A SONG AND DANCE SPECTACULAR CELEBRATING THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!
Steven Howard for The TCB Group and David Shepherd with Senbla Event presents...
ALJAŽ AND JANETTE
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
Strictly Legends Aljaž & Janette Announce UK Dates for ‘A Christmas To Remember’
Steven Howard for The TCB Group and David Shepherd with Senbla Event presents...
ALJAŽ AND JANETTE
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
Strictly Legends Aljaž & Janette Announce UK Dates for ‘A Christmas To Remember’
Check out this fab INTERVIEW with Aljaž & Janette
Dancing is their whole world, Janette Manrara and Aljaž Skorjanec will tell you, with little or no prompting. Well, it was and then that world was turned upside down.
Lyra Rose, a child they were beginning to think might never bless their marriage, was born on July 28 and life hasn’t been the same since.
She was delivered by Caesarean section because of Janette’s petite frame. “I’m so small and Aljaž is six foot four so I was advised that I might struggle if the baby turned out to be large.” In the event, Lyra weighed in at a healthy 7lbs 7oz.
“It was the best day,” says her adoring mum. “We were both so happy. We had music playing in the delivery room and we were singing along. She was born to the song, Little Bitty Pretty One.”
And she turns out to be a good ‘un. She’s a sleeper – often for five or six hours at night – and then either parent will get up to feed her by bottle.
“Because I had to get back to hosting It Takes Two [Strictly’s weekday spin-off show], it made sense for me to bottle-feed her as I’m away from home for a couple of days each week. We were lucky she took to the bottle from Day One.”
When Lyra was six weeks old, Janette, 39, began doing gentle exercises. Looking at her now, you’d never guess she’d given birth three months ago.
“I’m working with two women. One of them specialises in post-partum training for athletes, the other in pelvic floor recovery. My skin has tightened up pretty quickly; and the scars are already fading.”
Just as well because she and Aljaz are about to embark on a 17-date UK tour, Dancing in a Winter Wonderland, kicking off in Portsmouth on November 21. The show will visit the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on 1st December.
We’re joined by Aljaž, 33, complete with wraparound smile. “We waited so long for Lyra,” he says. “Now we have her and it’s the best feeling in the world.”
After failing to conceive, the couple were days away from going for Janette’s first IVF injections – she’d already started on a course of pills – when she fell pregnant naturally.
He's certainly taken to daddy duties, as he calls them. “I love looking after her. I’m at home the whole time now so, when Janette is in London for It Takes Two, it’s all down to me. I’m really enjoying the fact I can be there with her full-time for the first months of her life.”
Fatherhood doesn’t faze him. “It’s pretty straightforward: she’ll cry if she’s hungry or needs changing or is ready for a sleep. And I’m there for her.” So, how good is he with a nappy? “I’ve got it down to one minute, a Formula I pit-stop.”
For the first years of their relationship and subsequent marriage (in 2017), Aljaž and Janette lived in north London. Today, they are talking via Zoom from their new home near Wilmslow in Cheshire. Why the move north?
Says Aljaž: “I partnered Gemma Atkinson on Strictly in 2017 and she was based in Manchester where she presents a breakfast radio show. I got to know the area and the countryside around it and I liked what I saw, particularly the south side of the city. It was so green; it reminded me of my home in Slovenia.
“Gemma and I got to the final of Strictly so we were rehearsing in Manchester for the full run of the show. And the local people were so friendly. It made me think I’d like to live there one day.
“When we wanted to start a family, we went to look at properties around Wilmslow and fell in love with the house where we now live.”
But how does that work with Janette’s TV commitments in London at the moment? “I don’t present It Takes Two every day,” she explains. “I share the role with Fleur East who I got to know really well on the live Strictly tour last year. She’s terrific: she gets a 10 from me.
“As for travel, the trains are pretty good. It takes me just under two hours to get from Wilmslow to London’s Euston. When we lived in north London, it could take a good hour-and-a-half in the car to drive to the rehearsal rooms in Fulham.”
What about Aljaž? Hand on heart, is he missing dancing? “Not as much as I thought I would,” he says. “Anyone who’s looking after a baby will know that it’s a 24/7 commitment. You have to be very disciplined, very efficient.
“But yes, I do miss performing. I do miss what I love doing the most. I have to be honest, though: what I’ve loved doing the most the last twelve weeks and three days is being a dad.”
He’s had a little help from his mother, Natasa, over from Slovenia for a couple of visits, and Janette’s Cuban mum, Maritza, flying in from Miami.
Natasa and his sister, Lara, will be helping out with Lyra during the rehearsal period for Dancing in a Winter Wonderland and Maritza will be back to cover the tour.
He makes no secret of the fact that he can’t wait for baby Number Two, something about which Janette, unsurprisingly, has a view. “We definitely want Lyra to have a sibling,” she says. “We both come from close families and we’d like that for her.
“But, because of my C-section, I’ve got to wait until I’ve fully recovered before I fall pregnant again. This was major abdominal surgery.” So, when would she like that to be? “Yesterday,” says Aljaž, unable to resist butting in.
Traditionally, the couple would alternate Christmas in Slovenia one year, Miami the next. Lyra’s arrival has changed all that. “We’re staying home this year. But, because we love Christmas, we decided on a tour celebrating our favourite time of the year.
It is a brand new show featuring what Janette describes as everybody’s favourite music. Accompanying them on stage will be eight dancers – four male, four female – and two singers.
What are her personal highlights? “An instrumental section featuring the music from Edward Scissorhands, so beautiful to dance to. By contrast, there’s a megamix of all the best seasonal tunes ending with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas.
“There’s a little bit of everything. I even get to sing Santa Baby. And there’s loads of new content, including a whole New York City session this year – from Frank Sinatra to jazz tunes – that we didn’t have in last year’s show.”
She will barely have time to digest her Christmas pud before she sets out on the road as the host of the Strictly 2024 tour, a mix of celebs and professional dancers.
It kicks off with five shows in Birmingham from January 19 and finishes with five shows at London’s O2 arena from February 9, 28 performances in total.
By then, of course, this year’s winner of Strictly will have held the much-prized glitterball aloft. So, who’s it going to be?
“I honestly don’t know,” says Janette. “This year, more than most, it could be anyone. Layton and Nikita have been strong from the get-go. Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu have surprised everyone. Nigel Harman and Katya Jones opened the series with an amazing paso doble; I think we’ve got more to come from them.”
Who else? “I never thought I’d say this but Angela Rippon, at 79, is a front-runner with Kai Widdrington. And don’t discount Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola: their jive blew me away. I think she may turn out to be the dark horse of this contest.”
And Aljaz? “Whoever is the cleverest at interpreting their dances as the competition progresses. The longer it goes on, the individual dances become more important than the popularity of the celebrities. And any of the people Janette has mentioned are capable of pulling it out of the bag.”
Finally, if Lyra turns round in 10 years’ time and says she wants to go to dance school, what will be her parents’ reaction? “Absolutely,” says Janette. “Look at the life dance has given us. We’re both big believers in following your dreams.”
Says Aljaz: “But, if she says she wants to be a doctor, that would be good, too.” Janette agrees. “You don’t work a day in your life if you’re doing something you love.”
dancinginawinterwonderland.com
Lyra Rose, a child they were beginning to think might never bless their marriage, was born on July 28 and life hasn’t been the same since.
She was delivered by Caesarean section because of Janette’s petite frame. “I’m so small and Aljaž is six foot four so I was advised that I might struggle if the baby turned out to be large.” In the event, Lyra weighed in at a healthy 7lbs 7oz.
“It was the best day,” says her adoring mum. “We were both so happy. We had music playing in the delivery room and we were singing along. She was born to the song, Little Bitty Pretty One.”
And she turns out to be a good ‘un. She’s a sleeper – often for five or six hours at night – and then either parent will get up to feed her by bottle.
“Because I had to get back to hosting It Takes Two [Strictly’s weekday spin-off show], it made sense for me to bottle-feed her as I’m away from home for a couple of days each week. We were lucky she took to the bottle from Day One.”
When Lyra was six weeks old, Janette, 39, began doing gentle exercises. Looking at her now, you’d never guess she’d given birth three months ago.
“I’m working with two women. One of them specialises in post-partum training for athletes, the other in pelvic floor recovery. My skin has tightened up pretty quickly; and the scars are already fading.”
Just as well because she and Aljaz are about to embark on a 17-date UK tour, Dancing in a Winter Wonderland, kicking off in Portsmouth on November 21. The show will visit the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on 1st December.
We’re joined by Aljaž, 33, complete with wraparound smile. “We waited so long for Lyra,” he says. “Now we have her and it’s the best feeling in the world.”
After failing to conceive, the couple were days away from going for Janette’s first IVF injections – she’d already started on a course of pills – when she fell pregnant naturally.
He's certainly taken to daddy duties, as he calls them. “I love looking after her. I’m at home the whole time now so, when Janette is in London for It Takes Two, it’s all down to me. I’m really enjoying the fact I can be there with her full-time for the first months of her life.”
Fatherhood doesn’t faze him. “It’s pretty straightforward: she’ll cry if she’s hungry or needs changing or is ready for a sleep. And I’m there for her.” So, how good is he with a nappy? “I’ve got it down to one minute, a Formula I pit-stop.”
For the first years of their relationship and subsequent marriage (in 2017), Aljaž and Janette lived in north London. Today, they are talking via Zoom from their new home near Wilmslow in Cheshire. Why the move north?
Says Aljaž: “I partnered Gemma Atkinson on Strictly in 2017 and she was based in Manchester where she presents a breakfast radio show. I got to know the area and the countryside around it and I liked what I saw, particularly the south side of the city. It was so green; it reminded me of my home in Slovenia.
“Gemma and I got to the final of Strictly so we were rehearsing in Manchester for the full run of the show. And the local people were so friendly. It made me think I’d like to live there one day.
“When we wanted to start a family, we went to look at properties around Wilmslow and fell in love with the house where we now live.”
But how does that work with Janette’s TV commitments in London at the moment? “I don’t present It Takes Two every day,” she explains. “I share the role with Fleur East who I got to know really well on the live Strictly tour last year. She’s terrific: she gets a 10 from me.
“As for travel, the trains are pretty good. It takes me just under two hours to get from Wilmslow to London’s Euston. When we lived in north London, it could take a good hour-and-a-half in the car to drive to the rehearsal rooms in Fulham.”
What about Aljaž? Hand on heart, is he missing dancing? “Not as much as I thought I would,” he says. “Anyone who’s looking after a baby will know that it’s a 24/7 commitment. You have to be very disciplined, very efficient.
“But yes, I do miss performing. I do miss what I love doing the most. I have to be honest, though: what I’ve loved doing the most the last twelve weeks and three days is being a dad.”
He’s had a little help from his mother, Natasa, over from Slovenia for a couple of visits, and Janette’s Cuban mum, Maritza, flying in from Miami.
Natasa and his sister, Lara, will be helping out with Lyra during the rehearsal period for Dancing in a Winter Wonderland and Maritza will be back to cover the tour.
He makes no secret of the fact that he can’t wait for baby Number Two, something about which Janette, unsurprisingly, has a view. “We definitely want Lyra to have a sibling,” she says. “We both come from close families and we’d like that for her.
“But, because of my C-section, I’ve got to wait until I’ve fully recovered before I fall pregnant again. This was major abdominal surgery.” So, when would she like that to be? “Yesterday,” says Aljaž, unable to resist butting in.
Traditionally, the couple would alternate Christmas in Slovenia one year, Miami the next. Lyra’s arrival has changed all that. “We’re staying home this year. But, because we love Christmas, we decided on a tour celebrating our favourite time of the year.
It is a brand new show featuring what Janette describes as everybody’s favourite music. Accompanying them on stage will be eight dancers – four male, four female – and two singers.
What are her personal highlights? “An instrumental section featuring the music from Edward Scissorhands, so beautiful to dance to. By contrast, there’s a megamix of all the best seasonal tunes ending with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas.
“There’s a little bit of everything. I even get to sing Santa Baby. And there’s loads of new content, including a whole New York City session this year – from Frank Sinatra to jazz tunes – that we didn’t have in last year’s show.”
She will barely have time to digest her Christmas pud before she sets out on the road as the host of the Strictly 2024 tour, a mix of celebs and professional dancers.
It kicks off with five shows in Birmingham from January 19 and finishes with five shows at London’s O2 arena from February 9, 28 performances in total.
By then, of course, this year’s winner of Strictly will have held the much-prized glitterball aloft. So, who’s it going to be?
“I honestly don’t know,” says Janette. “This year, more than most, it could be anyone. Layton and Nikita have been strong from the get-go. Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu have surprised everyone. Nigel Harman and Katya Jones opened the series with an amazing paso doble; I think we’ve got more to come from them.”
Who else? “I never thought I’d say this but Angela Rippon, at 79, is a front-runner with Kai Widdrington. And don’t discount Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola: their jive blew me away. I think she may turn out to be the dark horse of this contest.”
And Aljaz? “Whoever is the cleverest at interpreting their dances as the competition progresses. The longer it goes on, the individual dances become more important than the popularity of the celebrities. And any of the people Janette has mentioned are capable of pulling it out of the bag.”
Finally, if Lyra turns round in 10 years’ time and says she wants to go to dance school, what will be her parents’ reaction? “Absolutely,” says Janette. “Look at the life dance has given us. We’re both big believers in following your dreams.”
Says Aljaz: “But, if she says she wants to be a doctor, that would be good, too.” Janette agrees. “You don’t work a day in your life if you’re doing something you love.”
dancinginawinterwonderland.com
Shake your tinsel and polish your baubles, Strictly favourites Aljaž Škorjanec & Janette Manrara have announced they are to star in a new Christmas spectacular for the season: ‘A Christmas To Remember’.
The ultimate yuletide jukebox show, ‘A Christmas To Remember’ promises to be full of merry-making for all the family, as the show’s fabulous cast create tidings and joy performing festive feasts from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Disney Christmas crackers.
Much-loved dance stars Aljaž & Janette will be joined on the tour by an incredible cast of dancers and singers as they combine lavish costumes and fantastic sets with everybody’s favourite Christmas hits.
Featuring an assortment of festive favourites, pop classics, some carols and some crooners, there really is something for everyone. They will be dancing, singing and performing magical dance routines in their own unique winter wonderland.
The 13-date UK tour begins in Portsmouth on Friday 25th November and ends in Newcastle on Sunday 18th December, including additional matinee performances in Southend (3rd December) and London (12th December).
Looking ahead to these shows, Janette Manrara said, “We want to invite everybody to join us for the classiest, sparkliest Christmas party that you will have ever been invited to. We will be going on a magical journey, celebrating the twelve days leading up to Christmas, with some great songs and fabulous routines, with our amazing cast of singers and dancers.”
Aljaž Škorjanec added, “We will be sharing our childhood Christmas stories, exploring what we both love most about this special time of the year. We will be making merry and dancing with all the joy of what Christmas is truly all about.”
Santa Claus is coming to town… so let’s make a song & dance, celebrating the most wonderful time of the year!
The ultimate yuletide jukebox show, ‘A Christmas To Remember’ promises to be full of merry-making for all the family, as the show’s fabulous cast create tidings and joy performing festive feasts from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Disney Christmas crackers.
Much-loved dance stars Aljaž & Janette will be joined on the tour by an incredible cast of dancers and singers as they combine lavish costumes and fantastic sets with everybody’s favourite Christmas hits.
Featuring an assortment of festive favourites, pop classics, some carols and some crooners, there really is something for everyone. They will be dancing, singing and performing magical dance routines in their own unique winter wonderland.
The 13-date UK tour begins in Portsmouth on Friday 25th November and ends in Newcastle on Sunday 18th December, including additional matinee performances in Southend (3rd December) and London (12th December).
Looking ahead to these shows, Janette Manrara said, “We want to invite everybody to join us for the classiest, sparkliest Christmas party that you will have ever been invited to. We will be going on a magical journey, celebrating the twelve days leading up to Christmas, with some great songs and fabulous routines, with our amazing cast of singers and dancers.”
Aljaž Škorjanec added, “We will be sharing our childhood Christmas stories, exploring what we both love most about this special time of the year. We will be making merry and dancing with all the joy of what Christmas is truly all about.”
Santa Claus is coming to town… so let’s make a song & dance, celebrating the most wonderful time of the year!
The full list of tour dates for ‘A Christmas To Remember’ is as follows (*includes matinee and evening performances):
November
Tue 29th Brighton Dome
December
Fri 2nd Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Sat 3rd Southend Cliffs Pavilion*
Mon 5th Belfast Waterfront Hall
Tue 6th Bath The Forum
Sat 10th Birmingham Symphony Hall
Sun 11th Blackpool Blackpool Opera House
Mon 12th London Theatre Royal Drury Lane*
Tue 13th Cardiff St David’s Hall
Sat 17th Glasgow SEC Armadillo
Sun 18th Newcastle O2 City Hall Newcastle
A venue pre-sale will take place from 10.00am on Friday, 23rd September, before tickets go on general sale at 10.00am on Tuesday 27th September, available from all venues, www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.achristmastoremember.co.uk
November
Tue 29th Brighton Dome
December
Fri 2nd Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Sat 3rd Southend Cliffs Pavilion*
Mon 5th Belfast Waterfront Hall
Tue 6th Bath The Forum
Sat 10th Birmingham Symphony Hall
Sun 11th Blackpool Blackpool Opera House
Mon 12th London Theatre Royal Drury Lane*
Tue 13th Cardiff St David’s Hall
Sat 17th Glasgow SEC Armadillo
Sun 18th Newcastle O2 City Hall Newcastle
A venue pre-sale will take place from 10.00am on Friday, 23rd September, before tickets go on general sale at 10.00am on Tuesday 27th September, available from all venues, www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.achristmastoremember.co.uk