A professional dancer and choreographer who appeared on Dancing with the Stars has been found dead at his flat.
Léo Blanco, who also worked as a personal trainer, was found unresponsive at his home on Friday (9 Jan).
He first came into contact with dance at the age of 16.
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He later went on to head two dance companies while at university.
He rose to national fame after joining Dança dos Famosos”- based on Strictly Come Dancing and part of the Dancing with the Stars franchise.
In the show’s 14th season in 2017, he partnered with actress Mariana Xavier, with the pair finishing seventh.
Two years later, in the 16th season, he danced with singer Luísa Sonza and was ninth to be eliminated, as reported by Need To Know.
In the 17th season in 2020, Léo was part of actress Lucy Ramos’s winning run, before being replaced after week nine by professional dancer Reginaldo Sama.
Mariana paid tribute to Léo, originally from Cascavel, in southern Brazil, in an emotional social media post, writing: “He was my teacher on Dança dos Famosos in 2017, but more than that, he was the best partner I could have had in making that dream come true – a dream that was his as well.
“One of the kindest, most generous people I’ve met along my journey. Someone who stayed in my heart and in my life, even when we weren’t in touch all that often.”
Léo, 47, had more than 90,000 followers on Instagram, where he frequently shared photos of his toned physique.
The cause of death had not been officially disclosed at the time of writing. However, it is believed he had been struggling with depression.
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