Strictly Come Dancing champion Giovanni Pernice brings his smooth moves – and the Glitterball – to Aberdeen’s Music Hall and Eden Court in Inverness.
The hugely popular dancer will finally arrive in the Granite City on Sunday and the Highland capital on March 19 with his This Is Me tour – which was cut short in 2020 due to the pandemic.
But the Sicilian dance star kept busy in the enforced break, with the small matter of winning Strictly with his partner Rose Ayling-Ellis – the show’s first deaf contestant.
Giovanni said it was a dream come true after having reached the final of the BBC show three times before.
“I’m no longer the bridesmaid, but the bride,” he joked.
“But seriously, I just feel very lucky to have been on the show for so long and have such great partners.”
Giovanni Pernice doing what he loves most – dancing live for his fans
Now Giovanni is doing what he loves most – being back on the road and performing live in front of his fans the length and breadth of the country.
He said: “I absolutely love being on Strictly, it’s the best show on TV and I feel so lucky to be part of it. You know, without Strictly, I wouldn’t get the opportunity to do my own tour.”
There is, though, a huge difference between performing on the TV screen for millions of viewers, to strutting his stuff in venues like the Music Hall and Eden Court in a spectacular live performance.
“On the show it’s all about your partner, teaching them to dance and make them look amazing. Let them shine and hopefully go far in the competition,” said the pro dancer who has been on Strictly since 2015.
“On the tour, it is all about me, darling, haha! This Is Me is about the audience getting to know me a little better.”
Giovanni described This Is Me as his biggest and best tour to date, with a cast of professional dancers and singers.
Giovanni ready to show off his ‘hidden talents’ for Scottish fans
Giovanni said: “I just want to try and do something different, something that you haven’t seen before. I want to challenge myself and show off my hidden talents!”
Not, of course, that he’s giving any clues as to what those talents might be.
“It’s a surprise, you’ll have to come and watch the show! But I can tell you that I’ll be wearing a tail suit, which I haven’t done before in any of my other shows.
“I’ve also got a set and my biggest ever cast. I’m so excited!”
Giovanni will also pay homage to the music and dances that have inspired his career.
“For me, I love Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, all the legends of the past, you know, even Anton Du Beke! Well, he’s not quite from the past, but he is a legend,” joked the dancer.
“One of my biggest idols is Freddie Mercury. He could do everything, and he had such a power and incredible energy on stage. Unfortunately, I never got to see him live, but I watch all the clips of him on YouTube and everything and he is just incredible, honestly. Just an unbelievable energy.”
And during This Is Me, Giovanni will be paying a special tribute to his Strictly co-champion Rose – and the Glitterball won’t be too far away, either.
How to get tickets to see Giovanni in Aberdeen and Inverness
The dancer promises Aberdeen fans they are in for a spectacular show, full of energy.
“I always try to give more than 100%, you know, people are coming to see me, so you want them to enjoy the show and have a good night out. That’s what it is all about,” he said.
“But it’s the audience who give you that energy. When there are a thousand people cheering for you and they appreciate what you are doing, it’s a feeling you can’t describe.
“I feel incredibly blessed to be in this position and I’m lucky, really lucky.”
For information and tickets for Giovanni Pernice at the Music Hall visit aberdeenperformingarts.com and for Eden Court visit eden-court.co.uk
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