The Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour hits…

The Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour hits most of its marks beautifully

The BBC shows only allow us a brief insight into how talented the professionals are.

Even the most memorable moments in the ballroom - 2019's Flamenco opening - fail to compare to the live performance spectacle. To open the show at the M&S Bank Arena, a glitterball ensures its light touches every inch of the venue to set the stage for our dancers.

One by one Dianne Buswell, Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Prystal and Nancy Xu burst onto the scene in a low-energy but cheerful welcome. Pace making is thrown to the wind as a mashup to Malambo No 1 allows the pros to flex their skills and heat things up to a 10.

The first genuine sight of their expertise is jaw-dropping, backed by the fact not a single step is out of sync or place. Staring at the limited stage, they could benefit from a more spacious set to work with but their close-knit interactions, swings and throws between one another feel all the more striking.

Dashings of slow tempo, personal performances accompanied by the live band are a welcome change from the over-the-top energy. The show feels thought out enough that while you can't determine what routine is coming next, your preference in terms of energy usually follows.

The Strictly tour rightly cashes in on the crowd pleasures such as Nikita and Dianne who have the most solo routines or hosting opportunities. Any time they're on stage or shake their hip the right way, the audience went wild. When the cast isn't changing or smashing it on stage, a couple meet on stage to host the audience with a mic in hand.

Interludes were expected but the handful of bad jokes felt difficult to sit through. The dancing was an awe-inspiring sight to behold whereas the banter with the audience fell flat. It was difficult to determine at times whether or not they were holding for laughter or also found the segments hard to swallow.

That being said, segments such as the Western routines, the Paso Doble and the Beyoncé versus Barrow Manilow battles more than make up for it. As soon as the first beat hits you know you're in for a treat. The dancers have ample time to shine with no single person acting as the star of the show. Even if they are trained to appear that way, the Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour is a celebration of art and music by stars you can tell loved every second of the stage.

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here