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Darcey Bussell will front a BBC search to find a new young dance star in a competition which places hip hop moves on an equal footing to ballet.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge will co-present and act as a mentor on BBC Young Dancer 2015, a competition broadcast live from Sadler’s Wells, featuring the best dancers, aged under 20, from across Britain.
The acclaimed choreographer and director Matthew Bourne, ballet star Carlos Acosta and English National Ballet artistic director Tamara Rojo join the judging panel for the BBC2 search to find “the UK’s most talented and dedicated young dancers.”
Strictly Come Dancing 2014Show all 107 1 /107Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha's final dance was a Charleston to “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” by They Might Be Giants
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie and Kevin performed a fiery paso doble to the West Side Story tune “America”
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff danced to A Little Less Conversation by Elvis Presley
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright and his partner Karen Hauer danced the cha-cha-cha to I'm Your Man by Wham!
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake and Janette performed The Viennese Waltz to ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ by Percy Sledge and The Cha Cha to ‘Boogie Shoes’ by KC and the Sunshine Band this weekend
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark and Karen performed The Rumba to Eva Cassidy’s version of ‘Fields of Gold’ and The Viennese Waltz to ‘I Got You Babe’ by Sonny and Cher this weekend
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha performed The Salsa to ‘Maria’ by Ricky Martin and The Foxtrot to Josef Salvat’s version of ‘Diamonds’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie and Kevin performed The Argentine Tango to ‘The 5th’ by David Garrett and The Rumba to Lily Allen’s version of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon and Kristina performed The Foxtrot to ‘My Guy’ by Mary Wells and The Samba to ‘I Like To Move It’ by Reel 2 Real this weekend at Strictly Come Dancing
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline Flack's salsa saw her score the first perfect ten of the series
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake and Janette perform the Charleston to ‘Entry of the Gladiators’ by Ken Griffin’s Circus Band
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark and Karen perform Foxtrot to ‘L-O-V-E’ by Nat King Cole
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon and Kristina perform the American Smooth to ‘Heartache Tonight’ by Michael Buble
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha perform the Argentine Tango to the Traditional Version of ‘La Cumparsita’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie and Trent dance the Cha Cha to the Glee Cast version of ‘Love Shack’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon and Kristina perform the American Smooth to ‘Heartache Tonight’ by Michael Buble
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha perform Charleston to They Might Be Giant’s version of 'Istanbul'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Brendan Cole and Sunetra Sarker perform the Rumba to Michael Bolton’s version of 'Girl From Ipanema'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake Wood and Janette Manrara perform the Argentine Tango to 'Zorba The Greek'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake Wood and Janette Manrara perform the Argentine Tango to 'Zorba The Greek'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright and Karen Hauer perform the Salsa to ‘Viva Las Vegas' by Elvis Presley
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie Lott and Trent Whiddon perform the Viennese Waltz to 'Tulips From Amsterdam' by Max Bygraves
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers and Bolly Flex
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff perform the Waltz to 'Edelweiss' from The Sound of Music
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie Bridge and Kevin Clifton will be performing the Jive to ‘Surfin’ USA’ by The Beach Boys
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie and Kevin perform the Viennese Waltz to Tom Jones’ ‘What’s new Pussycat?'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon and Kristina dance Salsa to ‘Let’s Hear For The Boy’ by Deniece Williams
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake and Janette dance Samba to the ‘Macarena’ by Los Del Rio
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark and Karen dance Tango to OneRepublic's ‘Love Runs Out’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie and Trent Charleston to ‘Sparkling Diamonds’ as sung by Nicole Kidman in the film 'Moulin Rouge'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Steve and Ola are Jiving to Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers version of 'Little Bitty Pretty One'
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha perform the American Smooth Robbie Williams’ version of ‘Mack the Knife’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Sunetra and Brendan Waltzing to Paolo Nutini’s ‘Last Request’
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Judy Murray dances the Viennese Waltz
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie Lott performs the Paso Doble
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline Flack dances the Jive
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon Webbe performs at Blackpool's Tower Ballroom
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon and Kristina perform the Quickstep to I Got Rhythm by Bobby Darin
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright and Karen perform Waltz to Weekend in New England by Barry Manilow
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake and Janette perform the Rumba to Frank Sinatra's Strangers in the Night
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie and Kevin dance the Samba to La Bamba by Connie Francis
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie and Trent perform the Foxtrot to When I'm Sixty Four by The Beatles
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Sunetra and Brendan perform to Foxtrot to All of Me by John Legend
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline and Pasha perform the Waltz to Three Times a Lady by The Commodores
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Steve and Ola perform Paso to Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Judy and Anton perform the Paso to I Fought the Law by The Clash
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The Strictly professional dancers perform during the results show on Sunday
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The dancers look scared - have they just seen the judges?
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The dancers get their freak on for Halloween Week
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Scott and Joanne perform The Foxtrot to The Addams Family Theme
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake and Janette perform The Paso Doble to ‘Black Betty’ by Ram Jam
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Kristina Rihanoff and Simon Webbe perform The Paso Doble to ‘Poison’ by Alice Cooper
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Steve Backshall performs The Charleston to ‘Dem Bones Dem Bones’ by Kay Starr
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie and Kevin perform The Tango to ‘Defying Gravity’ from the musical Wicked
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pasha Kovalev and Caroline Flack perform The Samba to ‘Le Freak’ by Chic
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Sunetra and Brendan perform The Jive to ‘Tainted Love’ by Gloria Jones
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Alison and Aljaz perform The American Smooth to ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Kate Bush
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie and Trent performing The Tango to ‘Danger! High Voltage’ by Electric Six
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Judy and Anton performing The American Smooth to ‘Cruella De Vil’ from the film 101 Dalmatians
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Karen Hauer and Mark Wright perform The Jive to ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ from the musical of the same name
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Things are getting spooky this week on Strictly
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon Webbe with Kristina Rihanoff
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Karen Hauer and Mark Wright shake it on Strictly Come Dancing
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Aljaz Skorjanec dances with Alison Hammond
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline Flack dances with Pasha Kovale
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Scott Mills and Joanne Clifton are full of energy on the stage
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jake Wood dances with Janette Manrara
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Brendan Cole partners with Sunetra Sarker
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Thom Evans and Iveta Lukosiute do the Cha Cha
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Kevin Clifton and Frankie Bridge
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Dancers take to the stage on Strictly Come Dancing
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Judy Murray dances with Anton Du Beke
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Steve Backshall dances with Ola Jordan
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie Lott dances the Samba with Trent Whiddon
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Bargain Hunt's Tim Wonnacott is voted off Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Bargain Hunt's Tim Wonnacott leaves Strictly Come Dancing after his pasodoble
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright and Karen Hauer await the results of the dance-off alongside Tim Wonnacott and Natalie Lowe
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing's professional dancers take to the floor
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline Flack dances with Pasha Kovalev on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Soap star Jake Wood dances with Janette Manrara on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Former rugby international Thom Evans dances with Iveta Lukosiute
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Sunetra Sarker and Brendan Cole perform an energetic routine on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Tim Wonnacott dances the pasodoble with Natalie Lowe on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pop singer Pixie Lott dances with Trent Whiddon on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly dress up to present Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Steve Backshall and Ola Jordan try a daring lift on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge dances with Kevin Clifton on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills dances with Joanne Clifton on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Alison Hammond and Aljaz Skorjanec take to the dancefloor on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Blue's Simon Webbe dances with Kristina Rihanoff on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Judy Murray demonstrates her newfound dancing skills with professional partner Anton Du Beke
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright dances with Karen Hauer on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett perform on the Strictly Come Dancing results show
Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers take to the stage
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Mark Wright dances with Karen Hauer
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers take to the stage
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Jennifer Gibney and partner Tristan MacManus
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Thom Evans dances with Iveta Lukosiute
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Frankie Bridge dances with Kevin Clifton
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Pixie Lott dances with Trent Whiddon
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Scott Mills dances with Joanne Clifton
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Scott Mills dances with Joanne Clifton
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Sunetra Sarker dances with Brendan Cole
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Caroline Flack dances with Pasha Kovalev
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Tim Wonnacott dances with Natalie Lowe
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Simon Webbe dances with Kristina Rihanoff
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Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Strictly Come Dancing 2014 Alison Hammond dances with partner Aljaz Skorjanec
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The dancers will compete across four categories: Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop and South Asian Dance, with six entrants going through to the grand final.
Each dancer will premiere a new solo piece created especially for them by a leading young choreographer. They will also dance a solo, duet (pas de deux/battle) and an ensemble piece.
Ms Bussell, the former Royal Ballet principal ballerina, said: “Hip hop has become a tradition in itself. I’ve tried to dance some hip hop. It takes extraordinary strength and ability to perform. It’s very different so it will be an interesting mix.”
Kenneth Tharp, chief executive of The Place, the London contemporary dance school and a series judge, said the addition of the urban hip hop genre would challenge traditionalists.
“The programme is a real chance to educate people about different styles of dance. If you watch a hip hop crew they are as tight and disciplined as the Royal Ballet. Hip hop and ballet are stylistically similar, they are both virtuosic. This will test preconceived views about dance styles.”
Ms Bussell admitted that talent competitions do not always produce lasting stars. “I’ve judged a lot of dance competitions around the world and some of the people who do incredibly well in those have shorter careers. And the ones who don’t (succeed in competitions), become stars. Competitions like this give dancers an opportunity to be seen.”
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Try for free Ms Bussell said hopefuls had to demonstrate extreme dedication and a flexible willingness to perform all genres, including contemporary styles, in order to succeed. “Dance is getting harder,” she said.
She is opposed to hip hop and South Asian dance being introduced to the celebrity Strictly Come Dancing series however, as mastering the waltz and the foxtrot was enough of a challenge for its competitors.
The Young Dancer series will be a highlight of a BBC Year of Song and Dance unveiled by Tony Hall, the BBC Director-General and former Royal Opera House boss.
The season includes an investigation into the “real-life drama” behind the opera La Traviata , a documentary in which Petula Clark explores the history of the French chanson tradition and the return of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
Lord Hall of Birkenhead said the season, broadcast across BBC4, BBC2 and Radio 3, would deliver “extraordinary access to some of today's great artists and performers. And we'll be working with the very best to inspire new talent right across the country.”
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