Always came over to me as someone who was pretty single minded and creative, but not very good at playing the Strictly Gushing Game.

I did wonder if all the pawing has been a clumsy attempt to look more 'caring' towards her partner, though to be fair, I also wondered about the less charitable option too.

Other female pros have had decent partners and not won, Kristina being the prime example, maybe it is the fact that Aliona shows off her celebrities good points well and hides their weaknesses rather than like many of the pro's choreographing the dances around themselves rather than their celeb. Scott Maslan and Gavin Henson both got to the penultimate week of the competition when Matt danced but I will concur with you in regard to Harry Judd the male competitors that year were abysmal

Yes I can tell you. She's the only pro to have won twice. Think that's enough

Actually I disagree about Harry's competitors. Jason Donovan looked streets ahead of everyone at the start of that series, but never really improved, while Aliona did just that with Harry.

Scott was a decent dancer but Gavin was horrific so I'd actually argue that Aliona has three times had the best male celebrity of that year. and on two of those occasions her partner was by far the best male contestant in a poor field. Yet people say she doenst get good partners. If anything, Natalie Lowe is the pro who doesn't get decent partners and by rights being the tallest girl Natalie could have got Jay this year. It would have been interesting to see how that would have progressed.

each to their own

I personally don't understand the love for Kevin - mediocre dance with more gurn than a gurning competition or the gushing over Janette who can't dance a decent ballroom dance to save her life

Unlike other pros she took this advice on board and consequently became the first pro to win twice, the fact that she is very easy on the eye and has a wonderful dry sense of humour also helps and her choreography is out of this world.


Have to agree about Natalie they would have made a good partnership and god willing if Natalie returns next year please,please, please BBC find a male partner tall enough who has enough potential to win.

Natalie is my fave pro and for the reasons that I dislike Aliona. Nat always tries her best even with yet another poor partner. I hope she comes back and they give her a ringer. She deserves it.

I think Aliona is fantastic I've really enjoyed watching her and Jay this year.

When Aiona started teaching Harry, Harry had had the same previous dance training as Robbie Savage - one weeks training with Ola (and Robbie's training was on a dance he was going to dance on Strictly).

Jason Donovan started well ahead of Harry and had one of the very best pros teaching him.

Aliona is a great dancer and she was given possibly the celebrity with he best technique ever on the show, she could have done wonders with Jay and she didn't, they were good, but their show dance was mediocre because she didn't put any effort in it, it was boring. Aliona was not able to get Jay out of his shell, she is as dead in the emotion department as he is.

Aliona is not liked by the rest of the pros though because of her dry and bitchy personality, she lacks professional manners, she is almost always late to rehearsals making others wait for her and once she is there she starts to eat, trust me, she is rude and she is deeply disliked by her fellow dancers. saying hello never hurt anyone, this woman is RUDE.

I think she is an amazing dancer and an amazing teacher, choreographer... not so much.

Must be watching a different show than you as Aliona & Jay were the only couple to hug Anton and Katie when they went out....how rude.....and the big bear hug Tristan gave her at the end if the show..... yeah he really dislikes her (insert eyeroll)

Neither of them are 'dead in the emotion department' they just don't gurn for England....Thank god for that.
I totally admire her staying true to her and Jay, she could have choreographed a showdance that would pleased the judges but wasn't true for them but they took the risk and it paid off. I sense she wouldn't take any crap from people. Maybe there is a little jealously among some of the others, she's a fantasic dancer, beautiful, abs to die for, from what I've seen of her from the show she seems like a lovely girl, and the only pro to win twice.

Hi Joanne!

I don't usually comment on the pros, but this year I've lost patience. Like backstageone, I've heard much the same through other dancers. She is a great dancer, there is no doubt, and I'm happy for her to be on the show based on that, but her image on this forum as a rather sweet, shy personality is way off beam.

I am not a fan of Aliona, there is something about her that irritates me, she appear to be so smug, I feel she would eat herself if it was possible...give me the normal Grimsby folk. lol

And that is something I would pay good yankee dollars to see (and film)

She won't win again next year, I can see janette or Natalie being winning pro for next year.

Yes it was a pity the two runner up couples did not congratulate Jay and Aliona - it looked bad

And you know this how?

Who said she is not liked by her colleagues?? Anton and Tristan gave her big hugs - Aliajz, Janette and Natalie were supportive - just because the Cliftons and Jordans are jealous does not mean she is disliked.
Who said she is late for rehearsals? evidence
Who said she has a bitchy personality? evidence.

IMO an amazing dancer and choreographer

I want Natalie to get the most ringery of ringers next year!

I don't care, Aliona's my fave I obviously don't know Aliona personally, but I love her as she seems on the show. I appreciate her dryness and think she and Jay have been lovely this series and were very gracious victors. 'Dead in the emotion department' is harsh! Tony Jacklin and her People's Strictly partner both seem to really like her too, so it's hardly that she's awful to duffers as is often stated Tristan, Gleb and Anton seemed genuinely pleased for her Saturday.

How do you want me to present this evidence? Do you prefer video proof or a recorded voice over? There is no way to do that. I started by saying that she is in my eyes probably the best dancer on the show, I think she is a great teacher as well, not my favorite choreographer though.

The information that I provided you with is based on facts, I understand it if you decide to discard it as a rumor, What you see on TV is not all necessarily true.

There is always that competitive spirit among the pros and there will always be minor signs of jealousy between them, it's all part of the game like any other job I guess, but Aliona does not even eat with the rest of the crew, she knows she is not liked and she avoids any contact if at all possible, she even had problems with the producer in charge of running the final, with so much stress on her shoulders she ended up crying after Aliona went all celebrity on her.

Aliona's song choice for one of the dances of the night was also a problem that took Louise and others by surprise, as it was a choice for all its intended purpose to highlight the drug related intentions hidden in the lyrics. All the pros and some on stage personnel were surprised that Strictly had approved the song to begin with, only to later find out that the production team had been made fools of by Aliona. by the way all actions had the stamp of approval of "poor-nervous-benign Jay".

Are you saying Jay wasn't nice either? This would make me so sad!

I'm not arguing with you as I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes but I was wondering why she was asked to be a pro this year if she's known to be so difficult? Surely there was also an additional opportunity to be rid of her when the additional celebrity pulled out and Joanne was left on her own. Why was she not paired with Jay instead of Aliona?

Is Jay being tarred with the same brush? Is he as awkward to deal with? He certainly doesn't seem to be.

backstageone, do you work on the show?

Is it true Aliona moved into Jay's dressing room? In your opinion, was there any indication of anything beyond a purely platonic friendship?