Ten of the top professional stars of Strictly Come Dancing will waltz into P&J Live Aberdeen this Friday – and one of them will have good reason to feel extra sparkly.
Not only is this Jowita Przystal’s first Pro tour with the hugely popular show, she will also be touring the UK as Strictly’s reigning champion.
She and celebrity partner Hamza Yassin, the Lochaber-based wildlife filmmaker, carried off the Glitterball in 2022 and won a slew of fans in the process.
But Polish-born Jowita says she doesn’t feel like she’s under any additional pressure on the tour after her sparkling win.
‘The stage show is something else’
“I just feel happy and blessed,” she says. “Yes, it will be different performing in front of a live audience, but I’ll be surrounded by the best dancers in the world.
“On the TV show, the spotlight is on the celebrities who are given 90 seconds to perform a routine. The stage show is something else. For one thing, there’s no real competition involved, just the enjoyment of the dances. I don’t think I’ll be nervous.”
Jowita added that she was delighted to be hitting the road and stepping back into the spectacular costumes which are as much a part of Strictly as the dancers, celebrities – and all that fake tan.
“At home, I wear a tracksuit and trainers. On stage, the sparkly clothes make you feel special, glamorous. I also like the fact that audiences won’t necessarily know how we’re going to look and what we’re going to wear. So, there’s that element of surprise.”
She will be joined at P&J Live by some other familiar faces from the TV show – including Dianne Buswell, Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Nancy Xu.
The live show will see all 10 pros showcasing all the dance styles Strictly is famous for, from Latin to ballroom, along with a Disney tribute and an 80s megamix, with showstopping group numbers and haunting couples’ dances.
‘There can be no second takes’
It also puts the dancers in the spotlight, letting the audience get to know them and their stories.
Nancy is also making her debut on the Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals tour and says it will be a “dream come true”, especially as she gets to hang out with her fellow pros.
“We dance a lot, we talk a lot, we laugh a lot. I can’t wait to perform for live audiences. And, apart from anything else, it’s going to be a great way to see the UK,” who partnered actor Will Mellor last year.
Another Pro tour freshman is Carlos, who was runner up on last year’s TV show with Molly Rainford when he made his debut on Strictly.
“All the other professionals have told me this is going to be a spectacular experience. I’m so excited,” he said, adding he was looking forward to performing in front of hundreds of people.
“I’m very aware that there can be no second takes. Get it wrong and you just have to carry on. But that’s what’s going to get the adrenaline pumping. A live audience always brings out the best in me.”
‘You always raise your game’
No stranger to touring with the pros is Karen Hauer, making her third outing having been a part of the Strictly family since 2012.
“You never tire of the opportunity to showcase whatever talents you have – and to do so surrounded by other professional dancers,” she said, while admitting it can be demanding doing shows almost every night as the tour criss-crosses the country.
“Yes, it can be exhausting but somehow you always raise your game. We all share that inner passion.”
And Karen also loves the reward that comes from the reaction of audiences who flock to see the show.
“I meet people after the shows and they’re always so complimentary. Young women in their 20s tell me they grew up watching me. I think: ‘Goodness, how old am I?’ But, truly, I find that inspiring.”
Neil Jones is another Strictly veteran, having joined the show in 2016 and has now reached the tender age of 41. Not that he has any intentions of slowing down.
“As you get older, you become more aware of maintaining your body. But when I look at Anton who was still dancing at 54, I feel I’ve got years left in me.”
‘Audience gets to see us at our best’
While Neil loves the TV show and the journey of the celebrities, he believes there is something special about the Pro tour.
“There is something uniquely intimate about the Pro tour. The audience gets to see us at our best, gets to hear our voices, gets to learn more about our personalities.”
Fellow pro, Nikita Kuzman is also looking forward to sharing the spotlight with the other professionals.
“It gives us the freedom to do what we love doing most and to do so in front of people who are there because they love the TV show. I can’t wait to see the happiness in their eyes, the joy I hope we’ll bring them.”
Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals is at P&J Live on Friday May 5. For more information and tickets visit pandjlive.com or call 01224 824824.
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