Get ready to belt out some show tunes, say some endearingly sentimental lines, and prepare your standing ovations, for Strictly Come Dancing is taking us back to Musicals Week. One of the favorite theme weeks in the show's two-decade history, the 23rd series is set to offer up its iteration of the special as we head into the Quarter Finals.
This series has been filled with surprises, with the unexpected elimination of frontrunners Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe being just the most recent. Now, the Top 5 couples, Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, Lewis Cope and Katya Jones, Karen Carney and Carlos Gu, George Clarke and Alexis Warr, and history-making Dance-Off survivors Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon will take on classic musicals in the Quarter Finals. And we can't wait to see it all come together!
Strictly Week 11's songs and dances feature Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, and more
Strictly has officially confirmed which songs and dances we can expect to see in this year's Musicals Week Special. The first confirmations came during the Sunday Night Results Show when host Claudia Winkleman asked some of the professional dancers to reveal their partners' routines. And we have some crackers!
Initially, Karen and Carlos' routine remained a mystery as they didn't speak about it on the night, while Balvinder and Julian's also wasn't revealed as they were in the Dance-Off, meaning that they didn't get to go up to the Clauditorium. Both were officially revealed on the BBC Strictly Instagram account, along with the remaining songs from the already confirmed dances. Check out the full list below:
- Amber and Nikita - Charleston to "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" from Guys and Dolls
- Balvinder and Julian - Viennese Waltz to "Never Enough" from The Greatest Showman
- George and Alexis – Argentine Tango to "The Point of No Return" from The Phantom of the Opera
- Lewis and Katya – Salsa to "Dance at the Gym" from West Side Story
- Karen and Carlos - Samba to "The Rhythm of Life" from Sweet Charity
Looking at that list, it's clear that we're already set for an incredible weekend of dancing. George and Alexis' Phantom of the Opera pick is a Musicals Week favorite (although they will be dancing to a different song, which makes for a change from the titular track), so we'll undoubtedly be seeing another theatrical performance - one which we can't wait to see George take on.
Meanwhile, given Amber Davies' theater history, we can't wait to see her tackle the Charleston on Musicals Week. After she and Nikita got their first 40 for their Jive this weekend, this could be another show-stopping number for them.
Balvinder and Julian's Viennese Waltz song has real potential to be a stunning moment considering they have consistently bounced back from Dance-Off after Dance-Off, and with the improvement she has shown in recent weeks, she could stun us all. Here's hoping that is the case!
Is it Musicals Week, yet?!