Page 43 of Take the Lead

It’s brilliant having the whole gang back in the reception room – it makes for a much livelier atmosphere. Beth has shaken off her nerves and is looking forward to dancing again, Liam is back to his usual cheery self now we’ve called a truce, and Dean and Theo look thrilled to be reunited.

The day follows the usual format of rehearsals, make-up and costumes, except that there’s extra time set aside for one more rueda practice. This time, Merle keeps whatever thoughts he’s having to himself. I take that to mean he’s finally accepted he can’t come between me and Aleksis.

I can’t help noticing a bit of tension between him and Emilia, though – and that he seems to be exchanging more than a few meaningful glances with Ros. But that’s not my concern.

The rehearsal goes without a hitch – and thankfully it’s just as polished when we perform it in front of the live studio audience to kick off this week’s show.

‘Bravo!’ Kimberley shouts at the end. ‘What a brilliant way to get things started here at Fire on the Dance Floor . It’s certainly got me in the mood for a party.

Well done, everyone, thank you so much for that.

And how nice it is to see all the old faces back in the room with us this evening.

Beth, Theo and Liam, thanks for joining us again.

And Gabriel, Daniele and Valentina as well, of course.

‘Come over here and join me, guys,’ she beckons them over, ‘while the others go off and get ready for their individual performances. Beth, tell me how it feels to be back on our fantastic stage again. I have to say, that looked like so much fun.’

‘It’s a bit nerve-racking when everyone’s relying on you not to mess it up, but it’s such a buzz when it all goes right,’ I hear her say as the rest of us rush off to get changed.

Aleksis and I are dancing first this evening, so we race down the corridor to Layla, Hannah and Kelly, who are waiting to give us a speedy makeover.

It’s amazing what they can do with three minutes – one outfit off, another on, hair whipped up into a sleek up-do, a layer of hairspray, an extra slick of eyeshadow and lipstick and we’re back by Kimberley’s side, ready to watch Sarah’s edit of our cha-cha lessons and yoga practice.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to see what our four remaining couples have got in store for us tonight,’ Kimberley says.

‘And we’re expecting more blazing hot performances as they battle it out for a place in next week’s final.

First up, hoping to ignite the dance floor, it’s Kate and Aleksis, who’ll be dancing a cheeky cha-cha for us this evening.

And they’ve been working on their core muscles this week in a bid to put them in the strongest position. Let’s take a look.’

Our video clip gets the laughs we were hoping for, then Kimberley directs us to the middle of the stage for our dance.

For the first time in the competition, I’m not utterly terrified.

I know the routine by heart and I feel good in the swishy white dress I’m wearing.

It’s sexy – held together on one side by a series of glittery straps that show off flashes of skin in between.

My newfound confidence obviously shines through in my dancing – because even though the two minutes fly by in the usual blur of music and adrenaline, when Aleksis reels me in for the final spin, which ends with us facing each other and looking into each other’s eyes, I know it couldn’t have gone any better.

There wasn’t a single step that didn’t feel exactly like it should.

Aleksis kisses me as the cheering begins. He knows we’ve just done our best dance to date, too. I can see it in his eyes.

‘The audience are on their feet!’ Kimberley shouts. ‘What a reaction! Judges, what do you think of that? You must be as blown away as the rest of us by that incredible performance. Mariana, let’s hear from you first …’

‘All I can say is … I loved it!’ she shouts.

‘What I love most about this kind of show is how much you can see people like Kate grow and improve week on week. Kate, you should be so proud of yourself tonight. You’ve come such a long way since this short competition started.

And Aleksis, that’s a credit to you, too – that you can produce such a beautiful performance from someone who until two months ago had never set foot on the dance floor.

It was wonderful to watch; so full of energy. Fantastic.’

‘Sophie, anything to add?’ Kimberley asks.

‘I agree – what a huge improvement this is from your very first night on the show. I think the bookies might even be revising their odds after that performance. I’ll be amazed if this doesn’t see you two through to the final because you would absolutely deserve your place there.’

‘And Jacques?’ Kimberley prompts.

‘I loved it and I want to see more. So I really hope you are in the final next week because I think you’ve got even more to offer. I know how I’d be voting tonight if the vote was with us, and I’d give that performance a perfect ten.’

‘Did you hear that, audience – a perfect ten!’ Kimberley shouts over another round of cheering.

‘Congratulations you two, you must be thrilled. But of course it’s not the judges who have the final say on whether you stay in the competition – so, audience, it’s over to you.

It’s time to decide Kate and Aleksis’s fate.

Do you want to see them back for one more week?

If so, go high! It’s time to submit your scores. ’

‘ Lai veicas ,’ I whisper to Aleksis, which makes his whole face light up.

‘You remembered!’

‘My pronounciation might be a bit off, but …’

‘It’s perfect,’ he says, as the dial shoots up the scoreboard.

And for a moment I think we might get that coveted ten. My heart feels like it’s going to burst right out of my chest in anticipation. But I’m not disappointed when the dial settles on 9.6 – it’s the highest score of the competition so far.

‘A personal best,’ Kimberley beams as Aleksis picks me up and spins me round. My face no longer feels big enough for the grin that’s taken over it.

‘And not only that but the top score of the series so far, which will surely secure you a place in the final. We’ll soon find out, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s time to crank up the heat and bring out our second couple.

So please give it up one more time for Kate and Aleksis, and let’s welcome back to the stage Dean Mason and Jessica Young!

‘Tonight they’ll be bringing us a coquettish kizomba – the third kizomba of the series so far. Will it be the dance to take them through to the final? It’s time to find out. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Dean and Jessica!’

Aleksis wishes them luck as we pass them on our way off stage, but it turns out luck is not on their side, with Jacques branding their routine uninspiring and the audience awarding them 8.

4, which, although respectable, leaves them vulnerable.

I feel bad for Dean – I can see he’s disappointed – but at the same time a thrill runs through me as Aleksis and I squeeze each other’s hands.

This means we’re through. We’re going to be in the final.

It means we can relax as we watch Tammy and Elijah’s Dominican bachata, which has faster footwork and is more vivacious than the sensual bachatas Emilia and I chose to perform.

But I still hold my breath as the dial wavers on the scoreboard after her dance, praying it stops high enough to put her through too.

She’s delighted when she also secures a personal best, with a score of 9.2 – but it’s bad news for Dean. With only the show favourites, Merle and Emilia, still to dance, his time on the show is fast running out.

When Kimberley has finished congratulating Tammy and Elijah, Merle and Emilia take their place on the stage.

Emilia is wearing a silver bra top and a tiny white ruffled mini skirt that makes my dress look conservative.

Merle is also all in white and the tightest trousers imaginable.

There probably isn’t a woman in the room who isn’t thinking about how taut his buttocks are.

It feels like they’ve already won before they’ve even started dancing.

Their merengue is error-free, as I think everyone would expect after their previous performances, and the judges are as enthusiastic as ever afterwards. But somehow it leaves me a bit cold. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Maybe it’s just a bit too perfect.

The audience start a slow clap as the dial on the scoreboard begins to creep up towards the top of the scale.

But it doesn’t move nearly as fast as I imagine Merle would like it to and the whole atmosphere in the room seems to change when it comes to a stop on 8.

1. There’s a collective gasp from everyone watching.

Merle and Emilia – the favourites since their first dance together – are out of the competition.

I’m absolutely stunned – though not, I imagine, as stunned as Merle is.

‘Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m gobsmacked,’ Kimberley says over the hum of chatter that’s filled the room.

‘After such praise from the judges I did not see this coming. Guys, come on over here and join me. I can see from your faces that this has come as a shock. I can only imagine how devastating it must be to go from two weeks at the top of the scoreboard straight to elimination. Tell us how you’re feeling. ’

‘I don’t know what to say,’ Emilia admits, her voice breaking slightly.

She clears her throat. ‘I thought it was one of our best performances – we worked so hard and put so much into it. The judges’ comments were so positive and I thought our score would reflect that.

I don’t think either of us expected our journey to end here. ’

‘I’m not sure any of us did,’ Kimberley says sympathetically. ‘And Merle, do you have anything to add?’

‘The audience were wrong,’ he says bluntly, looking furious.