Jan Ravnik: Age, Background, Kids, and DWTS Controversy

If you’ve watched Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour broadcast or caught a glimpse of the Dancing with the Stars lineup, you’ve likely seen Jan Ravnik moving across the stage. The Slovenian dancer has quietly built a career that spans competitive ballroom titles, arena tours, and now a primetime TV spotlight.

Age: 30 (born 13 May 1995) ·
Nationality: Slovenian ·
Profession: Professional dancer and choreographer ·
Known for: Taylor Swift Eras Tour backup dancer, DWTS pro ·
Height: Not publicly disclosed ·
Social media followers: 1.2M on TikTok

Six key facts, one pattern: Jan Ravnik’s career moves from competitive ballroom to pop-stage spectacle, but personal details remain deliberately private.

Below, a table of his known biographical facts serves as the foundation.

What is Jan Ravnik’s background?

Where was Jan Ravnik born?

Jan Ravnik was born in Slovenia on 13 May 1995, according to South China Morning Post (Hong Kong-based English newspaper). He was raised in Slovenia and later moved to Los Angeles to advance his dance career, as reported by Us Weekly (celebrity news outlet).

What is Jan Ravnik’s age?

Born 13 May 1995, Jan Ravnik is 30 years old as of 2025.

What is Jan Ravnik’s height?

Jan Ravnik’s exact height has not been publicly disclosed by any official source.

He began dancing competitively at a young age and went on to win multiple national, European, and world champion titles. Us Weekly reports that he was named Best Dancer of Slovenia twice and received an award for Best Trainer/Choreographer from the Slovenian Olympic Committee. Before the Eras Tour, Ravnik performed with artists including Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, Bruno Mars, Lewis Capaldi, Khalid, and Luis Fonsi (Us Weekly; SCMP).

What is Jan Ravnik’s ethnicity?

Jan Ravnik is of Slovenian ethnicity. Multiple sources, including South China Morning Post and Us Weekly, describe him as Slovenian-born and raised. No public information suggests any other ethnic background.

The implication: his national identity is clear, but deeper ancestral heritage has not been discussed in any interview or profile to date.

Does Jan Ravnik have kids?

As of available information, Jan Ravnik does not publicly have children. No credible source — including his own social media — mentions children. His marital status and partner also remain undisclosed. This is not uncommon for dancers early in a touring career; Ravnik maintains a relatively private personal life.

Is Jan in the Fate of Ophelia video?

What is The Fate of Ophelia?

“The Fate of Ophelia” is a music video featuring Taylor Swift, though it is not part of the Eras Tour film. Jan Ravnik appears in the video as a dancer, according to coverage from South China Morning Post. The video extends Ravnik’s screen presence beyond live performance.

How to watch The Fate of Ophelia music video

The video is available on Taylor Swift’s official YouTube channel and streaming platforms. Ravnik’s role as a background dancer appears in several scenes.

The catch: while his appearance is confirmed, no interviews discuss his experience on set, leaving fans to spot him frame by frame.

What did Max say about Jan on Dancing with the Stars?

Why did Maks Chmerkovskiy criticize Jan Ravnik?

Former DWTS pro Maks Chmerkovskiy publicly criticized Jan Ravnik’s casting as a professional dancer on the show, calling it “absurd” and questioning his ballroom qualifications, as reported by Betches (lifestyle and pop culture blog). The remarks ignited debate within the dance community about the evolving definition of a ballroom pro — whether experience with pop stars qualifies one for a competition rooted in traditional partner dancing.

Ravnik, for his part, told ABC News (major US broadcaster) on Good Morning America that he was “ready to win” the Mirrorball trophy. He described his trajectory from traveling the world with the Eras Tour to the ballroom stage as a natural next step.

“I traveled around the world with the Eras Tour and now I’m moving to the ballroom stage. I’m ready to win.”

— Jan Ravnik, speaking on Good Morning America via ABC News

“It’s absurd to cast a backup dancer as a ballroom pro. He doesn’t have the credentials.”

— Maks Chmerkovskiy, per Betches

The trade-off: traditionalists see a dilution of ballroom standards; progressives see a natural evolution of a genre that already borrows from hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary. Ravnik’s unbothered posture suggests he’s betting on performance skill over pedigree.

For the dance community in the US, the choice is clear: embrace Ravnik’s pop-stage energy as a new ballroom standard, or defend the traditional competitive track. Either way, his Mirrorball run will set a precedent.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Jaafar Jackson: Michael Jackson’s Nephew and Biopic Star
• Andrew Scott Biography: Roles, Career & Facts