STRICTLY dancer Kristina Rihanoff is taking to the stage in her own show, alongside her long-term dance partner and another favourite from the TV series, Robin Windsor.

Dance To The Music, a whirlwind tour through the decades from the roaring 20s to the present day, of song and dance, will be stopping off in Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre next month.

Kristina said that after eight years in Strictly Come Dancing she wanted to bring that same excitement to the stage.

“My idea was of evolution in dance beginning with the Charleston and Happy Feet etc of the 1920s, through a Fred Astaire medley and a GI Joe war section with the Lindy-Hop, to Elvis’ rock and roll of the 1950s,” she said.

“The funk and disco of Saturday Night Fever is the 1970s, with street dance and hip hop from some crazy kids on the show for the 1980s.

“It helps if you have highly skilled dancers and do a lot of research.

“We have all the big hits of the 1990s including Michael Jackson with a little twist, and then the last decade of hits.”

Joining Kristina in the show are two singers X Factor finalist Christopher Maloney and singer/songwriter Beth Sherburn.

“Beth is an up and coming star and beautiful singer,” said Kristina.

“I believe in giving people a chance and recognising

talent.”

The dancer is a patron of Stagecoach, a branch of which is in Swindon, and she often invites the youngsters in different towns to join her on stage.

She is no strange to the West End and admits that she and Robin invited the Strictly Come Dancing producers to see them perform at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

An invitation soon followed and Kristina and Robin became part of the pro dancers team on the TV show.

Kristina says that being on Strictly has little to do with reality for either the pros or the celebrities who get thrown into this glitzy world.

“The celebs get so involved and sucked in to the glam and the hard work, and the pros give one thousand per cent. It is a fab show, there is no better job and we all dance for the love of dance,” she said.

However as a competitive youngster, Kristina turned down the American equivalent of Strictly, called Dancing With The Stars.

“I had no desire to be famous, it was a mindset and I wanted to be a champion of dance and then five years later I was on Strictly,” she laughed.

Kristina’s Strictly journey has included some big named celebrities such as John Barrowman, on a Christmas special, Jason Donovan, the unforgettable John Sergeant whose Paso Doble is one of the Strictly ‘moments’, Ed Balls and his Gangnam style dance and Daniel O’Donnell. “John and I won the Christmas special, he was the ultimate dream partner, fascinating to work with and stylish and flamboyant, with so much stamina. I became very close to Daniel and his wife Clare.

“They were all lovely amazing partners,” she said.

As for other TV shows Kristina says she couldn’t get out quick enough.

“Big Brother was a nightmare, after two weeks I was ready to explode, living in a house full of people I did not particularly like.

“Mastermind was for charity, my subject was Patrick Swayze’s Dirty Dancing. I adored him in the Hollywood world arena.”

Dance To The Music will be at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre on Monday, January 22 tickets are £29.50 - £33.50 or £53.50 for post show meet & greet from 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk.

— Flicky Harrison