For the first time in two years, Strictly Come Dancing is returning to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom for week nine of the competition – and fans couldn't be more excited. Promising a truly spectacular show, the world-famous ballroom might actually give the dancers a rare advantage this week, and here's how...
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How will the Blackpool Tower Ballroom give the Strictly dancers an advantage?
Built in 1894, the Blackpool Tower Ballroom features a specially designed sprung dancefloor, that's made from 30,600 separate planks of oak, mahogany and walnut wood.
Designed to absorb shock, dancing on sprung floors can actually help to protect your joints, as the floor absorbs the landing force from jumps and lifts while providing dancers with the extra spring needed to bounce back with ease.
The ballroom features a sprung dancefloor
Another advantage is that dancing on sprung floors can help to reduce fatigue. Thanks to the greater elasticity of the surface, the floors are more likely to return the energy you expend during a long day of dance routines, which we reckon the Strictly stars will greatly appreciate.
While the sprung floors provide the ultimate advantage, the dancers will also get to enjoy the opulent surroundings of the 19th-century ballroom. From the large crystal chandeliers to the Wurlitzer organ and the ornate balconies, it's certainly a morale booster.
Posting about her love of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Twitter, Strictly judge Shirley Ballas wrote:
"I'm so excited for @bbcstrictly and @TheBplTower my home of dancing for over 50 years of my career. Who will be at the top? Who will crack under pressure? Who will go home? All down to you my friends. #vote"
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What floor is the ballroom in Blackpool Tower?
The ballroom is located on level 3 of the Blackpool Tower.
Among its many other floors, the fifth floor is home to an events space with a standing capacity of 750 people, which is often used for live entertainment, social events and award ceremonies.
The ballroom is on level 3 of Blackpool Tower
Meanwhile, right at the top is the Blackpool Tower Eye. Boasting a five-centimetre thick glass viewing platform, it allows you to look out into the Irish Sea as well as at the famous Blackpool Promenade below. Plus, on a clear day, you can supposedly see down to Liverpool and across to the Isle of Man.
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