Let’s dance!
Hands up if you’ve ever fantasised about being part of the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing, and being twirled around the ballroom floor by a professional dancer. Yup, us too!
Victoria Hislop gets a rumba lesson from Strictly hunk Gorka Márquez
Bestselling author Victoria Hislop is a Strictly super-fan, and has always longed to give it a go. So Prima decided to make her dancing dream a reality. We paired her with one of the hunkiest stars of the show, Gorka Márquez, for a dance lesson to remember. So, without further ado, will Victoria and Gorka please take to the floor...
THE PUPIL
NAME: Victoria Hislop AGE: 58
FROM: Bromley, Kent Victoria says: Come the autumn, every Saturday night, my 90-year-old mum and I settle on the sofa to watch Strictly. We won’t miss it under any circumstances, and I’ve been known to turn down invitations in favour of staying home to watch it! I love everything about the show – the sequins, the judges and, of course, the dances. But most of all, I love the way it brings people together.
When I was growing up, almost every little girl had ballet lessons, and I was no exception. But I never really took to it and found it too rigid. I thought that would be the end of my dancing career. As it turned out, I was wrong.
The beginning
A few years ago, I discovered salsa in Spain. I took a course and came to adore the sense of freedom it gives you, of letting the music take you over. My love for salsa continued on a family holiday in Cuba, the heartland of Latin dance, where music lives in the air. There were salsa clubs on every street corner, and all of us – my husband Ian and children Emily and William – took lessons.
After that, I became hooked on dancing. While working on my novel
The Return, about a flamenco dancer, I even took some flamenco classes in the name of research. This summer, I went to Glastonbury, and while the rest of my family were in the crowd to watch the music, I was in a dance tent learning how to tango. If I hear the sound of Latin music, it’s like a magnet pulling me in, so, of course, when it came to my Strictly lesson, it had to involve a Latin number.
The dance
I wanted to learn something that’s fun but not too complex. I chose the rumba because it’s sexy and has a great rhythm. I was blown away by Gorka’s charisma and confidence. He even walked into the room like a dancer – with poise and a ramrod-straight back. I was excited
‘I chose rumba because it’s sexy and has a great rhythm’
but couldn’t hide my nerves. I had a taste of how the Strictly contestants must feel. ‘I can teach you to dance in five minutes,’ Gorka assured me. Really?!
The dress
There was a whole rail of gorgeous outfits, but a little turquoise dress with twinkling sequins caught my eye. I’d always wondered how the female dancers managed to dance in such skimpy dresses – didn’t they worry about flashing their knickers?! To my relief, I discovered there were built-in shorts to protect my modesty. I was also surprised by the weight of the dress – the beads and sequins meant it was much heavier than it looked. As I had my hair and make-up done, I really felt like I was having the full Strictly treatment. I was ready to rumba!
The lesson
Gorka told me he’d teach me how to dance in just five minutes – and he was right! He’s a brilliant teacher, and very patient. He didn’t try to teach
the whole routine at once, or overload me with information. Instead, he broke down the steps, teaching tiny, manageable moves. Then, once we put all the steps together, it seemed to make sense.
There’s a lot to think about when you’re dancing – and all while you’re making it seem effortless! I learned that you have to walk with your toes first, rather than your heels; when you hold out your hands to your partner, they must always be at stomach level; and eye contact is key – you pick up signals of direction from the top part of your partner’s body, rather than the bottom.
The biggest challenge was learning to be led. As a strong, independent woman, relinquishing control and trusting your partner to guide you can be difficult. Every time Gorka let me go for a turn, I had a fleeting moment of panic – not least because of the heels! Thankfully, Gorka made it easy for me. He told me to treat him like a mirror, as if his moves were my reflection, which was really helpful. And when we had to get very close to each other, his professionalism and cheeky grin banished any potential awkwardness.
Once I grasped the basics, doing the rumba with Gorka was magical. With the steps finally in my head, I was able to relax and pretend I was gliding across the Strictly dance floor, beneath the disco ball. This year, I’ll be watching the show more avidly than ever, and, of course, I’ll be rooting for Gorka. If for any reason he needs a new partner… well, he knows where I am!
‘When we had to get close, his cheeky grin banished any potential awkwardness’