Poor Aliona and Johnny.
I was really looking forward to this pair. I had pictured a whole image,a black and white movie Charlie Chapllin sort of thing, or Norman Wisdom. Aliona can be really goofy and Johnny seems to have lots of energy and humour.
I would love to see them dance together but not at the expense of Alionas recovery that has to be the priority now

Camilla's doing Calendar Girls in November and panto in Telford in December, so might be available for a few weeks to help out - I'd like to see her on the SCD floor again.

http://www.shropshirestar.com/entert...or-panto-role/

I doubt that's the sort of thing you could arrange at such short notice, though - Brendan and Ian were already contracted to the show when they stood in for other professionals.

Assume they must have a Pro backup on standby, it would be sheer folly not to.

However Kara Tointon did the Strictly theatre show with Artem and Kristina/Robin last year - so technically she might be considered a "pro" now.

Although (lights blue touchpaper and backs away).....Alesha Dixon is at a loose end at the moment !!!!! (can hear the howls of "NOOOOOOOOOO" through the PC screen LOL)

I think Karen Hardy would be the most logical - she's still contracted to the show and as mentioned earlier either Ian or Aliona herself could then take over on the red button. I know in the past Karen's been quoted as not being able to commit to the entire run but this should be a relatively short-term issue - possibly only a couple of weeks if Johnny were first to go (which I personally hope he's not!).

You're right - have now found the previous link gives an incomplete schedule - its a full time tour, and Camilla's husband is also in the cast.

http://www.seecalendargirls.com/tour_venues/

Kara was probably asked to do the theatre tour because she's a good well known celeb that would attract a wider audience. She was a very good dancer on SCD - possibly one of the best female celebs ever but that doesn't mean she is of pro standard! It takes years and years of training and competitions to become a pro!

And it doesn't mean that she would be a good teacher either, especially for a beginner!

No, she burnt her bridges when she left.

Another possibility for standing in for Aliona.... Not one that has been mentioned before and does have a relationship with Strictly...

Jacqui Spencer....

She's choreographed several of the pro and group dances over the last few years.....

There must be hundreds of professional dancers out there. Why on earth would we resort to a previous celebrity contestant? No matter how good they are, they won't be up to the required standard. I can't imagine Alesha or Zoe or Kara knowing exactly what the male dancer has to do or the names of all the steps (let alone how to perform them perfectly). It'd be like the blind leading the blind.

love that idea but isnt she in France atm with Chris doing the french version of SCD? I know she is backwards and forwards most weeks..... not sure if she is in the UK atm *goes to check her twitter* but Jaci would be a great choice

Just trying to think of someone who hasnt been "dropped" and who might cause the BBC embarressment.....

I would have thought the BBC wouldnt want to have to go begging to any of:

Lilia
Karen Hardy
Katya
Nicole

The only one I think they wouldnt mind is Camilla who left of her own accord and wasnt dumped... but she's probably not free.

I doubt they'd go for any of the 3 in the dance troupe...

So maybe we will get Lacey....

me too

there are the pro girls from the dance troupe

Crystal Main, Tania and Anna (I think) not sure is Tania and Anna are UK based but I know Crystal is

EDIT - just seen that you dont think they would use dance troupe girls - why not? wouldnt it be a logical choice? mind you the BBC arent known for being logical

Karen easn't dropped so they probably wouldn't have to do any begging, although i would personally prefer it not to be her (or Lacey for that matter). The BBC would probably prefer someone fairly well known to the public though so it's most likely to be one of the 2.

Does anyone know... Does the same person who replaces Aliona become Pasha's pro partner for the time she's recovering?

The BBC and Karen Hardy are obviously still on reasonable terms otherwise they wouldn't have had her on ITT and in that little pop up box thingie with the guest celeb, last season (unless something's happened in the interim which I don't know about).

Karen (and Ian) obviously are very much part of ITT again this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p00z2mj0

The big problem is that the dance troupe was ditched last year, so it's not as simple as just phoning them up and asking them to stand in.

yes, I know the dance troupe was ditched last year, I am just trying to think of people who know how Strictly works who might be able to stand in a short notice

Im just not sure that the dance troupe girls would be up to the teaching and choreographing bit of the whole thing. I watched Tania (?) do some dances with Chris and Jacqui's group at an event and she was basically crap - couldnt keep up. Ive seen Crystal dance and she didnt seem to be capable of the training a celeb bit (but thats just my opinion).

I hope if the replacement is Karen that they don't have her dancing with Pasha in pro dances as it would just look far too odd I think Pasha would probably either dance with one of the others or not at all in the pro numbers... and Im sure he'd prefer the latter as it would give him more time to be able to train Kimberley.

I have a feeling they may get Lacey.... because its the most "safe" BBC option, although as said above Karen still being involved in ITT would be another fairly safe option. If she did that though, I would expect her NOT to be on ITT in Choreography Corner as it wouldnt be right for her to be sitting there criticising other pros' choreography if she is still in the show with Johnny.

Leads me to think that if its Karen, they will engineer Johnny to be the first celebrity to leave.

They did say when Katya was dropped she remained very much part of the Strictly family but rumour has it she is in LA filming so may well not be free.

If I were her and free I would come back , do fabulously inventive choreography get Johnny way further than he should really get and make the producers REALLY sorry they dropped her and then when offered it again be far too busy filming in LA.

Tee Hee!!!

Agreed..... although if she did manage to get Johnny to week 4 or 5, presumably Aliona might come back and take over.....?

________

The fact that we haven't heard WHO is taking over by now (nearly 24 hours later) presumably means TPTB are having trouble twisting someone's arm???????!!!!!!!!!!!

Wouldnt it be just too funny if all of the above named said they weren't free......

I would have Katya back for her hats and fantabulous partnership with Pasha... sadly not to be though

If they did ask Lacey, then I think that she would dance with Pasha in the pro numbers (if she has time to learn the already rehearsed ones) as they danced together a couple of times in their series of sytycd.