Yahoo News Strictly's Aljaž Škorjanec reveals heartwarming inspiration for latest dance
Strictly Come Dancing star Aljaž Škorjanec has revealed the heartwarming inspiration behind his latest routine with Tasha Ghouri.
The professional dancer returned to the BBC show this series after a two-year absence as he was partnered with the Love Island star, with the pair safely making it to the ninth week of the competition.
Their most recent dance, a Quickstep that saw them top the leaderboard with 37 points, included a step – the Barrel Rolling Pivot – which Aljaž had wanted to perform since “he was a boy”, with the star telling Fleur East on It Takes Two that he was inspired by a former co-star.
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“[It was inspired] by Joanne Clifton,” he shared. “I was about six or seven years old when I first saw that step being done. I’ll be really honest, there were only one or two professional couples in competition that I saw do that step.
“[However] only one did it well, and I’ve been trying for a long time to do that step. It’s a very odd step to do – it’s difficult to do even as a professional because I’ve done so many pivots in my career. It’s one of the most difficult things to get right.”
With the couple safely progressing to the ninth week, Aljaž and Tasha will take to the floor of the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool to perform the Paso Doble, with the professional sharing that it was a long-held ambition of his.
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“I started Strictly in 2013, and I have wanted to do a Paso Doble in Blackpool since then,” he said. “Even when I was at home not doing Strictly, I wanted to do it. I’ve put everything that exists in the Paso Doble into this routine.
“We have extra dancers for the first time, which is so cool. We had them coming into rehearsals to practise with us, and I am ecstatic. All I can say is ‘¡Olé’”, he added, with the pair showing a brief glimpse of their arm lines from the dance.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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