BoldonBlackCat
Winger
How’s the tour going?
It’s going well, she’s enjoying it.
Sold out every show in Birmingham, now they’re off to London for the NTAs.
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How’s the tour going?
The dance numbers — more than a dozen of them — are short and occasionally sweet. The female contestants have the edge.
In its 12th year the live version of this hugely popular BBC series remains a thick slice of big-budget light entertainment. Loud, slick and fun, the two-act touring production is about as mainstream as dance can get. Yet tucked inside all the formulaic showbiz glitter and easy-cheesy banter is a kernel of truth about how potentially life-changing this art form can be.
For anyone unfamiliar with the premise of Strictly, couples comprising a gung-ho celebrity and a professional dancer vie for glory. On TV the suspense of which pair will earn the trophy is spread across an entire season. For the live edition audience votes determine who wins at the end of each performance.
We’re guided in this process by the example of an expert judging panel. The Latin dance expert Shirley Ballas and the retired ballerina Darcey Bussell are astute and generous commentators. They are flanked by Craig Revel Horwood (also the live show’s director) and the effusive Bruno Tonioli. The quartet’s roles sometimes seem as defined as in a panto. That is particularly true of the men, especially Horwood, whose air of sarcastic disdain renders him a loveable villain.
The dance numbers — more than a dozen of them — are short and occasionally sweet. The female contestants have the edge. It’s no surprise, given their pop star backgrounds, that the ex-Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and Faye Tozer, an erstwhile member of Steps, are the most accomplished movers. Tozer and Giovanni Pernice’s fleet-footed charleston to The Lonely Goatherd is a highlight. Still, the Paralympian champion Lauren Steadman and the BBC documentary presenter Stacey Dooley (Strictly 2018’s top prizewinner) demonstrate that they are no slouches either.
In this glitzy popularity contest personality and a can-do spirit tend to count as much as technique. Witness the efforts of the ebullient Dr Ranj Singh and the cricketer Graeme Swann; although neither is great shakes as a dancer, both give it their best shot. And I wasn’t the only one impressed by the slightly built, floppy-haired media star and vlogger Joe Sugg. His well-crafted routines with his off-screen partner, Dianne Buswell, showcased his athletic verve. The duo rightly boogied away with the gong at this performance.
I'll let you lot decide how to take The Times' review of the Birmingham live shows... @BoldonBlackCat
Happy enough with that, the show is canny and they’re all dancing like they mean it...she’s enjoying it and there’s only a few weeks to go until she’s home
I saw her outfit for the daft awards thing tonight before setting off for the match. What time does she get home?
Tomorrow afternoon at some point, probably not still wearing that dress though
That's a shame for you mind. Can she not fit it in her suitcase like?
Must be said, all the ladies looked gorgeous at the awards.She’ll be bringing it home aye but not suitable to travel in
Must be said, all the ladies looked gorgeous at the awards.
Bairn is already excited for next weekend. So am i mind.My mam (no) is at the Leeds show tomorrow night. @BoldonBlackCat tell your Mrs to make sure it is a good show.
My mam (no) is at the Leeds show tomorrow night. @BoldonBlackCat tell your Mrs to make sure it is a good show.
Bairn is already excited for next weekend. So am i mind.
Feedback from my mam (no), loves the show was surprised at how good Bruno's singing was, and Faye was the best. The goats got a mention too.Roger that.
Cant wait for Strictly 2019 me, it's sure to bring me out of my rather depressive state - haway September / October 2019 .