Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Hauer has been seen reuniting with one of her former co-stars on stage after opening up about the real reason for her departure from the show. The Venezuela-born professional dancer, who joined the BBC One dance programme in 2012, confirmed in March that she would not be returning for the 2026 series, marking the end of her tenure as the longest-serving female professional on the show.
Karen was not the only professional to announce their exit from Strictly. Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Gorka Marquez also confirmed they would not be participating in the upcoming series, which is set to air later this year. However, last month, Karen and Nadiya revealed they would be reuniting with Nikita Kuzmin as he embarks on his new tour.
Following the success of his first headline show, Midnight Dancer, in 2025, Nikita, 28, announced his new tour, Supernova, for 2026, which began in early June. In a series of social media posts, it was disclosed that Karen and Nadiya would join Nikita as special guests at several performances. The announcement for Karen read: "We're thrilled to announce that the incredible talent and 'Burn the Floor' alumni, that is Karen Hauer, will be taking to the stage to join Nikita Kuzmin: SUPERNOVA as a very special guest. Karen will bring her trademark power, passion, and electrifying energy to every stage she steps on. Don't miss your chance to see the former World Mambo Champion and the longest-reigning female professional on Strictly set the floor ablaze. Dates: 9th-21st June. 7th-12th July." In response, Karen expressed her excitement, saying, "Absolutely Thrilled."
On Tuesday, June 9, the opening night of Nikita's tour took place, and Karen was seen joining him on stage. Sharing a picture of the dancer ready for the first show, Karen's partner, Simon Davidson, wrote on Instagram: "Opening night for this [rocket emoji] tonight! Let's go [flame emoji]." Karen later reshared a video of herself and Nikita taken from the side of the stage, captioned: "@nikita_kuzmin @karenhauer And they're off. Let's gooo."
This comes after Karen recently spoke about her decision to leave Strictly after 14 years. In an interview with the Mirror, she shared: "It was very emotional, but it did feel like I was ready to get my teeth stuck into other projects and continue evolving. I learned so much from every single celebrity that I came across." She added: "It's always about growth. It was a beautiful decision that came from a good place in my heart."
