Strictly show at Sheffield City Hall would have got nothing less than a 10 from Len

Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals UK Tour stopped off at Sheffield City Hall on Wednesday for the second night of a 26-date tour across England, Scotland and Wales.

There was no Claudia or Tess, not a judge or leader board in sight and no-one was sent packing but what fans were left with was a showcase of dance routines and music that brings to a live stage everything that fans love about the show.

And the City Hall provided an opportunity to get as close to the professionals as it’s possible to be without landing yourself a much-coveted seat in the TV studio audience.

The 2022 winner and reigning champion Jowita Przystal – the only female pro to lift the famous glitterball trophy in her first series – was joined by her three fellow finalists Gorka Marquez, Vito Coppola and Carlos Gu as well as Strictly favourites Karen Hauer, Nikita Kuzmin, Nancy Xu, Dianne Buswell, Luba Mushtuk and Neil Jones.

Directed by Strictly’s creative director Jason Gilkison, the audience was treated to group dances as well as showcasing some of their favourite couple’s routines from the series to American songbook classics, country, latin, a Disney tribute and even an ‘80s megamix featuring The Jam, Prince, Springsteen, Bowie and Wham.

The closest the show got to a dreaded dance off was a series of Barry Manilow-inspired routines versus some of Beyonce’s greatest hits.

And if the reaction of the crowd was anything to go by, the Destiny’s Child-inspired Couple’s Choice which Vito and celebrity partner Fleur East first performed in Blackpool last year to score a perfect 40 and again in the final was one dance that the crowd was more than happy to see again – this time though with Neil partnering Vito, providing a slightly more playful version.

Anyone thinking a show minus the celebrities does not match up to the TV version should think again.

These are some of the top dancers in the world, without nervous celebrity partners, clearly enjoying themselves and showing their passion for dance and music.

It was also an opportunity for the pros to share their personal stories against a big-screen backdrop of photos from their family albums, charting the sacrifices made along the way, some leaving homes and families behind. There was a nod to Vito and Luba growing up in Italy as well as a chance for Gorka to pay homage to his Spanish roots with a brief flourish of flamenco. He became emotional as he told the audience that his mother had encouraged him to go and create a new life and family for himself through dancing.

But the biggest tribute of the night was reserved for legendary head judge Len Goodman who died in April from bone cancer.

Dianne and Vito showed their ballroom finesse to Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars and they did Len, known as a stickler for proper choreography, proud. It would have been nothing less than a 10 from Len.

The tour finishes at York Barbican on May 31.