Shocking news in, that Ola Jordan was attacked in a bowling alley in South London. Ola was there with James, celebrating a friend's birthday, when a woman leapt across the lanes and punched her in a totally unprovoked attack. Crazy. All the best for a speedy recovery, Ola.
Brian Fortuna is a busy boy - he's starring in Over the Rainbow in Bromley, with Maureen Nolan (no relation!) and also playing the part of Aladdin in Northampton this year.
Claudia has had a little boy, called Arthur. Or possibly, Pumpkin or Rabbit! This is why we will miss her ...
Kara has confessed that she only did Strictly because she was desperate! The world of interior design's loss is the West End's gain, as she's received brilliant reviews for her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion.
And the latest rumours are ... Ricky Hatton and Russell Grant! Yes, we'd all rather Russell Crowe, but what can you do ... Russell G does love to dance though and has been hankering after an invite for some time!
Another report from the Edinburgh Fringe, featuring Flawless.
Ex Strictly Come Dancing pro, Brian Fortuna, has been the victim of theft - targeted by the look of it, as they took all his dance costumes too. If you're a regular visitor to Ebay, please keep an eye out!
Burn the Floor with Ali and Brian is under way, but with limited shows until 5th September, you'll need to get in quick! One off Sport Relief Strictly Come Dancing winner, Kara Tointon, stole the limelight apparently, at the launch.
Trav's Thoughts are in! No injuries but two to go this week!
Brendan Cole and the Barclays Live gang will be on stage in London's Leicester Square on Saturday 31st, with things kicking off around 10.00am. Tribute act Kins of Leon will be there, along with Funkstylerz and the top auditionees. See you there!
Strictly Come Dancing's Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian are set to star in the West End production of Burn the Floor; Hayley Tamaddon has been blogging about the Dancing on Ice live tour.
And yes, it was a couple of weeks ago *ahem* but better late than never I say! Those lovely people Faye and Nick at Strictly Dancers once again brought us a wonderful night of entertainment, starring Brian Fortuna and Kristina Rihanoff, and another workshop, this time the jive, courtesy of host Mark Shutlar. But you know I’m just getting over a sprained ankle, so I didn’t attempt it. I would have, honest!
First out were Danny and Kate, our amateur couple (though you wouldn’t think it) number 2 in the country in 10 Dance, for a Quickstep/Jive combo to Steppin’ Out, Danny looking all mean and moody which belied a fun heart; Kate a vision in blue ruffles. Then a Tango to what sounded like the Gotan Project and a Paso, to the same tune the Strictly Pro’s used in my fave Pro Dance
from 2006 – which was on youtube but is no more *grumbles* - I live in hope of it reappearing! Proper samba music for their, well, Samba obviously, and familiar too, if you check out the Showtime vids – Hip Hip Chin Chin – seeing these dances up close is just awesome – Danny and Kate finished their session with an incredible Jive to Proud Mary.
At the time those clips were filmed, they’d only been together a few months!
The main course arrived in the shape of a Cha Cha to Lady Ga Ga’s Just Dance as Brian and Kristina hit the floor in a flurry of red fringe (Kristina anyway!) to a rapturous welcome, their usual exuberance in the Latin followed by a gorgeously smooth American Foxtrot/VW combo to Baby Love and When a Man Loves A Woman, with Kristina sublime in white and gold satin. What made the evening doubly special was Brian’s throwing the floor open to questions while Kristina changed. So this is less review, more interview punctuated by dancing!
Music for DWTS and SCD – is it given to you or do you choose it? DWTS give you the song, you have no choice – in SCD though, you choose your own, it just has to be approved (licensing etc).
What’s more fun, the UK or USA show: The UK show of course! (Good answer, that’s an extra 300 votes!)
Are you in a relationship? Next question!
What’s with all the candles (in his flat)? I love candles but am very good at spilling wax everywhere (at which point the lady who asked the question said she was excellent at cleaning it up, lol – Brian asked what she was doing later!)
Ideal partner? Ali! (cue ‘Awwwwww’s)
Ok, if not Ali? Tess Daly, she’s hot. No-one’s recording this are they? (Er, no – does writing it down count?)
They Mambo to It had Better Be Tonight by The Buble, with Kristina in a killer leopard print suit, so fast, so WOW! Then a lovely lady called Fran, who celebrated her 90th birthday recently and is still dancing, made us all jealous as Brian swept her onto the dance floor!
What do you think of the judges? They’re all lovely – did you hear what I said to Alesha? Yes, we did, crawler!
Do you choose your own clothes? I’m always in Su Judd’s office!
Are your hips detachable and can I rent them? (That was from a bloke, btw!) I’ve no answer for that, it was drowned out in the laughter! *note to self – tweet Brian!*
And Brian told us a little anecdote about Beyonce – how her entourage advised the Strictly people to keep their distance when she appeared on the show – but Brian being Brian bowled up and introduced himself anyway – and then faced down a bouncer! Which was our intro to their stunning rumba to If I Were a Boy.
Brian happily shared the news that his baseball team, the Phildelphia Phillies, made the World Series for the second time in two years, YAY! (The equivalent of West Ham winning the European Championship. Ever. Or actually just avoiding relegation ...*lives in hope*)
Fave dance? Jive – the all-American manic one, and the Foxtrot – grew up listening to Frank Sinatra.
When did you start dancing? At an early age (between 3-6) moving on to inline skating but going off the edge a bit – dancing set me on the right path and I began to take it seriously at age 15/16. I’ve been together professionally with Kristina for 18-24 months since the DWTS tour and we auditioned for SCD together.
If not a dancer, what would you be? A TV Host (that’s Strictly sorted when Brucie retires!)
Tell us more about Dancing on Wheels: Mum will be flying in for the series – we started the dance classes seven years ago and more and more couples signed up. Then we began writing a syllabus three years ago and approached all the major networks – the BBC commissioned the show, which airs on BBC3 in January. There are six couples taking part and the winners will be representing the UK in the European championships in Tel Aviv! The edit of the show is fantastic!
What do you do for fun? Women! Oh, dear, that came across really wrong (amid gales of laughter!) Exercise – barbecue – golf – pool.
Their last dance is a Disco Hustle to Boogie Wonderland, completely fabulous –
if you haven’t seen any of the professionals dancing live, you must – watching it on the telly doesn’t do them justice! It was lovely to welcome Brian and Kristina to Kent, please come again!
Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke is recovering following an emergency operation for a twisted colon, after being taken ill on holiday in Italy. And while they were down there, they took his appendix as well - but there's no stopping Anton and four weeks later he was back and in attandance at dancer partner Erin Boag's wedding. Wonder who choreographed the first dance and what they danced to?
Fortuna's Fantastics fantastic blog popped up today - if you took a fancy to Brian during the last series (as did I) get yourself over there and check out their Youtube account! Brian is also involved with a new series being filmed for BBC3 - with the working title 'Dancing on Wheels', the show is filming now with a transmission date of January 2010. Able bodied stars taking part include Brian's Strictly partner Heather Small, plus Mark Foster from last year's SCD celebs, together with Kevin Sacre, fiancee of 2008 Strictly winner, Camilla Dallerup. Check out the blog link up there, for further info about Wheelchair Dancesport, with which Brian's mother, Sandra is heavily involved.
