Dancing Is Good For You

You just have to look at the latest Strictly celebs to get your answer. Not only are we loving how much their dance ability has improved during their Strictly journey (sorry), but we’re also hugely impressed by their personal transformations.

And we’re not just talking the weekly skills applied by the costume, hair and makeup departments, no; we’re talking the vast benefits of dance revealing themselves in all their wonderful glory.

Incredible weight loss

With the celebs putting in so many hours in the training rooms, it’s no surprise that they’ve improved their general fitness levels, stamina and core strength. Whether they’re perfecting a low-impact Waltz or mastering a cardio-driven Samba, the rigorous training has led to substantial weight loss for many and they couldn’t be happier.

Graeme Swann recently revealed on ‘It Takes Two’ that he’s already lost 2.5 stones. He also told the Mirror that his wife was keen for him to lose weight before appearing on Strictly and even bought him a pair of running shoes. She said, “Right, you can get fit, you’re not going on telly all chubby.” He said, “I suppose she would be pleased, if I ever saw her!”

His Strictly partner, pro dancer Oti Mabuse, also confirmed on social media how dancing has got him into shape, “The body transformation that @bbcstrictly has had on @officialgraemeswann has just been incredible.”

But it’s not just the male celebs who are relishing the positive effects regular dancing can have on the body. Kate Silverton revealed on ‘Lorraine’ that she can now fit into her wedding dress, previously worn eight years ago when she got married in 2010. Which is no surprise considering the Strictly costume team have already had to take her dresses in twice. She also told the Mirror, “I think I’ve lost a stone already, it’s the Aljaz school of weight loss and my husband is very happy about that… nudge nudge. I feel liberated too! I was looking at my thighs today and I’m getting so much definition.”

Faye Tozer is also reaping the rewards of dancing. She told New! magazine, “I’ve definitely dropped a dress size. I was between a size 10 and a size 12 and now I’m a size 10. I thought I was fit before but you’re literally on your feet for at least six hours a day.”

Improved wellbeing

But it’s not just the body that benefits from dancing, the mind does too. Pretty obvious really when dancing is so much fun and boosts your happiness.

Dancing on Strictly helped Lee Ryan give up more than just a little weight. With the encouragement of his Strictly partner, pro dancer Nadiya Bychkova, he ditched the alcohol and shed weight during his Strictly training after she told him, “You should just knock it on the head.” He reportedly told the Press Association at the beginning of October, “If anything I’ve lost a lot of weight, I haven’t weighed myself but my clothes feel massively different and I just feel great. I’ve stopped drinking, I’m on the wagon. It’s good, though, because I have in the past dabbled and struggled and gone to rehab and stuff so I’ve just decided that drink is not good for me and it’s a really good thing (quitting). It’s really good for me, it feels like quite a turnaround for my own mentality, which is not just for the show but for me personally as well.”

Confidence boosting

Another positive effect of dancing was confirmed by Katie Piper in an exclusive interview with Hello! a week before she was eliminated from the show. She said, “I took part in Strictly as I knew I still had areas in my life where I don’t feel as free and confident and this is one of them. I wanted to use the show as a tool to learn how to let go and feel sexy. I used to feel like this some years ago and would like to get a small bit of it back. Dancing definitely doesn’t come naturally to me but it’s about letting go and enjoying yourself – and that’s what I did at my wedding and now on Strictly, but this time in front of millions.”

So there you have it, dancing is good for the mind, body and soul.

Learn to dance

If you want to become the best version of yourself (thanks, Stacey Dooley), have a go at dancing and improve your fitness levels, lose weight and have loads of fun along the way. As well as our fab 2019 Weekend Breaks with the stars of Strictly, where you can learn to dance with the shows incredible pro dancers, we also hold brilliant Ballroom Classes.

Our weekly Ballroom Classes are perfect for both beginners and improvers. You’ll learn to dance the Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Jive, Argentine Tango and many more with our team of highly trained dance teachers in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Too busy to commit to weekly lessons but really want to learn to dance? Then why not Learn to Dance in a Day with our fab 1-day Ballroom Dancing Lessons in Manchester, Solihull, Reading and Bristol? Our 4 hour daytime workshop will have you dancing your favourite Strictly dances in no time and loving it.

Why not make learning to dance your New Year resolution and set the wheels in motion by booking a class today?

Strictly Come Dancing Advent Calendar

Did you know you can grab yourself an official BBC Strictly Come Dancing Advent Calendar?

It realy is the ultimate Advent Calendar for every Strictly Come Dancing Fan!

Count down the day’s until Christmas with this unique Strictly Come Dancing trivia quiz calendar.

Test your Strictly knowledge every day as you answer each Strictly question, then enjoy the delicious Kinnerton nut safe chocolate – in fun Strictly themed shapes.

All new for 2018 , this is part of Kinnerton’s new range of Strictly inspired chocolates, check them out here

Strictly Come Dancing Winners: Who’s won Strictly?

With the final of Strictly series 16 looming towards us, we look back at all the celeb and pro partnerships that have lifted the famous Glitter Ball trophy over the years.

Cast your mind back to 2004 when Strictly first hit our screens and you’ll remember a slightly younger and different panel of judges. The line up included Head Judge, Len Goodman, with his proclivity for pickling his walnuts, Arlene Phillips with her vast knowledge of choreography, Craig Revel Horwood with his newly sharpened tongue, and Bruno Tolioni with his predilection for falling off chairs ‘Ab Fab’ style. No change there then. But amongst the mayhem, hosts Sir Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly endeavoured to keep proceedings running smoothly.

Fast forward to 2009 and series 5 winner, Alesha Dixon, replaced Arlene Phillips on the judging panel only to make room for former guest judge, Darcey Bussell, in 2012. Tess Daly filled the very large shoes of Sir Bruce Forsyth in 2014 and former ‘It Takes Two’ presenter, Claudia Winkleman, became her partner in comedy. Len Goodman bowed out after series 14 in 2016 and Shirley Ballas slipped into his seat as Head Judge in 2017.

Strictly Come Dancing past winners

If you’re an avid Strictly fan you will probably be able to recite this list in your sleep, but for the rest of us, here’s a quick recap.

Series 1 – July 2004

Winners: BBC newsreader, Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole
Most memorable dance: Samba to ‘Love Is In The Air’ in week 5 scoring a perfect 10 from judge Arlene Phillips
Runners up: Actor, Christopher Parker and opera singer, Lesley Garrett

Series 2 – Dec 2004

Winners: Actress, Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett
Most memorable dance: Jive to ‘I’m Still Standing’ in week 3 scoring 35 points and a perfect 40 in the final
Runners up: Comedian and writer, Julian Clary and sportswoman, Denise Lewis

Series 3 – 2005

Winners: England cricketer, Darren Gogh and Lilia Kopylova
Most memorable dance: Foxtrot to ‘Big Spender’ in the final earning their first 10 from Head Judge Len Goodman
Runners up: ‘It Takes Two’ presenter, Zoe Ball and sportsman, Colin Jackson

Series 4 – 2006

Winners: England cricketer, Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy
Most memorable dance: The infamous Salsa to ‘Hot, Hot, Hot’ in week 5 where their microphones became entangled and they were allowed to have another go. The dance later earned them a perfect 40 in the final
Runners up: England rugby player, Matt Dawson and Spice Girl, Emma Bunton

Series 5 – 2007

Winners: Singer, Alesha Dixon and Matthew Cutler
Most memorable dance: Cha Cha Cha to ‘Crazy In Love’ in week 8 scoring an impressive 39 points
Runners up: Actor, Matt Di Angelo and TV presenter, Gethin Jones

Series 6 – 2008

Winners: Actor, Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup
Most memorable dance: Foxtrot to ‘Here You Come Again’ scoring 39 points
Runners up: Singer, Rachel Stevens and TV and radio presenter, Lisa Snowdon

Series 7 – 2009

Winners: BBC Breakfast presenter, Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan
Most memorable dance: Charleston to ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’
Runners up: Actor, Ricky Whittle and actress, Ali Bastian

Series 8 – 2010

Winners: Actress, Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev
Most memorable dance: Tango to ‘El Tango de Roxanne’ in week 10 scoring 38 points
Runners up: TV presenter, Matt Baker and psychologist, Pamela Stephenson

Series 9 – 2011

Winners: McFly’s Harry Judd and Aliona Vilani
Most memorable dance: Argentine Tango to ‘Asi se Baila el Tango’ scoring a perfect 40 in the final
Runners up: Actress, Chelsee Healey and actor and singer, Jason Donovan

Series 10 -2012

Winners: Olympian, Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace
Most memorable dance: Salsa to ‘I’ve Had The Time Of My Life’ in week 3 and in the final, scoring 39 points and nailing the iconic Dirty Dancing lift
Runners up: TV presenter, Denise Van Outen and Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh

Series 11 – 2013

Winners: Model, Abbey Clancy and Aljaž Skorjanec
Most memorable dance: Samba to ‘Faith’ in week 12 scoring 39 points
Runners up: Actress, Natalie Gumede and journalist and TV presenter, Susanna Reid

Series 12 – 2014

Winners: TV presenter, Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev
Most memorable dance: Salsa to ‘Maria’ in week 12 scoring the first perfect 40 of the series. The couple also hold the record for the most top scores of 40 and were the first to receive a perfect score for all three of their dances in the final
Runners up: The Saturdays’ Frankie Bridge and Blue’s Simon Webbe

Series 13 – 2015

Winners: The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Most memorable dance: Jive in week 3/Movie Week to ‘Misirlou’ scoring 37 points
Runners up: Actresses, Kellie Bright and Georgia May Foote

Series 14 – 2016

Winners: TV presenter, Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton
Most memorable dance: American Smooth to ‘Singin’ In the Rain’ in week 3 and the final, scoring 39 points and the Jive to ‘Runaway Baby’ in week 4 and the final, scoring the perfect 40
Runners up: Actor, Danny Mac and Eternal’s Louise Redknapp

Series 15 – 2017

Winners: Joe McFadden and Katya Jones
Most memorable dance: Argentine Tango to ‘Human’ in week 12 scoring 35 points
Runners up: Singer, Alexandra Burke, performer, Debbie McGee and actress, Gemma Atkinson

Who will win Strictly 2018?

It’s probably too soon to call, but there are some great contenders for the title. Whilst you’re rooting for your favourites to win, why not book your places at one of our brilliant Weekend Breaks with the stars of Strictly in 2019?

Not only is the reigning champion of Strictly, Katya Jones, performing and teaching workshops at our Weekend Breaks, but we also have 2013 winner, Aljaž Skorjanec, too. And who knows, Strictly’s 2018 winner might also be amongst our fabulous line up which includes Giovanni Pernice, Karen Clifton, Oti Mabuse, Janette Manrara, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Neil Jones, Ian Waite, Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag.

Can you really bear to miss out on meeting and learning to dance with these amazing pro dancers?

Strictly is the gift that just keeps on giving. As if the excitement of Movie Week & Halloween wasn’t enough, there’s also the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special to look forward to.

Strictly Christmas Special 2018 line-up

Once this year’s Strictly winners have nabbed the Glitter Ball, it’s time for the Strictly Christmas Special. Eager to know who’s taking part? The Christmas line up includes past winner, Caroline Flack, who lifted the trophy along with Pasha Kovalev back in 2014.

We’re thrilled for Neil Joneswho finally get’s his very own celebrity partner, plus Luba Mushtuk who’ll get her second celebrity partner of the year.

Aston Merrygold, who partnered Janette Manrara last year and left the competition far too early, also has another shot at the title. Also competing this year is 2014 semi-finalist Jake wood who also danced with Janette but lost out to Caroline. Plus 2015 semi-finalist Anita Rani who partnered Gleb Savchenko, Michael Vaughn who danced with Natalie Lowe and finally, Ann Widdecombe who took Anton Du Beke to task week after week in 2010.

Who are the 2018 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas pairings?

Ann Widdecombe and Aston Merrygold are reunited with their original Strictly dance partners – Anton Du Beke and Janette Manrara.

New partnerships include; TV presenter Anita Rani teams up with Neil Jones — Katya Jones’ husband; Caroline Flack will be paired with Gorka Marquez; Jake Wood is paired with Luba Mushtuk; while Michael Vaughan will dance with Nadiya Bychkova in her Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special debut.

• Ann Widdecombe & Anton Du Beke
• Aston Merrygold & Janette Manrara
• Caroline Flack & Gorka Marquez
• Jake Wood & Luba Mushtuk
• Michael Vaughan & Nadiya Bychkova
• Anita Rani & Neil Jones

When is the 2018 Strictly Christmas Special on TV?

Christmas Day of course. The time has yet to be confirmed but keep your TV tuned to BBC1 and you’ll be in for a treat. As usual, the show will be hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman with expert feedback provided by judges, Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell and Bruno Tonioli.

The six couples will each perform a Christmas inspired dance routine in line with this year’s theme – fairy tales and making dreams come true – as they compete for the Christmas accolade. It’s then up to the studio audience to decide who deserves the crowning glory.

Who won the 2018 Strictly Christmas Special?

The programme will be pre-recorded at the beginning of December.

As the show is pre-recorded there is no viewer votes, the studio audience alone decides by voting once all the contestants have danced.

Occasionally the winners can be leaked onto social media, so avoid the spoilers and tune in on Christmas Day to find out which one of the past celebrities will be crowned 2018 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Champion..

All I want for Christmas…is an experience like no other

We know the world of Strictly Come Dancing is all consuming, but it can’t have escaped your notice that Christmas is fast approaching. Not only do we celebrate the ‘crowning’ of the new Strictly champions at this time of year, but friends and family also expect a present or two.

So, with that in mind, we’ve got a great gift idea for addicts of hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing – Donahey’s Dancing With The Stars Weekends. Not only will this Christmas present score you an amazing amount of brownie points with loved ones, but it will also catapult you to the top of the leader board. And that’s without throwing a single shape on the dance floor, which is very handy for the ‘Dad Dancers’ amongst you.

Dancing With The Stars Weekend

What does this perfect Strictly Christmas present include? Well, a whole weekend of dancing in the company of the BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars at the stunning 5* Celtic Manor Resort Hotel in Newport. See hot couple Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara, Ballroom favourites Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, and the amazing Giovanni Pernice & Oti Mabuse perform dazzling showdances in our stunning Ballrooms. Grill them in the fun Q&A session and take photos in the ‘Red Carpet Strictly Photo Call’s.

All wrapped up for Christmas

Want to find out more? Feast your eyes on this lot then;

Strictly is the gift that just keeps on giving. As if the excitement of Movie Week, Halloween and the anticipation of Blackpool wasn’t enough, there’s also the Strictly Come Dancing Boyzone Children in Need Special and the Christmas Special to look forward to.

Strictly Children in Need 2018 line up…

So who’s taking part? Well, we’ll finally get to see new pro dancer and four-time Italian Dance Championship Winner and Italian Open Latin Show Dance Champion, Luba Mushtuk, take to the Strictly floor with a celebrity partner. Hooray. She’ll be dancing with Boyzone’s Shane Lynch as they compete against the rest of his bandmates.

Ronan Keating will be paired with Gordana Grandosek, and Keith Duffy with Nadiya Bychkova, who made it to week 2 this series with Blue’s Lee Ryan. And Mikey Graham will be partnered with Katya Jones who was eliminated in week 6 along with celebrity partner, Seann Walsh. Let’s hope Boyzone’s dance moves have improved significantly since their awkward appearance on Ireland’s The Late Late Show back in 1993. They’ve got to have, surely?

When is BBC Children in Need Special on TV?

Fortunately we don’t have to wait too long. Children in Need will air on Friday 16th November on BBC1 from 7.30pm to 10pm. It then switches over to BBC2 for 40 minutes of Junior Mastermind for BBC Children in Need, before returning to BBC1 until 12.30am. At some point early in the evening you’ll be able to enjoy the Strictly Children in Need Special hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Who won the 2018 BBC Children in Need Strictly Special?

The programme was pre-recorded two weeks ago, do you remember seeing Boyzone on the main Strictly show reading out the T&C’s with the lovely Claudia?

As the show was pre-recorded there is no viewer votes, the studio audience alone decides by voting after all the contestants have danced.

Unfortunately the winners have already been leaked on social media, so avoid the spoilers and tune in this Friday evening to find out which one of Boyzone will be crowned Strictly Come Dancing Children In Need champion 2018..

Do Your Thing for Children In Need

For more information on how you can raise vital funds for Children In Need and support this wonderful charity, please visit the BBC Children In Need website here

Spend the weekend with Children In Need Strictly Stars Katya & Luba

If this glimpse of Luba and Katya performing in the Strictly Children in Need Special isn’t enough to keep your Strictly pangs at bay (how could it be?), then you should do yourself a favour and book one of our Weekend Breaks with them in 2019.

Luba will be performing and teaching in our dance workshops with Giovanni at two of our Weekend Breaks with the stars of Strictly next year. And Katya will be also be performing and taking dance workshops with her husband, Neil Jones, at four of our Weekend Breaks.

In fact, you can see both Luba and Katya at our Weekend Break at Celtic Manor in April 2019. As well as learning to dance with them, you can also quiz them in our Q&A sessions and grab a photo of them at our Red Carpet Photo Calls throughout the weekend. Now, doesn’t that sound like the ultimate Christmas present for a Strictly fan? You do know that includes you as well?

Did you know there’s a kid’s version of Dancing with the Stars, which is aptly named Dancing with the Stars Juniors? We know, who’d have thought?

How does it differ from Strictly Come Dancing?

Not only are the celebrities children, but also the pro dancers. Plus they have an adult mentor who just so happens to be a Dancing with the Stars pro dancer. So if you ever wondered what happened to former Strictly pro dancers Artem Chigvintsev and Gleb Savchenko, then you’ll find them here coaching the juniors.

Following in the footsteps of Strictly, the couples take to the dance floor each week to perform either a Ballroom or Latin routine. But unlike the UK version, the audience vote which counts for 50% of their score is from the studio audience and not the viewing public at home.

Also unlike Strictly’s live Saturday night show, Dancing with the Stars Juniors is pre-recorded. Well, celebrity kids have busy schedules too you know and the mentoring pro dancers are also competing in their very own grown up version of the show.

Who are the hosts and who’s on the judging panel?

Frankie Muniz and Jordan Fisher are our Tess and Claudia.

Both the actors competed in season 25 of Dancing with the Stars and Jordan even won the glitter ball. As for the judging panel, Olympic figure skater, Adam Rippon, La La Land choreographer, Mandy Moore and Dancing with the Stars pro dancer, Val Chmerkovsky (who’s also won the glitter ball twice), are the show’s version of our very own Shirley, Bruno, Craig and Darcey. Except we’ve got four judges and they only have three, obviously.

Who are the celebrity kids?

• Mandla Morris – fashion designer and son of Stevie wonder
• Alana Thompson – reality TV star Honey Boo Boo
• Tripp Johnston Palin – Sarah Palin’s grandson (the clue’s in the surname)
• Ariana Greenblatt – actress who’s starred in Avengers
• Hudson West – actor who’s starred in General Hospital
• Sky Brown – professional skateboarder
• Mackenzie Ziegler – actress, singer and dancer
• Addison Osta Smith – winner of Junior MasterChef
• Miles Brown – actor who’s starred in Black-ish
• Akash Vukoti – spelling bee contestant and all round child genius
• Jason Maybaum – actor who’s starred in Freaky Friday
• Sophia Pippen – former basketball player, Scottie Pippen’s daughter

When is it on?

Unfortunately it’s not on UK TV, but you can watch all of the clips on YouTube. In fact, you can even subscribe to the Dancing with the Stars Junior YouTube Channel for free.

Just think how popular a junior version of Strictly Come Dancing would be given the growing popularity of the show among the younger audience – do you think the BBC should create Strictly Come Dancing Juniors?

Watch DWTS: Juniors opening number here

Week 3 is Disney Week

If you’re a Disney fan, you’ll absolutely adore this weeks programme – a Disney speical, so cute…

Weekend Break with the Stars of Strictly

Fancy learning a new skill like these youngsters? Then why not come along to one of our Weekend Breaks featuring the fantastic pro dancers from Strictly Come Dancing? They’ll be holding brilliant dance workshops featuring many of the dances you see on Strictly. Plus they’ll also perform amazing dance showcases which you can enjoy from your very own designated front row seats. And as if that wasn’t enough, you’ll be able to quiz the pro dancers in our fun Q&A sessions and take loads of photos in our Red Carpet Photo Calls.

What is Strictly’s Couples’ Choice?

As if things couldn’t get any more exciting in Strictly land, the TV show is rolling out its first new dance category in nine years. Say hello to the Couples’ Choice. Not since the introduction of the Charleston – or Sharl-e-ston as Giovanni likes to call it – back in series seven, has the show given the pro dancers another category to showcase their skills. Oh, and the celebs of course.

What’s the lowdown on the Couples’ Choice?

Well, the new category includes three dance styles that couples can choose from; Contemporary, Street/Commercial, and Theatre/Jazz.

With the Contemporary style we’re likely to see a nod towards Ballet, Modern and even Lyrical dance. Whereas with the Street/Commercial style we’re likely to see references to all kinds of Urban and Modern dance, including Pop and Hip Hop. The Theatre/Jazz style is pretty self explanatory and may even include Burlesque, Tap and Soft Shoe. Here’s hoping…

Which of the three dance styles will suit the couples best?

Call us sceptical but we very much doubt that the couples actually get to choose their preferred dance style. Let’s face it, that’s just not how TV works. However, if there’s the slightest chance that they do, then surely they’ll opt for a style that plays to their strengths.

With that in mind, Janette’s background in Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop could see her take on all three dance styles with ease, but is Dr Ranj more suited to Musical Theatre and Jazz hands? And surely Pasha will embrace Ashley Roberts’ need to booty pop by opting for a Street/Commercial routine? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Who’s up first?

Lauren Steadman and AJ, and Charles Venn and Karen are the first two couples to take on the Couples’ Choice in week 5. Lauren and AJ will be showcasing a Contemporary routine to ‘Runnin’ by Naughty Boy featuring Beyoncé. Whilst Charles and Karen will be taking to the dance floor with a Street/Commercial routine to ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’ by James Brown. It’s going to be interesting to see where they end up on the leaderboard and if the viewing public like the new dance category.

What’s your Couples’ Choice?

Interested to see how the couples do in the new dance category, but still a dedicated follower of Ballroom and Latin? Then why not get to grips with Latin, Ballroom & Argentine Tango under the expert tuition of the pro dancers at our Weekend Breaks with the stars of Strictly in 2019? Once you’ve mastered the art of dance, you can sit back and enjoy multiple dance showcases from the expert pro dancers and get snap happy at our Red Carpet Photo Calls. Plus you can even quiz them in our fun Q&A sessions. What’s not to like?

Check out our exceptionally talented line up for 2019…

Friday 8th – Sunday 10th March 2019

4* Alton Towers Resort
Alton, Staffordshire

Join; Aljaz Skorjanec & Janette Manrara, Karen Clifton & Gorka Marquez, Giovanni Pernice & Luba Mushtuk plus British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce.

Friday 5th – Sunday 7th April 2019

4* De Vere Beaumont Estate
Windsor, Berkshire

Join; Gorka Marquez & Karen Clifton, Aljaz Skorjanec & Janette Manrara, Katya & Neil Jones plus British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce.

Friday 26th – Sunday 28th April 2019

5* Celtic Manor Resort
Newport, South Wales

Join Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Giovanni Pernice, Luba Mushtuk, Ian Waite, British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce plus Argentine Tango stars Leandro Palou & Maria Tsiatsiani.

Friday 15th – Sunday 17th June 2019

4* De Vere Beaumont Estate
Windsor, Berkshire

Join; Strictly Champion Katya Jones & Neil Jones, Aljaz Skorjanec & Janette Manrara, Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce plus Argentine Tango stars Leandro Palou & Maria Tsiatsiani.

Friday 5th – Sunday 7th July 2019

5* Celtic Manor Resort
Newport, South Wales

Join; Reigning Strictly Champion Katya Jones & Neil Jones, Aljaz Skorjanec & Janette Manrara, Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, Oti Mabuse, plus Argentine Tango stars Leandro Palou & Maria Tsiatsiani.

By the way, you’ve only got until 31st October 2018 to take advantage of our Early Bird Booking Prices.

Our round-up of this season’s hottest Strictly inspired gifts

‘It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…’ too early? Well, we hate to jolt you out of your happy place, but the festive season is fast approaching. Stress not, we’re about to make your Christmas shopping a whole lot easier with our Strictly Top 10 Gift Guide.

1. Strictly Come Dancing Game

Whilst ardent Strictly fans may subscribe to the belief that nothing is as good as the real McCoy, they may just waver when they unwrap this Strictly inspired game. In fact, they may even become more bearable post Strictly once they discover it includes the voice of Craig Revel Horwood and the Strictly theme tune. We kid you not. Plus they’ll get to show off their Strictly knowledge, take on challenges, compete in mini dance offs and be scored by Craig. The game is perfect for 3-6 players and suitable for age 8+ and sounds fab-u-lous, darling.
Price: £22-£29.99

2. Official Strictly Come Dancing Annual 2019

The perfect gift for the fan who likes to literally paw over images of the Strictly stars and absorb as many facts as possible about their favourite show. This eagerly awaited annual is available in October and is quickly snapped up by fans, so get a shimmy on if you want a copy.
Price: around £10

3. Weekend Breaks with the Stars of Strictly 2019

Now those gifts are all well and good but if you want to score maximum brownie points for the most thoughtful present, then you need to book a Weekend Break with the Stars of Strictly. And if you do it as a surprise, well, your place in the good books is a dead cert. Your loved one will be eternally grateful that you’ve treated them to a weekend away in a 4* or 5* luxury hotel, given them the opportunity to learn to dance with the Strictly pro dancers and to watch them perform stunning dance showcases.

Want to find out more? Feast your eyes on this lot then;

4. Strictly Come Dancing Wine Glass & Chocs

Not that watching Strictly necessarily induces the need for a stiff drink, but it’s a good excuse for any fan to settle down on the sofa with their favourite tipple. Not only is this glass perfect for just that, it also comes filled with star shaped chocolates.
Price: around £14.99

5. Strictly Come Dancing Judges Masks

The perfect stocking filler or secret Santa gift that will allow the recipient to don the face of a Strictly judge or presenter and channel their persona. Will they play nicely as Darcey, Shirley or Tess? Or play the fool as Bruno or Claudia? Or will they opt for the pantomime villain that is Craig?
Price: around £8.99

6. ‘I’d Rather Be Dancing With Giovanni Pernice’ Mug

Pretty self explanatory this one and ideal for Giovanni obsessives or perfect to annoy peeps who are not big fans of the Italian dancer. But that wouldn’t be in the spirit of Christmas, now would it?!
Price: around £7

7. ‘Eat, Sleep, Strictly’ Vest

The ideal gift for any Strictly fanatic who can’t help but blabber on about Strictly at any given opportunity. They’ll definitely get the message with this gift.
Price: around £12.95

8. Strictly Come Dancing CD

40 dance-inducing songs performed by Dave Arch and the Strictly Come Dancing Band that will have any Strictly obsessive up on their feet in no time. It’s a must for any serious fan.
Price: around £4.50

9. All things Anton Du Beke

If your nearest and dearest is completely obsessed with Anton (who isn’t?), then they probably already own a smorgasbord of his merchandise. But do they have a copy of his debut CD, ‘From the Top’ or his debut novel, ‘One Enchanted Evening’?
Price: ‘From the Top’ CD around £5 and ‘One Enchanted Evening’ hardback from £6.50-£12.99

10. Number 10 Glitter Paddle

For a fan that can never score lower than a ten, the Number 10 Glitter Paddle is just what they need to validate their opinion. Warning: likely to induce the overuse of Len’s catchphrase, ‘It’s a 10 from Len’.
Price: £3

So, you want to know how to dance with Anton Du Beke? Well, we could tell you, but then we’d have to…endure your eternal thanks. And quite frankly, we’re busy people. Those amazing Weekend Breaks with the Stars of Strictly don’t organise themselves, you know?

As you can image this sharply dressed man is in popular demand. He has 207k followers on Twitter alone, another 93.6k on Instagram and 26.5k on Facebook. To be honest, we’re surprised Anton’s as grounded as he is, but we can confirm from working with him for many years that he is charm personified.

Anyway, enough about our celebrity connections. You want to know how to dance with the master of Ballroom. Okay, we’ve given this a lot of thought and we have the answer. However, we appreciate people like choice so before we share, here are two (not necessarily) plausible ways to meet your dance floor hero.

Get on Anton’s radar

Whilst Anton loves his adoring fans, you are, to put it bluntly, just another face in the crowd. In an over-subscribed world of Anton fans you really need to make your presence known. Now we’re not just talking a big smile, an energetic wave or a coy hello, we’re talking stand out from the crowd antics. However, revealing a large tattoo of Anton’s face on your back probably isn’t the best route to take. But something that shows you mean business is surely going to impress him, right? So, come up with something creative and memorable and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get his attention. The best opportunities to make yourself known to him are at shows and book signings.

The downside: you may get arrested or worse still, be on the receiving end of a restraining order.

Become a celebrity

Now if your antics fail to pique Anton’s interest, but do attract the attention of the press, then you’re possibly halfway to becoming a celebrity. Of course you may have to embellish your back-story to make it more newsworthy and make numerous appearances on chat shows. But once you reach celebrity status you may be approached to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. Now, there’s still no guarantee that you’ll be partnered up with Anton, but if you ensure you’re one of the worst dancers then there’s a huge chance.

The downside: the public may kick you out in week 2.

Book a Donahey’s Weekend Break with the Stars of Strictly in 2019

Now if you want to keep your integrity intact (like the good man himself), booking a Donahey’s Weekend Break with the marvellous Anton Du Beke is the answer. That way you can avoid a criminal record, a restraining order and divulging details of your private life on morning telly.

You’ll enjoy a splendid weekend away at a 4* or 5* hotel where you can take an Anton and Erin dance workshop and watch an amazing Anton and Erin dance showcase from front row seats in a stunning ballroom. You’ll also be able to take more snaps of Anton than you can bore your friends with at our ‘Red Carpet Photo Calls’. Plus, you’ll get to experience this hilarious charmer’s fun personality firsthand in our Q&A sessions. And finally, there’s a HUGE chance you’ll just bump into him in the hotel. You heard us right.

The downside: there really is no downside to a Donahey’s Weekend Break with Anton Du Beke. But don’t just take our word for it, book your places now and see for yourself in 2019.

Friday 26th – Sunday 28th April 2019
5* Celtic Manor Resort Hotel
Newport, South Wales

Join Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, Katya & Neil Jones, Giovanni Pernice & Luba Mushtuk, Ian Waite, British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce plus Argentine Tango stars Leandro Palou & Maria Tsiatsiani for an unforgetable weekend break.

Friday 14th – Sunday 16th June 2019
4* Beaumont Estate Hotel
Windsor, Berkshire

Join Janette Manrara & Aljaz Skorjanec, Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, Neil & Katya Jones, plus British National & World Ballroom Champions Warren & Kristi Boyce for an unforgetable weekend break.

Friday 5th – Sunday 7th July 2019
5* Celtic Manor Resort Hotel
Newport, South Wales

Join Janette Manrara & Aljaz Skorjanec, Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag, Neil & Katya Jones, Oti Mabuse plus Argentine Tango stars Leandro Palou & Maria Tsiatsiani for an unforgetable weekend break.

If you book before 31st October 2018 you can take advantage of our Early Bird Booking Prices.

Fans of the most glamorous show on TV can take their own place under the glitter ball with dance lessons from the Stars of Strictly.

Top dance school Donahey’s is ready to Ch-Cha-Cha into it’s 50th year as it reveals its up-close-and-personal line up of exclusive, 5* immersive weekend breaks with the Strictly Come Dancing pro’s.

The perfect weekend treat for those who dream of pulling on their dancing shoes to Samba, Jive, Fox Trot or Cha-Cha-Cha with a Strictly star such as Anton Du Beke or Oti Mabuse, each luxurious getaway includes ballroom and Latin dance classes with the stars of the show. There are also intimate showcase performances with floor-side seating and fun Q& A sessions with the dancers as well as the chance to chat and ask questions, learn more about their journey and pick up some juicy Strictly gossip.

The dance classes with the Strictly stars are one of the weekend’s highlights with four hours of personalised tuition suitable for all levels and abilities – even those who have never danced before. “Our getaways are truly immersive experiences. Over half of our guests are total beginners but love taking lessons from the celebrity dancers, being able to chat with them, ask questions and enjoy floor-side seating for intimate showcase performances,” explains Paul Donahey, Director of Donahey’s and organiser of the fabulous events.

“The whole weekend is incredibly exclusive and, alongside the four hours of classes with the stars, there’s also additional tuition with Donahey’s professionals and three days of wonderful live music and dancing on our amazing 5,000sq ft pro championship sprung wooden dance floor – it’s one of the largest dance floors in the UK and adds to the sensation of living out your own Strictly experience with the stars of the show.”

The 2019 Donahey’s Dancing with the Stars line-up includes reigning 2018 Strictly champion Katya Jones, Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec, Giovanni Pernice and Luba Mushtuk, along with fan favourites Oti Mabuse, Ian Waite, Gorka Marquez and Karen Clifton.

Guests will also be treated to a Saturday night Black Tie Ball starring The Tony Greenwood 15-piece Ballroom & Latin Big Band, exclusive ‘Red Carpet Strictly Photo Calls’ and a spectacular Sunday afternoon Grand-Finale dance showcase.

The immersive, luxurious weekend breaks sold out in record time last year and will take place over three weekends next spring. The first weekend, at the four-star Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire will be held at the beginning of March. It is followed by a weekend at the impressive Beaumont Estate in Windsor in April, before a final luxurious getaway at the five star Celtic Manor Resort Hotel, Newport at the end of the month.

“The Strictly professionals make room in their own tour schedules for our weekends and enjoy meeting our guests as much as our guests enjoy their personal dance lessons and showcase performances. It’s a really unique experience and a fabulous weekend for anyone who will be glued to the new series this year.”

Find out more about Donahey’s Dancing with the Stars Weekends here