Léo Blanco, who is a choreographer on Brazil’s version of “Dancing with the Stars,” has tragically passed away at the age of 47 after being found unresponsive in his home, The Sun reports.
No cause of death has been released.
Mariana Xavier Remembers Léo Blanco As ‘One Of The Sweetest and Most Generous People’
Brazilian actress Mariana Xavier paid tribute to Blanco with an emotional tribute on Instagram. The original post was written in Spanish.
“It was late at night when I started getting messages from people I didn’t know telling me the news I didn’t want to be true. 😭 Depression has unfortunately claimed another fatal victim,” Xavier wrote. “@leosblanco was my Celebrity Dancing teacher in 2017, but more than that: he was the best partner I could have in making that dream come true, which was his too. One of the sweetest and most generous people I’ve met along my career! Someone who stayed in my heart and my life, even though contact is not that frequent. The first song we danced on Sunday became ‘our music’ and from time to time, when one of us listened to it by chance, he would send a message to the other to say ‘I’m here, I remembered you, you’re important to me.’ The last time we saw each other was at Carnival 2025, in Salvador, both ecstatic to be there, enjoying the songs that were the soundtrack of our lives.”
“I am torn apart, still somewhat in disbelief, writing this text crying, to try to organize my feelings and thoughts… The word for me is cure, so I write these, not only as a tribute to Leo, but as a warning to everyone who reads me now,” she continued. “Mental health is a very serious thing. People carry deep pain that we can never even imagine. We live in difficult times that force many people to be functional and smiling even in situations of psychological suffering, because tickets keep coming and time doesn’t stop for them to recover. Not freshness, not lack of faith. It’s a disease that doesn’t discriminate gender, class or age… Depression doesn’t hurt what’s left, it hurts what’s missing… And even for that person who we think has a perfect life, they may be missing something that is essential and that money can’t buy.”
“Take care of yourselves! Know each other, listen to each other, welcome each other, love each other! to ourselves and each other Only this can stop this tragic and silent epidemic that has taken so many wonderful people from this world,” Xavier concluded.
Fans Pay Tribute To Léo Blanco
On Blanco’s last Instagram post, which was 12 weeks ago, some people left comments after the news of his passing was released.
“How sad. May God receive you with open arms, my friend! 🖤,” one person wrote.
“So sad that you are gone! A super nice guy, loved our conversations. Go in peace! 😢😞😞😞😞,” another person commented.
