Strictly’s Kristina Rihanoff is excited. As she prepares for Saturday’s final, she is finally in with a chance of waltzing off with the glitterball.  None of her partners of previous years – Goldie, the unforgettable John Sergeant and her handsome beau Joe Calzaghe – really stood a chance. But this time, she’s got Jason Donovan. And it seems like he wants to win more than she does.

“He’s so focused,” says Kristina, “and such a perfectionist. I’ve never worked with anyone who has put as much effort and time in. His willingness to try anything I put in front of him has been so rewarding for me.”

But of course, not as enjoyable as the time she spent with ex-boxing champ Joe in 2009. The couple have been an item since being paired together and it seems it’s only the experience of going through the process that’s stopped him knocking out her subsequent partners!

“It really helps that he’s been through it with me and knows how intense it is,” she says. “Even now he’ll say that he could never have imagined having a girlfriend who danced with other men, if he hadn’t seen how it works.”

So luckily for Jason he’s off the hook, and along with his wife Angela, the two couples meet up for chats and coffees. And it’s that support that Kristina believes makes her a better teacher. “Joe’s unwavering support is the reason I can do such a good job with Jason,” she admits. “I’ll work hard because I know that when I get home everything is so good between us.

“I couldn’t do it without him because I wouldn’t be in such a good place in my mind. I have gone into his, too, to watch fights and learn about boxing, which until then I’d thought of as nothing more than a violent sport.

“But I now realise there’s a high level of skill involved and I have respect for what Joe has achieved. Although I ­am relieved that he isn’t ­fighting anymore. I couldn’t ­stand it.”Instead, Welsh hero Joe is attending acting classes, which along with his after-dinner speaking and charity commitments leaves little time for them to spend together.

“It’s tough,” admits Kristina. 34. “Especially when Strictly’s on. We’ll often sit on the sofa to schedule ­our diaries and agree to meet the ­following Monday! “But it’s not all bad, because the time we do spend together is real quality time – we go to lovely restaurants or watch a movie and it’s just like dating each other all over again.”

Despite people writing their relationship off before it had even had a chance, it looks like things are going from strength to strength. “I don’t think people understood what brought us together and what we could have in common, but we are similar in so many ways,” says Kristina.

“We have both wanted to make something of ourselves since we were children, working through our childhoods to achieve our dreams, so we can connect with one another. “We’ve been through similar things and love and appreciate family life.”Joe has two sons from his first marriage and the pair have a good relationship with them.

But Kristina would like her own children, although her recent ovarian cancer scare troubles her. “I do worry and that was my first question when I was told that they had to remove a cyst,” she explains. “But my doctors have reassured me there shouldn’t be a problem and I will be able to have my own children.”

Until then Kristina has every intention of carrying on doing what she loves. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop dancing, even when I have my own family,” she says. “This is who I am and who I’ve wanted to be since I was four.

“When things were falling apart at home and my parents were getting divorced, it was my dancing that was my escape. It was my little world where I always felt happy.”And as one half of the dancing partnership tipped as favourites from the start, Kristina admits she was worried Jason’s reputation as a performer would put them at a disadvantage.

“Everyone, including the judges, assumes he should be a natural mover, but he isn’t,” she insists. “It’s hard work for him, but he puts his heart and soul into rehearsals from Monday to Friday, so by Saturday he makes it look great.”

Kristina knows the fellow contenders for the Strictly 2011 title, Chelsee Healey and Harry Judd, will be tough to beat as she thinks both have a natural ability to interpret music. But it was Jason she set her sights on from the moment she saw him. In fact, she was so thrilled to be partnered with him that she leapt into his arms, wrapped her legs around him and screamed: ‘Yesss!’

“I’ll have to live with that embarrassing leap for the rest of my life,” she laughs. “But I really wanted to partner him and assumed I’d never be so lucky!”Amazingly, it was Jason’s number one hit with Kylie, Especially For You, that Kristina loved dancing to when she was 14 and living in a village in Russia. “Isn’t it funny how life goes around?” she says. “Who would have thought I would end up dancing with the man I danced to in the discos at home? Surreal.”And for Jason’s part, he wasn’t too disappointed, having already silently selected Kristina as his partner.

“Apparently he’d already decided that we’d work well together,” she says. “We’re both experienced in theatre performance so are on each other’s wavelength.And our personalities just clicked.”So nothing to do with the fact that he admitted to fancying her then? “I don’t think he meant it in that way,” she says coyly. And good job, too, otherwise Joe might have something to say about it.

Despite the fact much of her success is down to her own hard work, Kristina is thankful for the chances that have come her way. “I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the opportunities dancing has given me,” she says. “I’ve been able to leave a country that offered no opportunities to live and work in America and the UK.

“I feel sad for my family who are still there, but I’m now in a fortunate position to support them financially. They’re proud of what I’ve achieved.”Kristina very much sees the UK as her home, dividing her time between the London apartment she shares with Joe and his home village of Newbridge in South Wales. And unless Joe is offered an acting job elsewhere, Kristina has no intention of leaving.

“I’d go with Joe anywhere,” she says. “If something came his way and he wanted to go and live in America, then I’d find a way to ­go, too. We’d find a way to make ­it work out.”For the time being she’s focusing on the other man in her life – ­and this weekend’s final ­in Blackpool.

“I’ve warned Jason it’s going to be full-on this week but we’re just going to ­enjoy it.”“We’ve got a fabulous ­showdance planned, which will show off Jason’s character. Everybody’s putting in the hours and it would be so wonderful if he won. “I’ve already got so much ­to ­be thankful to Strictly for but if we won it, ­it would be ­the ultimate ­icing on the cake.”

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MUSKEGON — Around the country, numerous dance companies are trying to infuse the 119-year-old “Nutcracker” ballet with something new. West Michigan is no exception. On Sunday, in the main auditorium of Muskegon High School, two performances of “Nutcracker, All Jazzed Up” will introduce audiences to a “Nutcracker” they’ve never seen before. A central character, a little girl named Clara, will be decked out in bling (excessive jewelry). Beyond ballet, dance disciplines will include tap, jazz and hip-hop.

So, said Tracey O’Neal-McQueen, whose Spotlight Dance Academy is mounting this “Nutcracker” jointly with the Cassell Dance & Gymnastics studio, “It’s not just a ballet.”Dancing and costuming won’t be the only differences from a regular “Nutcracker.”Recorded music will not be the famous “The Nutcracker” score of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which was first performed in 1892. Instead, the music will be variations on Tchaikovsky, said O’Neal-McQueen, “instrumental music that has just been kind of jazzed up.”

And one of the dances, performed by children tapping about as mice, will be done a cappella (no music).
“It’s our version of ‘The Nutcracker,’ “ O’Neal-McQueen said. “(Clara) is at a party and she’s all dressed up for the party. It’s not going to be a traditional ‘Nutcracker.’ “All of which puts Spotlight and Cassell’s “Nutcracker” in good company. As reported Dec. 2 in The Wall Street Journal, many professional “Nutcrackers” are straying from the norm. Last year in Chicago, a “Nutcracker” was performed completely with dogs. This year, an Orlando, Fla., production will be danced as a rock musical. A “Nutcracker” set in Albuquerque, N.M., will be seasoned with chili peppers, spicing the show’s Southwestern flavor.

The goal is to keep “The Nutcracker” fresh; and, in doing so, ensures that audiences won’t get burned out on — and stop attending — what promises to be pretty much the same thing they’ve seen before.
With performances running 1 hour, 15 minutes — shorter than an entire, traditional “Nutcracker” — “Nutcracker, All Jazzed Up” will be anything but a rubber-stamp “Nutcracker.” It is, in fact, an event.
A half hour before each of the two performances, children will be able to make Christmas ornaments, decorations that members of teacher Carly Baldus’ Muskegon High theater program will take to pediatric wards of two Muskegon hospitals.

Children will also be able to write a letter to Santa Claus, and Santa Claus will be in attendance.
In addition, patrons are being asked to bring at least one nonperishable food item for a collection that will be donated to some area food pantries, many of which have had their inventories exhausted by overwhelming need.

For all its diversions, “Nutcracker, All Jazzed Up” also incorporates traditional elements of “The Nutcracker” — the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Waltz of the Flowers, and the character Mother Ginger.

Dancers from Spotlight and Cassell will range in age from 5 to 18. Straying from pure ballet was done, O’Neal-McQueen said, to make the show accessible to dancers who do not do ballet. Some of “Nutcracker” will feature double casting, with roles alternately performed by dancers from Spotlight and Cassell.

Clara will be danced by Natalie Mulder and Megan Boerema. The title role will be danced by Carlin Rollenhagen and Karie Grenan. Dancing the Mouse Queen (instead of the usual Mouse King) will be Katie DeBruin and Rae Helsing.

The production is being choreographed by McQueen, Miya Rollenhagen of Cassell, Anna Alpert, Carla Horton-Davis, Kristi Cook, Tobi Nobile, Patti Winsemius and Maria Petersen. O’Neal-McQueen said she and Rollenhagen intend to make “Nutcracker, All Jazzed Up” an annual addition to the West Michigan holiday entertainment lineup. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Child Abuse Council of Muskegon. 

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Holly Valance and Alex Jones waltzed off Strictly Come Dancing at the semi-final stage last night after failing to impress the public. Singer Holly and The One Show host Alex were the judges’ bottom two acts and voters decided not to save them.

It means McFly’s Harry Judd, 25, actress Chelsee Healey, 23, and stage star Jason Donovan, 43, will compete in the final in Blackpool this weekend. Alex, 34, who danced with James Jordan, said: “I’ve had an incredible time and when I’m old and grey I’ll look back at these three months. James has been brilliant – we’ve laughed 80% of the time, apart from when I get left and right wrong.

“To meet the contestants, dancers and everybody backstage has been incredible experience. James has been able to work miracles, and in such a funny way.”Holly, 28, said: “I am not disappointed. I am just grateful to get this far, 11 out of 12 weeks ain’t bad, nothing to sniff at.”

Holly is tipping Chelsee to win. She said: “She is a great dancer with a great personality. She was doing a TV show at the same time, shooting Waterloo Road. Now she has time to concentrate purely on Strictly I think she is going to keep rising. She will pull something amazing out of the bag.”

She vowed to keep dancing, adding: “I would like to take some ballet classes. I enjoyed my Swan Lake and we did a lot of balletic stuff in that.”The Australian sparked pregnancy rumours on Twitter by touching her stomach a number of times after each of her performances. Asked to comment, she said cryptically: “I think that is hysterical. That is probably one of the c****est questions I have ever been asked.”

On Saturday, two routines got the first perfect 40 scores of the series from the judges: Chelsee and Pasha’s paso doble and Jason and Kristina’s Argentine tango. Harry got 39 for his dances.

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11-year- old Poppy loves ballet. She even has a special role in the Birmingham Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. She's doing it all without being able to hear the music. Poppy is deaf. Her mom Kim interprets for her. She's at all the rehearsals, helping Poppy learn ballet just like the other kids.

"She thinks it's beautiful" Poppy's mother Kim Christenberry says. "She says she feels like she's in a dream."Kim and her husband adopted Poppy from China about this time last year. And she's not the first deaf child in the family.

"Our adoption agency called and said they had a little boy who was deaf who needed a family, so we adopted him and realized he need a sibling," Kim says. Poppy wasn't allowed to participate in ballet in China. At the Birmingham Ballet, it's a much different story.

"If poppy could hear me, I would tell her we don't want to tell her what to do, we want her to learn it herself," fellow dancer Linnea Blakemore says. Kim, the other dancers and the director all help Poppy to use visual cues to learn the dances. But on this stage, there's a lot more learning going on.

"Poppy has most definitely taught us something," Linnea says. "Not only how to sign, but to treat people who are different from us."Linnea wears a dragon costume in one scene with Poppy. But this time, it's Poppy's turn to shine.

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The Sugarplum Fairy remains the most challenging role in "The Nutcracker" ballet. A ballerina must be secure in her classical technique and mature in her dramatic skills to excel in this role. She also must be a smart leader on stage as she endeavors to keep all those tiny sugar plum darlings from tripping over one another in the Land of the Sweets.

For dancers, being chosen for Clara also elicits "oohs" and "ahs" of envy, for it is she who gets the spotlight as she wins the heart of her Nutcracker Prince. Guest artists add extra sweetness to local "Nuts," and this season the area will be treated to stars of American Ballet Theater performing with a Carroll County troupe.

The Carroll County Dance Center will include ABT dancers in the roles of the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier in the dance center's performances at the Gordon Center for the Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Avenue, Owings Mills, Saturday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20, and are available at http://www.carrollcountydancecenter.com, or by calling 410-795-3255. The center has performed this holiday classic since 2003. Founded in 1990, the Carroll County Dance Center is located Sykesville, on a parcel in the Warfield Cultural and Commerce Center off Route 32.

In addition, the local L'Etoile Ballet/The Russian Ballet Academy of Maryland will host a production of its authentic Russian "Nutcracker," in the Century High School auditorium, 355 Ronsdale Road, Sykesville, Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 and 6 p.m.

Guest artists include Violeta Angelova, a world-class ballerina; and Michael Cook — both recently seen with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center. There will also be a special appearance by Vadim Pijicov.

Three dozen elementary, middle and high school dancers are also part of this production, which is directed by Svetlana Kravtsova. Tickets for that show are $25 for adults; $15 for children and free for those younger than 5. Call 443-393-1197 or go to http://www.russballet.org.

And there's one more "Nutcracker" that will have a Carroll County connection this year: Cindee Velle's Columbia Chamber Ballet will bring its abbreviated version of the show to the area for a performance for the Fairhaven Retirement Community, 7200 Third Ave., Sykesville, on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m.

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Judith Hanna, a 75-year-old grandmother and anthropology professor, spent an afternoon in 2005 on a beach in Jacksonville, Florida, photographing women’s swimsuited backsides. Hanna, who has spent almost 50 years studying the cultural expression of dance, called the fieldwork “interesting.” Her pictures, meant to demonstrate local enthusiasm for exposed flesh, became evidence in a nightclub’s fight against an ordinance requiring strippers to better cover their derrieres. Since 1995, Hanna, a University of Maryland researcher, has helped clubs repel efforts to tax, regulate or close them, arguing more than 100 times that striptease is just as much an art as ballet.

Next year, her lap-dances-are-art argument will be part of an appeal before New York’s highest court. A stripper in heels is like a ballerina en pointe, she says, and her communication of feeling is no different than that of the New York City Ballet -- and no less protected by the First Amendment.

“Patrons of gentleman’s clubs aren’t just there to look at nude bodies,” Hanna, who lives in Bethesda, said in a telephone interview. “They want to read into it. It’s not just the eroticism, it’s the beauty of the body, and the fantasy they create.”

Hanna says she has observed at least 1,500 ecdysiastic performances in her defense of the $12 billion U.S. exotic-dance industry, which comprises about 4,000 clubs. When a city or state passes a law to kick the clubs out of town, owners turn to Hanna. She sends clients an average bill of about $3,000, and estimated that she has 45 wins to 21 losses.

Voice of the Industry
Hanna “plays a really important role in letting people see our side,” said Eric Langan, chief executive officer of Houston-based Rick’s Cabaret International Inc. (RICK), which operates adult websites and clubs in Texas and Minnesota.

Opponents say her sophistry defends the indefensible.
“You can’t just trump the law by saying a naked dancer’s erotic message is protected by free speech,” said Scott Bergthold, a Chattanooga, Tennessee, attorney who helps municipalities craft and defend adult-business regulations. “We’re dealing with cases where cities are outlawing touching between naked dancers and customers that involve prostitution acts and she’s coming in with these opinions. It’s ridiculous.”Hanna’s prominence has grown with the spread of stripping, Bergthold said in a telephone interview. “The industry has exploded, and they’re now in towns and cities that 20 years ago didn’t have strip clubs,” he said.

‘Secondary Effects’
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed crime rates around clubs to be used as cause for regulation. This year, the Missouri Supreme Court and a federal appeals court in Ohio upheld laws against touching customers. The Texas Supreme Court upheld a $5 per customer tax on nude clubs that serve alcohol. The so-called secondary effects doctrine, which allows laws restricting activities regarded as protected expression so long as they are aimed at deleterious side effects such as crime, was applied in all three.
At trial, Hanna’s testimony is often accompanied by that of sociologists who dispute crime data as the industry recasts itself as classy entertainment.

“Sex, drugs and heavy drinking have been replaced by good- looking women, $300 chairs and bright lights,” said Langan whose company has a market capitalization of about $77.6 million and whose stock has outperformed the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index by almost 1 percentage point this year.
And there is nothing new under the bustier, Hanna said. “Exotic dance has nudity and is marginalized and stigmatized for it,” Hanna said. “It’s really old hat. It’s in musicals, operas, and theater.”

Grace and Violence
The New Testament tells of Salome, who “danced and pleased” her stepfather Herod, the ruler of Galilee, and then asked for John the Baptist’s head. Herod sent an executioner. Vaslav Nijinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” ballet sparked a riot when its depiction of fertility rituals debuted in Paris in 1913.

“Exotic dance shares with virtually all dance genres the fact that it is a purposeful, intentionally rhythmical, culturally patterned, nonverbal, body movement communication in time and space,” Hanna writes in “Naked Truth: Strip Clubs, Democracy and a Christian Right,” to be released next year. It “conveys meaning by the use of space, touch, proximity to an observer, nudity, stillness and specific body movements.”

Preparing Temptation
Stripping can transcend the carnal, said Toni Bentley, an author who danced for choreographer George Balanchine’s New York City Ballet before a hip injury ended her career. “It’s hard to make the argument that just thrusting your pelvis is art,” Bentley said in a telephone interview. “You have a much better chance at doing something beautiful with work and preparation.”The key to eroticism is careful planning, said Jennifer McCumber, 28, a retired stripper who runs a website from her Houston home where she teaches business concepts to dancers. “To make a lap dance work, I had to combine concepts from gymnastics, things I learned from pole dancing, belly dancing I learned in college and even martial arts,” McCumber said in a telephone interview. “You have to have physical and mental agility to perform, while also making it seductive and alluring.”

Choreography is at the heart of the case in New York, where a club in Latham, near Albany, is arguing that most of its sales should be tax-free because of the state’s exemption for entrance fees to “dramatic or musical art performances.”

‘Stunningly Sweeping’
Andrew McCullough, a lawyer for Nite Moves, gave the court videos that dancers use to “adapt new techniques into their choreography.” And he hired Hanna to “get the message across” to the Tax Appeals Tribunal, he said. It didn’t get there. “To accept Dr. Hanna’s stunningly sweeping interpretation of what constitutes choreographed performance, all one needs to do is move in an aesthetically pleasing way to music,” tribunal Commissioners Carroll Jenkins and Charles Nesbitt wrote in their April 2010 ruling against the club. The case is headed to the New York Court of Appeals, which said in October it will hear arguments next year.

In 2002, Bentley, the former ballet dancer, published “Sisters of Salome,” a study on early 20th Century strippers. As research, Bentley did a striptease of her own at a New York City club. “There’s no definition to art and it’s eternally debated,” Bentley said. “Like the Supreme Court with obscenity, I know it when I see it. And from going to all kinds of strip clubs, some of it is and some of it is not.”

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Latest
20.05 So that's it. Results show tomorrow night, with Brucey swapped for Claudia Winkelman - always a good deal. I'm torn but surmise it'll be Holly Valance and... a Welsh person in the bottom two. I'm undecided which. Thanks for all your tweets, comments and loveliness on this inaugural liveblog. Same time same place next week? And until then... you know what's coming... KEEEEEEEEEP DANCING! *rises out of chair shouting like Bruno*

20.01 Brucey crowbars in a few more film references over the closing credits. He also announces that in next week's semi-final, the contestants will be doing two routines apiece, so the show will be back up to 90-minute duration. Tonight's seemed to fly by, hope it did for you too. Tess wore "her most stylish outfit ever" according to my TV desk compadre Serena Davies. Ooh, it's like Trinny and Susannah round here.

20.00 Very tight at the top of the leaderboard, but the two Welsh stars are propping it up. This is a tough one to call. Robbie didn't play the sympathy card over Gary Speed, which is admirable. You can bet they would on The X Factor. I suspect Holly will be in the bottom two again, which she doesn't deserve purely on the basis of her paso doble tonight. But who will join her? Oh, the Shrek ears are back in the recap. Poor Pasha.

19.58 The contest currently looks to be between Chelsee and Harry. She's endearingly dappy in the interview. Three tens! A total of 39, which puts her at the top of the leaderboard. Well done Chelsee. Now TAKE THOSE EARS OFF AND HAVE SOME DIGNITY, MAN.

19.56 Standing ovation. That was great. Will the judges agree? Bruno loved it. Craig's with me on the ears. Worrying, I'm not sure I want to be Craig's soulmate. He ALSO tells her to lift her knees up. Len says something about pickled walnuts. Are they a thing? Alesha gushes. Nines and perhaps two tens?

19.55 Chelsee's been a pocket rocket all series and her jive to I'm A BelIEver is rocking, full of energy. Could do without the Shrek ears. They're putting me right off what's otherwise an excellent dance.

19.53 My mistake, it's Shrek. Another cheesy VT ensues, with them visiting the West End musical. Chelsee also attended the OK! magazine Christmas party this week, fact fans. Oh the heady glamour. Beep! DONKEY prop ALERT.

19.52 Chelsee Healy now and her poor partner Pasha is stuck in undoubtedly the worst costume of the night. He's dressed as Wayne Rooney.

19.51 Only one 10, from Bruno, which didn't seem to match the comments. A total of 37 points.

19.49 Len loved it, perhaps not surprisingly. All the judges do. "It's getting boring now, everyone's good," deadpans Craig. I'm thinking 10s. Fair dinkum.

19.47 This is rather lovely. Kristina sits on his umbrella, which might be deemed as "messing abaht". It also suits Jason's tendency to over-act facially - he used to do that in Neighbours too, you know. Not that I ever watched it. Ahem.

19.44 Jason Donovan now. He started the series strongly and seemed a big favourite, but has wobbled when the dances haven't suited him. He's the oldest dancer left in the competition, as he points out in his VT. But he's also apparently the hardest trainer and "wants it" the most. He's dancing an American Smooth to Singing In The Rain. Mature viewers will adore this.

19.42 Two of each for a score of 38. Her personal best and top of the leaderboard. Delighted for her, she's a better dancer than Robbie or Alex. But will that be enough for the girl who's been in the bottom two twice? There's some horseplay in the background on Tess's balcony. Too much testosterone. YOU GUYS.

19.40 Her best dance, says Craig, although she was staring at the floor. Len says she's finishing strongly. Superb arms and hands, says Alesha. Bruno does his rising-out-of-his-chair shouting schtick. Artem really is a great choreographer, I think he clinched the win for Kara Tointon last year. Nines? Maybe a ten?

19.38 Holly's apparently been dying to do dance a pasa doble all series and you can see why - it suits her leggy, slinky style. That was dramatic but seemed to sag towards the end.

19.36 Holly Valance up next with Artem Chigvintsev - now recovered from his nasty spinal injury, but wearing a gimp-cum-Mexican wrestling mask. The judges have been saying all series that Holly is too laid back, which I think might be a euphemism for lazy. She's one of the best four dancers in the contest but I fear she might be heading home tomorrow unless she pulls something special out of the bag...

19.35 Ooh, two nines. Generous. Total of 34. Alex should also get the Welsh vote in that red frock.

19.32 Gorgeous, says Bruno. Sex-ee, says Craig. Len points out the missed steps. Alesha gushes. Alex is clearly disappointed bless her but she is the most improved dancer of the series. Eights?

19.30 Mercy! Some shaky footwork from Alex but her and partner James Jordan look good together. The solo sections showed her weaknesses but the spins were good, she was better in hold and nice storytelling.

19.29 Now it's The One Show's pretty woman, Alex Jones. She's dancing an American Smooth to Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison. From the film, um, Pretty Woman. Wonder if it'll be pretty and womanly? Oh good, another painful skit.

19.27 Quite a charismatic talker is Harry. Zzzz. It's four nines for a score of 36.

19.25 One of my bugbears with Harry is how the judges over-praise and over-score him, partly I suspect because at least half the panel fancy him. Craig duly comments on his hip action and trousers. Spiky hands, says Len, before crowbarring in a cutting room floor reference. Nines and one ten?

19.23 Harry and Aliona are dancing a rumba to Everything I Do by Bryan Adams which stayed at number one for a whole grim summer, so this should play well to the mainstream audience. It's nicely done and the audience are lapping it up, although as always with Harry, a tad passionless.

19.21 Now it's Harry Judd. Record score last week, now bookies' favourite to win. He's a nice enough chap and a good dancer but does seem to have had a personality bypass. Suppose he is a drummer. Their VT is a painful Robin Hood skit, with Brendan Cole as the Sheriff Of Rottingham. Oh how we laughed.

19.17 A score of 30 for Robbie, which errs on the side of generous but I don't begrudge him it

19.15 Len is talking like Robbie deserves to go. Alesha praising, unsurprisingly. "soemwhere between Kate Moss and Russell Brand" says Bruno. Craig Revel-Horwood rattles off a list of faults, peppered with the odd "dah-ling". Business as usual, then.

19.12 He's doing a quickstep to Little Green Bag from Reservoir Dogs. Much more dance content than usual - a lot of Robbie's dances have contained too much pose-striking and random gyrating. That was ok. Sevens, perhaps an 8 from Alesha?

19.10 Robbie Savage up first. I'm a bit torn here. I think he's been lovely all series but he's clearly the worst dancer remaining - the scores say so too. However, his close friend and former Welsh football team-mate Gary Speed tragically died last week and Robbie has dedicated tonight's dance to Speed's memory. Surely the whole of Wales will vote for him as another way of paying respect?

19.08 First look at the celebrities' costumes. Artem has come as a gimp. Harry in a cowboyish bandana, but he's dancing to Robin Hood. Nasty Shrek green for Chelsee. Ooh, it's Rory McGrath on the red button. *doesn't press red button*

19.06 Have they mentioned that it's a movie theme yet? It's like being thwacked over the head with a copy of Halliwell's.

19.05 Hang on. Tasteful black? And is that a pair of trousers? My whole belief system has crumbled before my eyes.

19.03 Group dance by the professionals to Saturday Night At The Movies. They're really going to milk this theme aren't they? Still, this is jolly enough. Now, onto Tess Daly Frockwatch...

19.02 Ah, the credits. Always a handy reminder of the eliminated contestants. I'd forgotten Dan Lobb even existed. Still not sure who he is.

19.01 Ooh, Christmas trail. Love that. I've seen a preview of Great Expectations. It's ace.

19.00 Off you trot, Barrowman. Don't milk it, mate.

18.58 As if you need reminding, tonight's theme is Movie Week. So expect copious bad film-related puns from Sir Bruce. Popcorn, red carpet, in the spotlight, lights camera action, ready for my close-up, Oscar-worthy... Tick 'em off as old chinny chops says 'em.

18.55 Five minutes to showtime. Now seems like an appropriate time to quickly recap last week. Harry Judd topped the leaderboard with 39, the highest score all series, and promptly won the swingathon too. He's got to be hot favourite to win the contest now. Chelsee Healy came in second and looks a dead cert for the final. The third Blackpool spot, though, could still be up for grabs. Jason Donovan is in the box seat but don't rule out Alex Jones. Oh and last week's elimination was Anita Dobson. On the upside, she now has more time to sit at home comparing her poodle mane with husband Brian May's. How the nights must fly by at Casa DobMay.

18.50 John Barrowman seems to have come as the world's campest vampire. A campire?

18.48 Tonight's The Night really is a cheesy old pile of tripe, isn't it? He said delibrately mixing food metaphors. Deliberately. Yes.

18.38 There's been a request down below (from simon_coulter, thank you) to reveal what the dances will be tonight. I won't spoil them completely, but can tell you that the films being "paid tribute" are... drum roll... Singing In The Rain, Robin Hood, Pretty Woman, Zorro, Reservoir Dogs and Shrek. That was roughly in ascending order of ridiculousness. Get off my swamp.

18.28 I've realised that out of the six remaining dancers, there are two Welsh and two Australian. I'm sure this stat reveals something, I'm just not sure what. Meanwhile, Len Goodman has been complaining in the press that there have been too many stunts and props this series - the technical term for which is, of course, "messing abaht". However, with tonight's Movie Week theme, I've got a feeling that messing abaht levels will remain high. Expect a grumpy head judge.

17.30 Ninety minutes until showtime. The last coats of fake tan (shade: deep teak) are being slathered on. Robbie Savage is touching up his teeth with Tipp-Ex. Sir Bruce is going through the scripted gags and spiking any that are remotely amusing. Tess Daly is agonising over a rail of unwise one-shouldered frocks. Who do we think is in danger of being eliminated tonight? Holly Valance is my foolishly early prediction.

17.00 Hello. I'm Michael, your Strictly live blogger this evening. It's our first EVER Strictly liveblog, so if you're reading this, you're already part of a little bit of ballroom-related online history. Feels good, doesn't it? It's showtime at 7pm but I'll start building up from 6pm, so please join me. And join in too - you can email me on michael.hogan@telegraph.co.uk, tweet me @michaelhogan or leave comments at the bottom of this blog. I'll do my best to keep an eye on them and report the highlights. Until then, it almost goes without saying: keeeeeeeeep dancing. *gives you a standing ovation, holds up a "10" scoring paddle*

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There's new push to make a practice most commonly seen at nightclubs and some fitness gyms an Olympic sport. The Pole Fitness Association and other pole dancing advocacy groups are circulating petitions to have vertical dance added to the London 2012 lineup. There's currently about 6,400 signatures on the petition. They compare it to gymnastics and say the sport is athletic and has grown in popularity with more than 500 pole dancing fitness studios across the country.

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Expressions, the Dance Company, will mark the holiday season with its 15th edition of Tchaikovsky's beloved Nutcracker ballet. The 50-member troupe, made up of adults and students from throughout the area, will present the colorful show at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge in New Port Richey.

The Nutcracker is the story of a young girl, Clara (Kaitlyn Picazio, 12), whose Uncle Drosselmeyer gives her a wooden Nutcracker at a large family gathering on Christmas Eve.

After everyone goes to sleep, Clara tiptoes back downstairs to check on her gift, but encounters a fearsome Rat King (Diane Galilit, dance instructor), who is doing battle with the toy soldiers. She's rescued by the now life-sized Nutcracker (Margarita Diamantopulos, 16), and is then transported to a magic land, where she is entertained by a beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy (Bella Calafiura) and her Cavalier (Eriberto Jimenez), as well as angels, cooks, maids, sleigh drivers, heralds, dancing flowers and snowflakes and dancers.

The show has become a tradition, not only for local dance lovers, but for Ms. Calafiura, who played Clara in the 2004 edition and has danced the roles of Dew Drop Fairy or Sugar Plum in indoor and outdoor presentations since 2008. She was the only dancer from the United State eligible to take part in the International Adeline Genee Ballet Competition held in Singapore in 2009. She has been chosen to participate in intensive workshops with professional ballet troupes in Orlando, Houston, New York and both Long Beach and San Francisco, Calif.

Jimenez is a soloist with the International Ballet Company (Miami), Miami Hispanic Ballet and Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. He is also the assistant director and coordinator for the International Ballet Festival of Miami and president of the board for the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. He has danced the role of Cavalier with Expressions since 2002.

Expressions has attracted experienced dancers from many area studios and also involved entire families in the productions in both dancing and nondancing roles.

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When the Homer Nutcracker ballet founders Jill Berryman, Joy Steward and Marianne Markelz announced that 2010 would be the last year they ran the 22-year-old Homer holiday tradition, producer Ken Castner jokingly called the new directors and dancers "Nutcracker: The Next Generation."Ensign Data, engage warp drive.

Or, make that steam drive. Saturday afternoon when the Nutcracker Ballet opens at the Mariner Theatre, it will be forward into the past when the 23rd production goes back to the story's original roots in E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." The modern Nutcracker ballet by Tchaikovsky uses an adaption by Alexandre Dumas of Hoffmann's story. Artistic co-directors Breezy Berryman and Jennifer Norton use Hoffmann's less dreamy but more fantastic story — a story in the German 19th century Gothic tradition.

"I just love fairy tales that are kind of out there and take you on a wild journey," Norton said. "We definitely wanted to have that element."The directors also incorporate a modern theme that mixes the Victorian era of conservative social mores with Industrial Age steam technology: steampunk. Science fiction writer K.W. Jeter coined the term in 1987 to describe a trend he called the "gonzo-historical manner." Noticing a prevalance then of Victorian fantasies, Jeter jokingly suggested the trend be called "steampunk."

Steampunk has now become a literary, film, fashion and design phenomena. It combines late 19th century costumes and technology with stylized, intricate details. Think lots of gears, brass filligree, velvet, leather, dirigibles and steam power. "There are a lot of improbable things that can happen with steampunk technology, which is sort of a blend of magic, science fiction and weird old technology," Norton said.

Berryman and Norton use many of the old ballet scenes and dances. There's the Christmas party scene at the Stahlbaum home when young Clara gets a nutcracker doll from Uncle Drosselmeyer. Instead of Clara falling asleep and dreaming of a handsome Nutcracker Prince, in Hoffmann's version Clara goes on a magical journey with the Nutcracker. Mistress Mousie has cursed a young boy and transformed him into the hideous Nutcracker, with strong jaws and a long white beard. Only the love of a woman who accepts him despite his hideous face can break the curse. "Will Clara come to love the ugly Nutcracker?" is the story's plot.

Drosselmeyer, played by Norton's husband, Curtis Jackson, has the proper steampunk attitude. He arrives at the Stahlbaum party in a dirigible. He wears a leather helmet, goggles, high boots and a flowing cape. In Hoffmann's story, Drosselmeyer makes intricate machines with clockworks and lots of gears, Norton notes — very steampunk.

Berryman has added some new dances to fit the revised plot. For example, as Clara and the Nutcracker travel, they come across a pack of wolves threatening sheep guarded by a shepherdess. That led to some resistance from the seasoned dancers, many of whom are in high school and started in grade school as mice.

"At first people were saying, 'What are you doing? I can't be a wolf to this music,'" Berryman said. "The more they do it, they more they get into it."The dancers have come along, though, Norton said. "They've all been working so hard and just really — even though they've been skeptical at moments — they've thrown themselves into it and are doing their most wonderful work right now," she said.

Also new this year is some equal opportunity for a role usually played by boys: the rat army. Three girls will be rats, right down to big eyelashes and red lips. "I think it's a pretty exciting opportunity to mess up the gender roles a bit as well as having an exciting story line to play with," Norton said.

Joshua Palmer plays the Nutcracker and Holly Bowler plays Clara. Palmer and rehearsal mistress Deborah Lohse and Amanda Ringger come from New York, professionals in the NYC dance community Berryman met while studying dance at New York University and dancing professionally in numerous companies.

Continuing the work of her mother Jill Berryman, Breezy Berryman has been teaching ballet classes to a new generation of young dancers — how the Nutcracker can keep going for almost a quarter century. Even though Jill Berryman stepped back this year, she still can't resist helping out, like working with Bowler and Palmer to polish their dancing.

"She can't help it. She loves it so much," Breezy said. That's one thing that hasn't changed: the love a cast and crew of more than 85 throws in to the production starting in October, if not sooner.

"It's fantastic how everybody has been during this whole transition," Norton said. "Everyone has taken it in stride — 'We want to do what you want. Just tell us what you want and we'll make it happen.' That's been really pretty amazing."

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