Jessica Raffa
{{short description|Australian ballroom dancer (born 1984)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Jessica Raffa (born circa 1984) is an Australian ballroom dancer known for appearing on Australia's Dancing with the Stars. She won Series 13 of the televised dance competition with celebrity partner Cosentino. Before competing on Dancing with the Stars, Raffa toured with the dance show Burn the Floor.
Early life
Raffa began dancing ballet at age 3.{{Cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/5687673/|title=The West Australian|website=The West|language=en-AU|access-date=June 25, 2017}} She began dancing ballroom at age 9 when a studio opened near her home.{{cite news|last1=Bradford|first1=Rodic J.|title=Jessica Raffa|url=http://www.dancespirit.com/whos-hot/you-should-know/ballroom_up-and-comer_jessica_raffa/|accessdate=3 July 2016|publisher=Dance Spirit Magazine|date=13 July 2009}} Between 1995 and 1998 she competed in Latin and Ballroom with Leighton Stevenson.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dancesportinfo.net/Couple/Leighton_Stevenson_and_Jessica_Raffa_7064/Details|title=Leighton Stevenson (Australia) & Jessica Raffa (Australia)|website=www.dancesportinfo.net|access-date=June 25, 2017}} In 1999 at age 15, Raffa competed at the Blackpool Ballroom Dance Competition in the youth category with partner Giuseppe Cosentino.{{Cite news|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/5687673/jessica-raffa/#page1|title=Jessica Raffa|date=June 29, 2009|work=au.news.yahoo.com|access-date=June 25, 2017|publisher=Yahoo 7}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dancesportinfo.net/Couple/Giuseppe_Cosentino_and_Jessica_Raffa_7080/Results|title=DancesportInfo.net|website=www.dancesportinfo.net|access-date=June 25, 2017}} In 2000 she performed at the Closing Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney along with Jason Gilkison and Peta Roby.{{Cite web|url=http://jessicaraffa.com/biography/|title=Biography|website=jessicaraffa.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227033405/http://jessicaraffa.com/biography/|archive-date=February 27, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=June 25, 2017}}
Career
Raffa joined Burn the Floor at age 17 after catching the eye of choreographer Jason Gilkison. She toured with the production for eight years. One of her numbers in the show included her dancing with a blindfold. That experience inspired her to start a foundation for the blind with Burn the Floor producer Harley Medcalf.
In 2009, Raffa assisted Gilkison with his choreography for So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
= Dancing with the Stars =
Raffa spent five series as a professional dancer on Australia's Dancing with the Stars. Her first series was Series 9, when she was paired with blind Paralympian Gerrard Gosens.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/docs/business-unit-news/dancing-with-the-stars-2012-press-kit.pdf|title=Dancing with the Stars 2012 Press Kit|date=2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425072058/http://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/docs/business-unit-news/dancing-with-the-stars-2012-press-kit.pdf|archive-date=2012-04-25|url-status=dead|access-date=June 25, 2017}} A rehearsal mishap sent Raffa to the hospital for CAT scans and an MRI.{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/dancing-with-the-stars-beauty-jessica-raffa-injured/story-e6frf7jo-1225748360913|title=Dancing With The Stars beauty Jessica Raffa injured|last=The Daily Telegraph|date=2009-07-11|website=heraldsun.com.au|access-date=2016-09-02}} While competing in Series 13 with magician Cosentino, Raffa injured her back and was unable to dance for three weeks.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/dancing-with-the-stars-contestant-cosentino-loses-dance-partner-jessica-raffa-to-injury/story-e6frfmyi-1226735027493|title=Dancing With The Stars contestant Cosentino loses dance partner Jessica Raffa to injury|newspaper=NewsComAu|access-date=2016-10-30}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/dance-floor-magic-cosentino-wins-dancing-stars/2097109/|title=Dance floor magic: Cosentino wins Dancing With The Stars|last=Cronin|first=Seanna|date=2013-11-26|website=Sunshine Coast Daily|access-date=2016-09-02}} She was temporarily replaced by dancer Sriani Argaet, starting in week 2 of the competition. Cosentino and Raffa went on to win that series of Dancing with the Stars.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: auto; text-align: center;"
! Season ! Partner ! Place |
| 9
| Gerrard Gosens | 4th |
| 10
| 10th |
| 11
| 6th |
| 12
| 4th |
| bgcolor="gold"
| 13 | 1st |
| 19
| 9th |
| bgcolor=lightgreen
| 20 | 14th |
| bgcolor=lightblue
| 21 | Adam Dovile | 6th/7th |
Personal life
Raffa announced her engagement to Tony Ouliaris in 2012.{{cite news|last1=Staff Writer|title=Channel Seven's Dancing With The Stars pro dancer Jessica Raffa who partnered Brendan Fevola this year is engaged|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/channel-sevens-dancing-with-the-stars-pro-dancer-jessica-raffa-who-partnered-brendan-fevola-this-year-is-engaged/story-fnbk7kwa-1226418940676|accessdate=3 July 2016|publisher=Herald Sun}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dancing with the Stars (Australia)}}
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Category:Australian ballroom dancers
Category:Australian female dancers
Category:21st-century Australian dancers