Taylor Swift’s backing dancer enjoys spot of sightseeing at Edinburgh castle before star’s first UK Eras Tour show
One of Taylor Swift’s backup dancers has given his fans on social media a taste of the American superstar’s presence in the Scottish capital ahead of her first show in Britain tonight.
The athletically built Jan Ravnik shared a selfie up close Edinburgh Castle not long after Swift and her backing crew landed in Scotland just after performing France.
Earlier this afternoon there were rumors Taylor Swift which had landed on British soil reached a fever pitch when a private jet landed at a VIP airport in Edinburgh.
It is believed the 34-year-old American megastar arrived around lunchtime before being taken away in a darkened car accompanied by a police escort.
Excitement is building ahead of the UK leg of Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour, which kicks off tonight at Murrayfield Stadium.
Background dancer Jan Ravnok shared a photo taken near Edinburgh Castle just hours before he shares the stage with Taylor Swift for her first UK Eras Tour show
The dancer revealed that Edinburgh holds a special place in his heart, after visiting the Scottish capital as a teenager to attend an international summer dance school.
Excitement in the Scottish capital has reached fever pitch ahead of Swift’s first UK Eras Tour show
The dark-haired dancer, who hails from Slovenia, can also be seen in the feature film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which was released in October.
The Cruel Summer singer will perform tonight, Saturday and Sunday before heading to Liverpool, Cardiff and Wembley.
The dark-haired Ravnik keeps Swifties updated on Swift’s epic international tour, which kicked off in February and included performances in JapanAustralia and Singaporebefore leaving for Europe.
In recent weeks Swift performed in Portugal, Sweden, Spain and France, before heading to Scotland.
At each stop, Ravnik has teased his 566,000 Instagram followers with photos and footage of his rippling physique as he shared the stage with Swift.
But it seems Edinburgh holds a particularly special place in the backing dancer’s heart.
Today on Instagram, Ravnik revealed that he came to Edinburgh at the age of 15 for his first international summer dance school.
Posting a flashback photo of then and now, he wrote: ‘Let’s go to Edinburgh. My first international dance school when I was 15 years old.
“And now I’m performing in this city again.”
The talented dancer is originally from Slovenia and moved to the United States to further his career.
Before performing with Swift, he worked as a backup dancer for, among others Mariah CareyBruno MarsKhalid, Bruno Mars and Luis Fonsi, Out reports.
He also appeared in Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which was released in theaters in October.
The Slovenian-born hunk, who often draws comparisons to ‘Red White & Royal Blue’ actor Taylor Zakhar Perez, has quickly become the most famous among Swift’s team.
The Slovenian-born hunk often draws comparisons to ‘Red White & Royal Blue’ actor Taylor Zakhar Perez and has quickly become the most famous among Swift’s team
He’s not just a pretty face; among the dance group he is known for ‘keeping morale high’. (Pictured with Swift’s dance troupe enjoying a party on a day off)
As a competitive dancer and choreographer in Slovenia, Ravnik gained national attention through several competition wins before moving to Los Angeles to further his career.
“Jan is getting swooned over by fans everywhere,” says an insider. “He has become a star and will definitely become a force in the industry after this tour.”
But he’s not just a pretty face; among the dance group he is known for ‘keeping morale high’.
As a competitive dancer and choreographer in Slovenia, Ravnik gained national attention through several competition wins – including winning the prestigious ‘Best Dancer of Slovenia’ award twice – before moving to Los Angeles in 2018 to further his career.
There he performed alongside the likes of Bruno Mars, Lewis Capaldi and DJ Khalid – and was even chosen for Mariah Carey’s ‘Christmas Special’ 2020 for Apple TV.
The year before, he had traveled to Las Vegas with Paula Abdul for her six-month residency, before Swift finally scouted him to join her company in January last year.
A private jet believed to be carrying Taylor Swift landed at a VIP airport in Edinburgh this afternoon
Suitcases were unloaded from the private jet before being placed in a darkened vehicle
All dressed up with a place to go: three fans wearing raincoats over their Eras Tour outfits
Fans brave the miserable Scottish weather as they queue for the gig in Edinburgh
Swifties have reportedly booked out hotels in Edinburgh’s historic center after flying in from the far corners of the world.
A fan told MailOnline that Swift is rumored to be staying at the luxury five-star Balmoral Hotel and has apparently booked out two entire floors after offering an entire wedding party £10,000 to move out, they claimed.
Queues are already forming outside the concert venue with many fans gathering in Roseburn Park to wait for the gates to open at 3pm this afternoon.
Swiftie mania has struck elsewhere in Scotland, with the singer’s name even mentioned at election events.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney has opened up about his ‘bond with the Swifties’ before naming his favorite song by the American singer.
Queues are already forming outside the concert venue with many fans gathering in Roseburn Park to wait for the gates to open this afternoon
During a General election campaign event Glasgow On Friday, Mr Swinney was asked by a journalist to name his top three Taylor Swift songs, prompting laughter from the audience.
The First Minister responded that he had felt a ‘bond with the Swifties’ – as Taylor Swift fans are known – since Loch Tay in his Perthshire North Holyrood constituency was temporarily renamed Loch Tay Tay in honor of the star’s arrival in Scotland this week.
To even more laughter from the assembled audience SNP According to activists and journalists, Mr Swinney said his favorite Swift song is her 2019 single You Need To Calm Down, which he incorrectly called You’ve Got To Calm Down.
Mr Swinney said: ‘Firstly, I welcome Taylor Swift’s trip to Scotland and the fact that her tour is starting in Scotland. I think this is a huge, exciting opportunity.
‘The fact that the most beautiful place on earth, Loch Tay, has been renamed Loch Tay Tay creates a new bond between me and the Swifties, as I represent Loch Tay – or Loch Tay Tay – so that’s absolutely fantastic, and I I really feel that bond with the Swifties is very strong.
“My favorite Taylor Swift song is, and you’ll love this, You’ve Got To Calm Down.”
Meanwhile, a train service to Edinburgh was renamed to celebrate the first UK concerts of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
LNER said Friday’s departure is at 10am London King’s Cross to the Scottish capital is called The Flying Swiftie.
The singer previously revealed her Scottish heritage during a performance in 2015, so the stadium sponsorship was also changed from Scottish Gas to Scottish Lass to highlight this.
The 34-year-old American singer can trace her roots back to the Scottish King William the Lion, who reigned from 1165 to 1214.
Swift told the Daily Record: “Every time I perform in Scotland it really feels like I’m coming home.”
