# Gorka Márquez

Gorka Márquez (Spanish:; born 4 September 1990) is a Spanish professional dancer, best known for appearing on the British dance show Strictly Come Dancing.

## Early life

Márquez began dancing at the age of 12, and in 2010 he represented Spain at the World Latin Championships, before reaching the semi-finals of the 2012 World DanceSport Federation World Cup. In 2014, Márquez joined the touring live dance show Burn the Floor as one of their leads, performing with the dance company all over the world.

## Strictly Come Dancing

In 2016 Márquez became a professional dancer on the BBC ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing for its fourteenth series. He was partnered with EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, and they were eliminated in week three of the competition.
In 2017 Márquez returned in the show's fifteenth series. He was partnered with singer and former The X Factor winner, Alexandra Burke. They reached the final, finishing as joint runners-up. With Burke, Márquez broke the record for achieving the most tens in a single series with 32, surpassing Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse’s previous record of 28 tens, and held it until the twenty-second series, when Burke and Marquez were topped by Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, who achieved the new record of scoring 33 tens in a single series.
In 2018 Márquez participated in the show's sixteenth series, where he was partnered with television presenter and campaigner Katie Piper. The couple were eliminated in week four of the competition, finishing in 13th place.
The following year, Márquez announced that he had been demoted from the main professional line-up, but explained that he would still participate in the weekly group dances.
In 2020 Márquez returned as a professional for the show's eighteenth series, reaching the final with EastEnders actress Maisie Smith.
In 2021 Márquez returned in the show's nineteenth series, reaching week three with Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn.
In 2022 Márquez returned in the show's twentieth series, reaching the final with television presenter Helen Skelton.
In 2023, in the show's twenty-first series, he was partnered with Nikita Kanda and in week three the couple were second to be eliminated.
In 2024, in the show's twenty-second series, he was partnered with Punam Krishan and in week six the couple were fifth to be eliminated.

### Highest and lowest scores

| Series | Partner | Place | Average score |
| 14 | Tameka Empson | 14th | 27.7 |
| 15 | Alexandra Burke | 2nd | 35.9 |
| 16 | Katie Piper | 13th | 17.5 |
| 18 | Maisie Smith | 2nd | 36.4 |
| 19 | Katie McGlynn | 14th | 22.3 |
| 20 | Helen Skelton | 2nd | 34.0 |
| 21 | Nikita Kanda | 14th | 19.0 |
| 22 | Dr. Punam Krishan | 11th | 22.8 |

#### Highest and lowest scores per dance

| Dance | Partner | Highest | Partner | Lowest |
| American Smooth | Alexandra Burke | 40 | Katie McGlynn | 24 |
| Argentine Tango | Alexandra Burke | 38 | Helen Skelton | 37 |
| Cha-Cha-Cha | Alexandra Burke | 39 | Dr. Punam Krishan | 19 |
| Charleston | Alexandra Burke | 39 | Nikita Kanda | 18 |
| Couple's Choice | Maisie Smith Helen Skelton | 40 | Dr. Punam Krishan | 33 |
| Foxtrot | Helen Skelton | 32 | Dr. Punam Krishan | 18 |
| Jive | Alexandra Burke | 40 | Katie Piper | 18 |
| Paso Doble | Alexandra Burke | 36 | Katie Piper | 13 |
| Quickstep | Alexandra Burke Helen Skelton Maisie Smith | 39 | | |
| Rumba | Alexandra Burke | 32 | | |
| Salsa | Alexandra Burke | 40 | Helen Skelton | 32 |
| Samba | Maisie Smith | 39 | Helen Skelton | 29 |
| Showdance | Maisie Smith | 40 | Helen Skelton | 37 |
| Tango | Alexandra Burke | 35 | Katie McGlynn | 22 |
| Viennese Waltz | Alexandra Burke Maisie Smith | 39 | Dr. Punam Krishan | 21 |
| Waltz | Helen Skelton | 35 | Katie Piper | 17 |

### Series 14: with Tameka Empson

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Bussell | Goodman | Tonioli | Total | Result |
| 1 | Paso Doble / "Y Viva España" | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 26 | No elimination |
| 2 | Charleston / "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 29 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango / "The Heat is On" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 28 | Eliminated |

### Series 15: with Alexandra Burke

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Bussell | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | Result |
| 1 | Waltz / "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 24 | No elimination |
| 2 | Paso Doble / "On the Floor" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe |
| 3 | American Smooth / "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 33 | Safe |
| 4 | Jive / "Proud Mary" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba / "Shape of You" | 7 | 8 | 8 | - | 23 | Safe |
| 6 | Tango / "Maneater" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 35 | Safe |
| 7 | Cha-cha-cha / "I've Got the Music in Me" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 8 | Argentine Tango / "Mi Confesión" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 9 | Quickstep / "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 10 | Rumba / "Halo" Paso Doble-a-thon / "España cañí" | 7 Awarded | 8 7 | 8 extra | 9 points | 32 39 | Bottom two |
| 11 | Charleston / "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Bottom two |
| 12 | Viennese Waltz / "Everybody Hurts" Salsa / "Finally" | 9 10 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 39 40 | Safe |
| 13 | American Smooth / "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" Showdance / "There's No Business Like Show Business" Jive / "Proud Mary" | 10 9 10 | 10 10 10 | 10 10 10 | 10 10 10 | 40 39 40 | Runner-Up |

### Series 16: with Katie Piper

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Bussell | Ballas | Tonioli | Total | Result |
| 1 | Waltz / "When We Were Young" | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17 | No elimination |
| 2 | Paso Doble / "Confident" | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 13 | Safe |
| 3 | Foxtrot / "City of Stars" | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 22 | Safe |
| 4 | Jive / "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | Eliminated |

### Series 18: with Maisie Smith

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Ballas | Mabuse | Total | Result |
| 1 | Samba / "Samba (Conga)" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | No elimination |
| 2 | Tango / "Midnight Sky" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 25 | Safe |
| 3 | American Smooth / "Into the Unknown" | 8 | 7 | 9 | 24 | Safe |
| 4 | Cha-cha-cha / "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" | 7 | 8 | 9 | 24 | Bottom two |
| 5 | Salsa / "Better When I'm Dancin'" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Bottom two |
| 6 | Quickstep / "When You're Smiling" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive / "Little Shop of Horrors" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 28 | Safe |
| 8 | Jazz / "Gettin' Jiggy with It" Viennese Waltz / "A Thousand Years" | 10 9 | 10 10 | 10 10 | 30 29 | Safe |
| 9 | Samba / "Samba (Conga)" Showdance / "We Need A Little Christmas" Quickstep / "When You're Smiling" | 9 10 9 | 10 10 10 | 10 10 10 | 29 30 29 | Runner-Up |

### Series 19: with Katie McGlynn

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Tango / "Black Hole" | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 22 | No elimination |
| 2 | Jive / "Good 4 U" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 21 | Bottom two |
| 3 | American Smooth / "Cruella de Vil" | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 24 | Eliminated |

### Series 20: with Helen Skelton

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | American Smooth / "You Send Me" | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 26 | No elimination |
| 2 | Cha-cha-cha / "Rain on Me" | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 27 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese waltz / "Hopelessly Devoted to You" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso Doble / "Tamacun" | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 29 | Safe |
| 5 | Charleston / "Barnacle Bill" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| 6 | Foxtrot / "Lil' Red Riding Hood" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 32 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive / "Tightrope" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 37 | Safe |
| 8 | Salsa / "Despacito" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 9 | Quickstep / "Valerie" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 10 | Samba / "Eso Beso" | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 29 | Safe |
| 11 | Couple's Choice / "Mein Herr" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 12 | Waltz / "Only One Road" Argentine Tango / "Here Comes the Rain Again" | 8 9 | 9 10 | 9 8 | 9 10 | 35 37 | Safe |
| 13 | Jive / "Tightrope" Showdance / "Shine" Couple's Choice / "Mein Herr" | 9 8 10 | 10 10 10 | 10 9 10 | 10 10 10 | 39 37 40 | Runner-up |

### Series 21: with Nikita Kanda

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Waltz / "Run to You" | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | No elimination |
| 2 | Charleston / "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | Bottom two |
| 3 | Jive / "Kids in America" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 21 | Eliminated |

### Series 22: with Dr. Punam Krishan

| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Judges' scores | Total | Result |
| Week # | Dance/Song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Love at First Sight" | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19 | No elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 18 | Safe |
| 3 | Couple's choice / "Bole Chudiyan" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 33 | Safe |
| 4 | Jive / "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)" | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | Safe |
| 5 | Viennese waltz / "She's Always a Woman" | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 21 | Safe |
| 6 | Tango / "Sweet Dreams" | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 26 | Eliminated |

## Dance tours and other professional engagements

In August 2023 Márquez announced he would be teaching & performing with Karen Hauer at Donahey's 2024 Dancing with The Stars Weekends.

## Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

He danced with his partner, Gemma, for the 2019 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. It was announced he would dance with Keisha Buchanan for the 2023 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.

## Personal life

Márquez got engaged to the British actress Gemma Atkinson on Valentine's Day 2021. They have two children.