Will Ali be wearing pink legwarmers?

Ali is helping to promote Pink Aerobics on Sunday 3rd October in Hyde Park. This three-hour dance-a-thon starts at 1pm and will raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer Campaign which funds research into breast cancer.
It costs £10 to enter Pink Aerobics, plus dancers can also raise extra funds for the charity. The afternoon will feature moves from Flashdance, Bollywood and 1980s legwarmer classics.
Ali has talked about her family being affected by breast cancer after her grandmother died of the disease, and she is also a patron of Prima's Women of Courage Awards.
Pink Aerobics also has a Facebook page.

New Ali and Brian training clip

Ali and Brian get into training for Burn the Floor in Liverpool while Brian was appearing in the pro tour.

Ali was "awesome " at West End Live

Brian Fortuna put this message on Facebook after Ali appeared in West End Live: Brian Fortuna thinks Ali was awesome at Burn the Floor! Thank you very much for all of your messages of support. x

Brian was able to watch Ali dance on Sunday, his day off from the pro tour. Afterwards the couple signed autographs for fans.

Update on West End Live

Ali will be dancing with Burn the Floor dancers on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend at West End Live in Leicester Square, London.

She will be appearing at 11.25am, 3.50pm and 4.35pm on Saturday, and 4.40pm and 5.15pm on Sunday. Each slot lasts ten minutes.

Ali to dance live in the West End this weekend

Ali will be performing with the Burn the Floor cast on Sunday 20th June as part of West End Live 2010. It has not been confirmed whether Brian will also be performing as he is currently on the road with the Strictly pro tour.

West End Live is a free open-air event in Leicester Square that showcases performances from theatre shows and musicals in London's West End.

As well as Burn the Floor, acts from many London shows will feature in West End Live, including Legally Blonde, Sister Act, Chicago and Mamma Mia.

Ali and Brian have been rehearsing for their appearances in Burn the Floor which starts on 21st July at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. They have both been working with Robin Windsor who is leaving Burn the Floor to join Strictly this autumn.

West End Live at Leicester Square takes place on Saturday 19th June and Sunday 20th June, from 11am to 6pm on Saturday and 12pm to 6pm on Sunday. Burn the Floor is scheduled to appear on Sunday - no time has been specified.

Hammersmith pro tour Sunday dates cancelled

The two pro tour shows on Sunday 11th July at the Hammersmith Apollo have been cancelled. The pro tour will now only appear for three shows in London, Friday 9th July and two shows on Saturday 10th July.

No reason for the cancellation has been given but 11th July is also the date of the World Cup final which may have affected ticket sales.

Bolton on, Accrington off

The Albert Halls in Bolton have confirmed that the Brian and Kristina show on 19th July will go ahead, as far as they know. There are still a few tickets available for what could be their last show together.

However, Brian and Kristina will not now appear at the finale of the Time to Dance celebration in Accrington on 31st July as it clashes with Brian's appearance in Burn the Floor. Their place will be taken by another Strictly professional dancer couple - possibly Darren and Lilia - who will appear with James and Ola at the event.

The venue has not yet had final confirmation of the replacement couple.

BBC responds to unhappy Strictly fans

The BBC has published a response to the complaints it has received about the changes to professional dancers' roles in Strictly which I have cut and pasted below.

However, their response does not explain why Brian was chosen to be in the "dance troupe" rather than in his previous role as mentor and partner to a celeb.

It should also be pointed out that the three new female dancers who joined in 2009 replaced Camilla and Karen who had decided to leave the show voluntarily, and Hayley Holt.

But the fact that the statement has been published so soon after the decision was made public does show that the BBC's complaints department has received enough flak to prompt it to provide some sort of response, even though it is a load of old claptrap.

Strictly Come Dancing, unhappy with changes affecting the professional dancers

Publication date: 11 June 2010

Complaint

We've received complaints from viewers who are unhappy with the changes made to the line up of professional dancers for this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

The BBC's response

There is a history of change with the line-up of professional dancers on the show. As with any long-running series we want to keep the format as fresh as possible, and with three new female dancers joining last year, it's fantastic to be able to bring in three new male dancers for this series. We're very excited by the new additions, and it means that with the introduction of a professional group, the show will be bigger, better and more spectacular than ever before.

Click here if you would like to visit the BBC Complaints page to find out more.

BBC Points of View also acts as a forum for viewers' opinions, although it is not clear when the next programme is scheduled. See here for the website.

Brian to leave Strictly

Brian will not be appearing in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing, it was announced today. Following the decision by the BBC to revamp the show, he has taken the decision to concentrate on Burn the Floor, the stage show in which he and Ali will star this summer.

Brian told the Press Association: "I really enjoyed working on Strictly over the years - loved the fans and loved all the people I got work with - but there are changes planned for the next season so I've decided not to return to the show. Both Ali and I are looking forward to seeing all our fans at the Shaftesbury Theatre."

In the next series, 14 dancers, including three new male professionals, will partner celebrities and other pro dancers will create a "dance troupe" for the show. Brian was offered a role in the dance troupe but appears not to have been asked to partner a celebrity.

Press release from BBC about Strictly changes

Strictly dancer Fortuna quits show - story from Press Association

Competition time

There are some ticket competitions and special offers around to see the pro tour and Burn the Floor. I have listed them on the Competitions page on the right and will add to them as I find them.