Although this year's tour hasn't yet started I have just had an email from Manchester Areans advertising tickets for next year.
Only two nights for Manchester next February so dates very much reduced. Wonder if the tickets have not been selling as well this time?

I can think of two possible things about this

1. They havent released all the dates yet

or

2. They have had trouble getting celebs to commit to such a long tour..its a big comittment really, so perhaps if they reduce it they they are more likely to get people to tour....particularly ones that have toured before.

If you book well ahead [ie 2 years] you get the arena cheaper. BBC worldwide will pay less for the arena on those nights than they will on the added dates.

When I booked this time last year, they only had two MEN shows available.

I got that email, too, I think it's just pre-sale so they won't have released all the dates.

It was the same last year - they only make available a couple of dates for each venue and add all the other dates later in the year.

I booked in Jan last year and, if I remember rightly, all the dates were available - that's how I got front row Sunday seats (three days to go and counting).

The email advertising next year says -

'We're delighted to announce the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour will return to the M.E.N Arena next year for TWO NIGHTS ONLY.'

To me this, together with the fact they are mid-week dates implies that there will not be additional dates next year.

It's common practice for venues to only announce a couple of dates initially and then add extras once it's become clearer what the demand is. They don't want to be stuck with 4 nights of half full arenas rather than 2 nights full, but if ticket sales for the announced shows go well they'll almost certainly add more.

For those who are interested, the 2011 dates at the Liverpool Echo Arena will be Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th January. Tickets are on general sale on Wednesday 20th January 2010.

Do they generally get a good response when it's not known who will take part?

I was wondering that too - I'd love dancefloor seats, but I wouldn't want to go if none of my favourite professionals will be there, and that'll be dependent on how far they get in the competition next year (or if they even do it!). I'd go even if they were the unpartnered pros, but even who that will be won't be clear until the autumn...

I suppose the alternative is to wait until the second lot of dancefloor seats are released after next Christmas, but that risks not getting a good seat if i can't get dancefloor (my ticket isn't great this year)...

Oh lord, I hope the Manchester dates aren't week nights, if they are I can't go

I signed up for tickets for both this year and last directly after the year before so I had no idea of whom was going to be doing it but trusted it would be someone good. I had suspiscion Gethin would be doing it last year and Austin this year but I've would have happy with line ups even had been wrong. Really looking forward to this year's - Ramps was a very pleasant surprise to this year's line-up.

Unfortunately they are tuesday 8th and wednesday 9th of February next year,according to an email I have received

Went to see the tour last night. Fantastic. Ramps was brilliant and won the show, Chris was mediocre and didn't translate that well live. Zoe/James and Austin/Lilia were also brilliant.

What was Natalie and Darren like ?

Natalie was one of my favourites on the TV show, didn't translate so well live unfortunately. Still lovely personality though.

Thanks sofajudge, shame they aren't doing well !

Bugger, shame about the Manchester dates. Any word on Birmingham dates?

They seem to be doing what they did last year release the dates as they visit each arena so hopefully should know next weekend

Any idea when Glasgow dates will be released?

See above - probably after the tour gets to Glasgow this year.

Beats me why they have only put Manchester in for two midweek nights ,i agree with the other poster that there won't be other dates released as the website says "ONLY" ( as in only these two dates)

The shows i've been to over the weekend have been at least three quarters full and i know from friends the ones i've not been to have been similar and thats five shows over three days.

They'll always say 'only' whether or not they're intending to release more dates - because it makes people think there won't be any other chance to see the show, so they'll buy tickets, the shows that are released fill up, justifying putting on extra dates. If they added 4 or 5 dates at the start, they would take much longer to fill up.

Whether they will release further dates no one knows but if you hold off in the hope that they will you risk loosing good seats for the two dates (which may turn out to be the only dates in Manchester) either way i can't see them doing a weekend in Manc as that would mean 6 nights going forward to the weekend ( including a Sunday) or 6 going back to the weekend (including a Friday)......they don't usually swop venues on a Friday to Saturday and its always a Fri-Sun in the same venue.

I think Manc is stuck with midweek and they might add Thurs but thats it.

Think you are right there as I'm convinced that when I booked last January all three dates and both matinees were available. Seems odd though that they can (almost) fill the MEN for 5 performances this year but are only going for two in 2011.

I did look at tickets this morning on Ticketmaster but there were no floor seats available at either date and the best seats it offered me were in row Q. Am dithering now so will probably end up with none - there is always EBay I suppose