BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite bring Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals tour to the Liverpool Empire

Jan 28 2010 by Claire Devine, Chester Chronicle

It’s time to get up close and personal. That’s the message from Ian Waite, one of the stars of the Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals tour.

The tour comes to the Liverpool Empire on June 21 and promises to be a spectacular show featuring the top 10 dancers from the popular BBC show.

TV favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, James and Ola Jordan, Matthew Cutler and Kristina Rihanoff, Brian Fortuna and Ian Waite with this season’s new faces Aliona Vilani and Natalie Lowe, will wow audiences with their stunning routines and elegant gowns.

Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe dropped in to the Empire after performing at the Echo arena alongside the celebrity dancers from the Strictly show.

Natalie said: “It’s a beautiful theatre, I got goosebumps when I walked in.

“The show is going to be very dynamic and powerful.”

Ian said: “It’s going to be fantastic.

“We’re really excited to be working with Karen Bruce who will be helping us choreograph the group dances.

“The audience will really be able to get up close and personal.

“Sometimes during the arena tours the audience is quite far away but they will be closer at the theatre.”

The professionals tour will see the dancers show off with their specialist dances and come together for dazzling group performances.

Ian said: “I specialise in Latin but this is a good opportunity to do ballroom with Natalie.”

Speaking about learning so much choreography and different routines at one time, Ian said: “On the show it’s very difficult to adapt to learning new routines and having to perform them in a short space of time.

“But we have now acquired that skill and got used to it.”

Strictly Come Dancing runner-up Hollyoaks’ star, Ricky Whittle was one of the favourites of the last series.

Natalie said: “I was blessed to have Ricky and the fact he was so good allowed me to be more creative with the choreography.

“It benefited me to have someone as talented as Ricky.”