The glitz and glamour of the Strictly Come Dancing will come shimmying into Manchester this weekend when the hit show’s live tour returns to the AO Arena.
With four shows lined up at the venue over the course of the next two days, it’s one of the biggest events in this year’s cultural calendar.
The massive Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023 spans 32 shows across the UK, with recent celebrity contestants paired up with the BBC show’s professional dancers.
The Strictly judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke, will be on hand with their pantomime villain-esque take on the performances.
Speaking about the upcoming tour, Fleur East said: “As a huge Strictly fan, being part of the TV competition has been an unbelievable experience and I’m absolutely over the moon to have the chance to get back into those fabulous sequinned outfits for the live tour!”
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Helen Skelton said: “Strictly has been the adventure of a lifetime and I’m so happy that it will continue on the live tour. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans across the country and performing my favourite dances from the series. I can’t wait!”
When is Strictly Come Dancing Live at the AO Arena?
Host Janette Manrara. Credit: Publicity Picture
There are four Strictly shows lined up in Manchester at the AO Arena, making it one of the biggest stops on the tour.
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Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour will be on both Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January 2023.
The shows will take place at 1pm and 6pm on Saturday, and 12pm and 5pm on Sunday.
What’s the show’s format?
Directed again by Craig Revel Horwood, the Strictly Live Tour showcases all the choreography, live music and sparkle of the much-loved TV series.
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Seven celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners will twirl and shimmy their way across the AO Arena ballroom floor, ready for the tour judges to provide their wisdom and scores.
But it’s the audience who ultimately call the shots, voting for their favourites via text from within the arena, with a champion crowned at the end of every show.
Which celebrities are taking part?
The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023 is on the way to Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
This year’s Strictly champions Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal are on the line-up, along with runners-up Helen Skelton and Kai Widdrington, Fleur East and Vito Coppola, and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu.
Also hoping to lift the Strictly Live Tour glitterball trophy are Will Mellor and Nancy Xu, Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin, and Tyler West and Dianne Buswell.
Ready for the huge professional numbers there’ll be six more professional dancers heading out on tour – Amy Dowden, Neil Jones, Robbie Kmetoni, Jake Leigh, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.
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Can I still buy tickets?
You can, actually! There’s limited availability for the afternoon performances but still a fair few tickets for the evening shows.
Those remaining tickets are priced between £42.50 to £64.95.
Vogue’s immersive ‘Inventing the Runway’ show is coming to Manchester
Thomas Melia
A Vogue immersive show titled ‘Inventing the Runway’ is coming to Manchester, and it’s even co-created by Anna Wintour herself.
Ever fancied learning more about the fashion world? Well, now’s your chance to hear everything you need to know from global fashion leaders and lifestyle magazine Vogue.
The Anna Wintour-approved immersive experience comes alongside the announcement of Factory International‘s Winter lineup, which features another new event all about voyaging to the moon.
This Vogue-fronted experience will incorporate interviews, visual media and more to help attendees visualise fashion shows of the past, present and future.
As well as understanding how fashion shows became the pinnacle of a designer’s vision, this runway-themed display also includes looking back at iconic moments of fashion and pop culture.
‘Inventing the Runway’ by Vogue is focusing on outfits worn by models and A-listers alike, with narration from the one and only Cate Blanchett.
You can expect to see curated pieces by significant creative minds in fashion history like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and lots more.
Throughout the Vogue experience, as well as coming visually face to face with fashion, you will also hear a soundscape that perfectly reflects this innovative industry with a fusion of classical and pop music.
This fashion exhibition uses the same Lightroom technology behind the impressive David Hockney experience that opened back in December.
Vogue is using this show to honour anyone who has made an impact in the fashion world.The Met Gala has become a staple in everyone’s calendar year in and year out.First Northern Quarter’s Chanel show, now this… Très chic. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons/GoodFon)
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue said: “At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves.”
“This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
You can experience Vogue’s ‘Inventing the Runway’ immersive show from 18 December to 10 January when it visits Aviva Studios this winter.
Find out more information and grab your tickets HERE.
Manchester bar announces huge giveaway of margaritas to celebrate first birthday
Daisy Jackson
A cocktail and shuffleboard bar in Manchester city centre is throwing a weekend-long party to celebrate its first birthday, and there are free cocktails up for grabs.
Electric Shuffle is kindly offering to give all of us presents for its birthday, with an epic free margarita giveaway.
That’s alongside an almighty party that includes resident DJs, live music performances, giveaways, exclusive offers, a cracking happy hour and a free photobooth.
The Deansgate activity bar, which has 15 interactive high-tech shuffleboards to play, each one loaded with different game modes, is celebrating one year in the city centre between Friday 20 and Sunday 22 June.
They’re throwing a three-day-long celebration, kicking off at 5pm on Friday with a giveaway of margaritas for the first 250 guests through the doors.
Then there’ll be an Electric Shuffle birthday prize game, where each slide of the puck could unlock prizes like bar tabs, brunch tickets, branded merch, cocktails, pizzas and more.
Singer-songwriter Luke McColl will be playing live during the evening, and you’ll be able to dive into a free photobooth all evening.
Electric Shuffle ManchesterFood and drink at the premium gaming barElectric Shuffle Manchester turns one
Moving on to Saturday’s celebrations – expect happy hour deals all day long, like £4 pins and £7 Sarti Spritzes, complimentary shuffleboard hire (you need to pre-book HERE), a special late brunch session between 5pm and 7pm, and more prize giveaways.
This part of the birthday party will be soundtracked by resident DJs and a live set from Elle Graham.
And if you thought that was the end of the party, you’re mistaken.
On Sunday, Electric Shuffle will host free shuffleboard all day long.
All summer, there’ll be a Margs and Margs deal, where you can get two margarita cocktails and a margarita pizza for just £25.
Electric Shuffle’s first birthday celebrations take place between 20 and 22 June.
Daisy Jackson -
26th January 2023 
