Interview: Joanne Clifton and Ore Oduba on upcoming tour 10: CHAMPIONS REIGNITED

Ten years ago, Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton lifted the trophy on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and now they're reuniting for the first time in a limited theatre tour: 10: Champions Reignited. We spoke to them to find out more about the show, and what makes their friendship so special.

What can audiences expect from your new tour, 10: Champions Reignited?

Joanne: Expect to relive moments from 10 years ago on Strictly! Hopefully they'll all come back when people watch our versions of those dances and it'll bring back joy and those lovely memories that we kind of transmitted through the screen to them, but this time, live on stage!

On top of that, there are big numbers, songs and dances from all the shows we've done since. When we perform together or separately, we have big Broadway-style numbers with a band on stage and it’s all brought together as a kind of musical itself. Rather than just doing a number, talking, then introducing the next number. The whole show is woven together with a script put together by our amazing director Nick Winston.

Ore: It's gonna be nostalgic. There'll be lots that people remember from Joanne and my partnership on Strictly, but it's also a look back at the last 10 years of our lives on stage and the amazing, iconic musicals we've been part of.

We're essentially creating a musical of our lives over the last decade, and it also gives us the chance to dance together for the first time in 10 years.

How did you decide what songs and dance routines to include in the show?

J: With difficulty but the three of us (me, Nick and Ore) got together and talked about which numbers were our favourites and which ones we thought would work. We gave Nick lots and lots of options of the numbers we like, love doing and felt worked well. Then he took all of that and turned it into this story, using those numbers to create the show.

O: It was really hard. I've been part of some amazing productions over the last decade, so how do you squeeze 10 years into one night?

There was so much amazing stuff left on the floor, but hopefully that means we've picked the crème de la crème and created a show that will leave everybody wanting to get up, dance, move and sing.

Do you have any favourite memories from Strictly Come Dancing?

J: I mean, aside from winning it, I loved doing the ‘Singin' in the Rain’ number. I think it was week three for Movie Week. It was a chance to go out and do a style that I loved. I won my world championship in ballroom showdance, and this was a ballroom American Smooth, so it was a similar kind of thing with lifts and all of those kinds of things. Putting that number together was incredible. There was one moment right at the end where Ore had to flip the umbrella up in the air, let it turn and catch it on the beat of the music. We practised that so many times. Then, when we got to the studio, they gave us a different umbrella and it didn't work, so it became a bit of an "umbrella gate" situation. But then, on the live show, he just threw it up and, boom, caught it perfectly on the beat. The whole number was just magical for me.

O: The whole thing still feels like a dream, the best possible kind! I still smile every time I think back. I'm still surprised it happened. I'll never forget the feeling of getting to the final. It was out of worldly! Even just being there felt like a huge party, seeing everybody come back. I remember thinking, "This is going to change our lives", but having absolutely no idea in what way. Being in the middle of something so seismic, knowing everything was about to change but not knowing how, or predict the future was very surreal.

I also remember the moment we finished our showdance. Joanne had spent her whole life wanting to create a moment like that. Finishing the dance, hearing the roar from the audience and holding that final pose... I don't know if that feeling will ever be topped. And then, Joanne telling me that was the best feeling she'd ever had on a dance floor, even better than winning the World Championship!

What are the most special things about your friendship, and how has it grown over the past 10 years?

J: I think we realised we were going to be friends and had really good chemistry from the moment we were partnered up. They announced our names and we kind of danced towards each other doing the exact same move. From then, I knew we were on exactly the same page.

Right from the off, I could see he was determined, not just to win but to be the best that he could be. I really respected that and knew how to work with it. We trained hard, but we had fun as well. We didn't just go through the motions. He wanted to be the best dancer he could be, and I wanted to help make him the best dancer he could be. In the middle of all that, we both understood the importance of storytelling, as well as the technique, timing and posture. Again, we were completely on the same page.

Then I decided I wanted to move into musicals, and he realised he wanted to go back into musicals because he'd done it as a kid. So once again, we had the same goals and aspirations. I think we're just really proud of each other and what we've achieved. Every new show one of us goes on to do, it's always, "Yes, come on! Brilliant!" We're always there to support each other.

O: When you’ve been through something like Strictly together and only have positive memories of it, and have been on such a journey since, where both your lives have changed, that’s something nobody can ever take away from you. It's a wonderful gift that I'll carry with me every day.

I have this huge admiration, love and respect for Joanne. She was an inspiration to me, she lit a fire in me that I didn't know existed.

I guess that's what this show is about too. We both get to realise our dreams and bring that chemistry back together again. We've always been each other's biggest supporters, and that's been amazing.

What do you hope you'll both be doing in another 10 years?

J: Oh my goodness. The thing is, from my own family experience, dancing keeps you young. It really does. I think dancing is the best form of exercise because of the endorphins it releases. Your body's working hard, but it doesn't feel like hard work because you're having such an amazing time.

I still feel like we'll both be performing in 10 years' time. I'd love to still be on stage, still be in musicals and still be dancing. And I guess that's what they say, isn't it? Keep dancing.

O: Good question! In another 10 years, I'll be 50. I had no idea how the last 10 years would turn out, so your guess is as good as mine. But would it be amazing to still be performing on stage and the dancefloor? Absolutely. I'd love that.

For me, it's about inspiring other people and helping them become the best version of themselves, whether that's through dance or by finding their inner voice and helping them get through difficult moments and hardship. Theatre and dance gives people a chance to escape, and that's an incredible thing.

If I can help others to aspire to go beyond the limitations they place on themselves, then that's amazing. I just want to keep pushing myself and, hopefully, bring other people along for the ride.

10: Champions Reignited is touring from 17-23 August, with further info here.