Blackpool's Tower Ballroom backdrop for dancing debate

Blackpool's Tower Ballroom was the stunning backdrop for a national debate on why men don't trip the light fantastic.
Eastenders star Davood Ghadami in action in Blackpool with dance partner Nadiya BychkovaEastenders star Davood Ghadami in action in Blackpool with dance partner Nadiya Bychkova
Eastenders star Davood Ghadami in action in Blackpool with dance partner Nadiya Bychkova
Read More
Blackpool Tower inspires best bits of Strictly Come Dancing

Radio 5 Live’s Afternoon Edition was broadcast live from the Tower yesterday afternoon as it explored why men are reluctant to put on their dancing shoes.

It came after a YouGov poll of 1,000 British men revealed more than three quarters said they rarely or never danced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

More than 100 men cited their fear of being the centre of attention, getting made fun of or being judged as the reasons they don’t dance while 34 per cent of the men questioned said that feeling embarrassed would stop them from dancing around others.

The Ballroom was the venue for the recent Strictly Come Dancing live show.

Dance psychologist Peter Lovatt taught a class of novices how to strut their stuff, while Olympic medal-winning taekwondo athlete Lutalo Muhammad, who won last year’s Strictly Children in Need, talked about his love of dance.

Presenters Nihal Arthanayake and Sarah Brett also learned some new moves, as well as leading a live audience in a debate about how we can encourage more men to dance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking about why he got into dancing, Anton du Beke said: “I remember the first time I walked into a dance hall. I thought to myself, this is marvellous; it’s a room full of girls. I was only 13 or 14 at the time and you know you have peculiar things going on when you’re 13 or 14, it’s an internal chemistry thing. They say the hips don’t lie and it’s true. The girls do like a man who can dance.”

Related topics: