he stars of Strictly Come Dancing are in for more chaos this weekend (December 6) after a new group challenge was announced on tonight’s It Takes Two. It comes a week after the much-slated Instant Dance challenge debuted on the BBC dance show.

This weekend’s Musicals Week special will see the five pairs perform their live on Saturday night.

However, before they get to that, there will be a pre-recorded group dance. It’s just been announced that the new relay-style challenge will open the show.
It looks set to be a busy week for Strictly hosts Tess and Claudia with another new challenge to oversee (Credit: BBC)

Strictly group dance challenge announced for Musicals Week

Hot on the heels of Instant Dance comes another challenge to open the Musicals Week show.

The five-minute group dance will see each pair take to the floor as part of a high-energy celebration of musicals, dancing to songs from shows including My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins Returns.

Expect the best of London’s East End via the West End, plus a whole load of Strictly magic as the couples raise the roof for your votes.
While the judges won’t mark the opening routine, they will be getting their paddles out later in the show (Credit: BBC)

Songs and musicals revealed

Backed by eight additional dancers, the couples will dance relay-style to the five different songs.

Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin will dance to Trip A Little Light Fantastic from Mary Poppins Returns. Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon with dance to With A Little Bit Of Luck from My Fair Lady.

George Clarke and Alexis Warr will perform a routine to Consider Yourself from Oliver!. Karen Carney and Carlos Gu will dance to Flash Bang Wallop from Half A Sixpence. And Lewis Cope and Katya Jones will dance to Me Ol’ Bamboo from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The routine, choreographed by Matt Flint, will start and finish with all couples dancing together.

The BBC explained that, following the performance, Strictly will go live and each couple will dance their previously announced routine for the judges’ marks.  Viewers will then vote for the couples they want to see through to next weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final.

More chaos in store?

However, it’s unclear how viewers will react to the challenge.

As it’s pre-recorded, it should be less chaotic than Instant Dance, which saw posted online.

One said: “Car crash telly.” A second commented: “Do not bring back Instant Dance – bloody awful.”

Let’s hope the relay dance challenge fares better on Saturday night!

Strictly Comes Dancing continues Saturday at 6.50pm and Sunday at 7.45pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.