Showdance / "Glitterball" | 10 9 | 10 9 | 10 10 | 30 28 | Runners-up |
$^1$In week 9, Samson tested positive for COVID-19, so his partner, Erica-Cody danced with Ervinas Merfeldas.

#### Series 6 – with celebrity partner Panti Bliss

| Week No. | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week No. | Dance/Song | Redmond | Barry | Gourounlian | Total | Result |
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 23 | No elimination |
| 2 | Waltz / "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | No elimination |
| 3 | Quickstep / "Karma Chameleon" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | Safe |
| 4 | Jive / "The Witches Are Back" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | Safe |
| 5 | Charleston / "Puttin' On the Ritz" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Safe |
| 6 | Paso Doble / "It's a Sin" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 | No elimination Granted immunity |
| 7 | Salsa / "Stupid Love" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | Safe |
| 8 | Tango / "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 25 | Bottom two |
| 9 | American Smooth / "It's Oh So Quiet" Team Freestyle / "HandClap" | 9 9 | 9 9 | 9 9 | 27 27 | Eliminated |

#### Series 7 – with celebrity partner Laura Fox

| Week No. | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week No. | Dance/Song | Redmond | Barry | Gourounlian | Total | Result |
| 1 | Jive / "River Deep – Mountain High" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | No elimination |
| 2 | Contemporary Ballroom / "Cruel Summer" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | No elimination |
| 3 | Paso Doble / "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 23 | Safe |
| 4 | Viennese Waltz / "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba / "Échame La Culpa" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Safe |
| 6 | Quickstep / "Galway Girl" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 25 | No elimination |
| 7 | Cha-cha-cha / "yes, and?" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe |
| 8 | Tango / "Take On Me" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Safe |
| 9 | Charleston / "Do Your Thing" Team Dance / "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" | 10 9 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 30 29 | Safe |
| 10 | American Smooth / "Monster Mash" Scare-a-thon / "Dead Ringer for Love" | 8 Awarded | 9 4 | 9 points | 26 30 | Safe |
| 11 | Jive / "River Deep – Mountain High" Showdance / "Make It Look Easy" | 10 10 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 30 30 | Runners-up |

#### Series 8 – with celebrity partner Elaine Crowley

| Week No. | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week No. | Dance/Song | Redmond | Byrne | Barry | Gourounlian | Total | Result |
| 1 | Waltz / "Three Times a Lady" | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 23 | No elimination |