Beloved Danish dancer and ‘Wild with Dance’ judge Jens Werner dies at 59 after cancer battle

Jens Werner, a dancer and former judge on the show ‘Wild with Dance’ for 20 seasons, has passed away at the age of 59. His family announced his death, stating that he had been battling cancer for some time.

Werner, a former world champion in competitive dance, was not only an extraordinary athlete, judge, teacher, and speaker but also a very loving and caring husband, father, son, brother, brother-in-law, and uncle, his family said.

He is survived by his wife Anette Werner and their two children.

Werner was not only judging “Denmark’s bravest dancers” through 20 seasons of the popular dance show, but he himself was also the most winning dancer in Denmark’s history, with multiple championships both domestically and internationally.

In 1994, he and his dance partner Charlotte Jørgensen became world champions in standard dance. In addition, Werner ran a dance school with his wife, which will continue after his death.

“The dance school will continue to carry on Jens’ spirit of dance, passion, and joy,” his family said.

In his 2022 book ‘Dance became my salvation – a world champion’s way to the top’, Werner shared how dance had been the centre of his life for over 50 years and how it became his salvation during his upbringing.