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Strictly Come Dancing live: a crowd in love with the moves of Ed Balls Strictly Come Dancing live: a crowd in love with the moves of Ed Balls
(35 minutes later)
Seconds after the stars of the tenth anniversary Strictly Come Dancing live tour take the stage, a yell rings out from somewhere in the audience. Seconds after the stars of the 10th anniversary Strictly Come Dancing live tour take the stage, a yell rings out from somewhere in the audience.
It belongs to an overexcited lady, which is perhaps to be expected. Part of the tour’s purpose is to encourage the crowd to lust after the male dancers: the enviable pectorals of last year’s joint runner-up Danny Mac appear onstage so often, they deserve separate billing and their own page in the souvenir programme.It belongs to an overexcited lady, which is perhaps to be expected. Part of the tour’s purpose is to encourage the crowd to lust after the male dancers: the enviable pectorals of last year’s joint runner-up Danny Mac appear onstage so often, they deserve separate billing and their own page in the souvenir programme.
But the woman’s excitement has not been provoked by the physique of the one-time Hollyoaks star, or indeed the enthusiastic cheerleading of host Anita Rani, but the first sighting of the former MP for Morley and Outwood.But the woman’s excitement has not been provoked by the physique of the one-time Hollyoaks star, or indeed the enthusiastic cheerleading of host Anita Rani, but the first sighting of the former MP for Morley and Outwood.
It’s the first sign that whatever else the live incarnation of Strictly may have to offer by way of escapist fun – the opportunity to boggle at the technical ability of winner Ore Obuba, so proficient he’s basically indistinguishable from a professional dancer, or the almost tangible chemistry between Danny Mac and his partner Oti Mabuse, or indeed the sight of Daisy Lowe performing a thought-provoking move in the jive apparently called a lobster wrap – a substantial proportion of the audience is here specifically to experience what the programme tactfully calls the “entertaining approach to dancing” of Ed Balls.It’s the first sign that whatever else the live incarnation of Strictly may have to offer by way of escapist fun – the opportunity to boggle at the technical ability of winner Ore Obuba, so proficient he’s basically indistinguishable from a professional dancer, or the almost tangible chemistry between Danny Mac and his partner Oti Mabuse, or indeed the sight of Daisy Lowe performing a thought-provoking move in the jive apparently called a lobster wrap – a substantial proportion of the audience is here specifically to experience what the programme tactfully calls the “entertaining approach to dancing” of Ed Balls.
A cynic might opine that they’ve turned up for the same reason that some people tune in to Ski Sunday: not out of interest in any skill that might be on display but in the hope of seeing someone fall over. In week five, while performing the American smooth to the strains of Is This The Way To Amarillo?, the former shadow chancellor attempted to lift his partner, Katya Jones, and wobbled dramatically: he didn’t actually drop her, but for an incredible second it looked like she was going to be the first professional in Strictly history to exit the stage on a stretcher.A cynic might opine that they’ve turned up for the same reason that some people tune in to Ski Sunday: not out of interest in any skill that might be on display but in the hope of seeing someone fall over. In week five, while performing the American smooth to the strains of Is This The Way To Amarillo?, the former shadow chancellor attempted to lift his partner, Katya Jones, and wobbled dramatically: he didn’t actually drop her, but for an incredible second it looked like she was going to be the first professional in Strictly history to exit the stage on a stretcher.
But there appears to be no malicious intent in the crowd at all. They love him. While executing his entertaining approach to dancing, he gives off the endearing air of an uncle at a wedding, a couple of glasses of wine to the good, who’s been encouraged on to the wedding disco floor and can’t quite believe he’s getting away with it.But there appears to be no malicious intent in the crowd at all. They love him. While executing his entertaining approach to dancing, he gives off the endearing air of an uncle at a wedding, a couple of glasses of wine to the good, who’s been encouraged on to the wedding disco floor and can’t quite believe he’s getting away with it.
Balls reprises the American smooth routine and attempts the lift again. He’s clearly been practising: he still looks less like the embodiment of bygone glamour, effortlessly bearing his lissome partner aloft, than a man trying to hoist a fridge freezer over a fence, but Jones ends the evening without requiring the attention of a paramedic.Balls reprises the American smooth routine and attempts the lift again. He’s clearly been practising: he still looks less like the embodiment of bygone glamour, effortlessly bearing his lissome partner aloft, than a man trying to hoist a fridge freezer over a fence, but Jones ends the evening without requiring the attention of a paramedic.
The crowd go berserk. They’ve cheered Ore and Danny, and applauded Lesley Joseph’s presumably rhetorical question “I’m dancing the cha-cha-cha in Brimingham, what more could a girl want?”. When Ed Balls manages to get through his routine without concussing his partner, they start not just cheering but stamping their feet, as if they want an encore. The crowd go berserk. They’ve cheered Ore and Danny, and applauded Lesley Joseph’s presumably rhetorical question “I’m dancing the cha-cha-cha in Brimingham, what more could a girl want?”. When Balls manages to get through his routine without concussing his partner, they start not just cheering but stamping their feet, as if they want an encore.
Elsewhere, an aerialist performs acrobatics, Craig Revel-Horwood gets booed and hissed, and, deputising for the absent Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel, former Strictly pro Karen Hardy turns out to have a slightly inscrutable line in critique – “you win because of your woman, but your woman is only as good as you,” she offers gnomically – and Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse win the audience vote for their charleston.Elsewhere, an aerialist performs acrobatics, Craig Revel-Horwood gets booed and hissed, and, deputising for the absent Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel, former Strictly pro Karen Hardy turns out to have a slightly inscrutable line in critique – “you win because of your woman, but your woman is only as good as you,” she offers gnomically – and Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse win the audience vote for their charleston.
But for others in the crowd, there’s only one victor. At the show’s conclusion, there’s a big Hollywood routine: men in tails and top hats, ladies in evening gowns carrying fans. Ed Balls shuffles into view demonstrating his entertaining approach to dancing once more, and another voice from the audience, male this time, rings out. “Gwaaaaan, Ed!” he bellows. But for others in the crowd, there’s only one victor. At the show’s conclusion, there’s a big Hollywood routine: men in tails and top hats, ladies in evening gowns carrying fans. Balls shuffles into view demonstrating his entertaining approach to dancing once more, and another voice from the audience, male this time, rings out. “Gwaaaaan, Ed!” he bellows.