Aljaz Skorjanec “cried” ahead of last weekend’s emotional Strictly performance, where he and celebrity partner Tasha Ghouri showcased their Couple’s Choice routine.
The dance wowed the judges and the pair ended up with a near-perfect score of 39. The moving performance saw the 26-year-old Love Island dance to Pink’s What About Us, with Ghouri detailing her connection to the powerful song.
Skorjanec admitted earlier in the week the routine had been “out of my comfort zone,” but on Friday’s Strictly spin-off show, It Takes Two, he explained he had even shed a tear before detailing the moment he thought of his little girl.
Host Fleur East commented: “You said you felt out of your comfort zone, but what did you enjoy most about this one?”
“I enjoyed everything about it, honestly, the whole thing,” the 34-year-old choreographer replied. “I enjoyed everything!”
He continued: “Honestly, on Tuesday I got back to the room and had a little cry because I did not feel I was doing the dance justice, or I’m doing you justice,” he told Ghouri.
Aljaz Skorjanec admitted he ‘cried’ ahead of last week’s dance
BBC
Reflecting on the moment before the pair took to the stage on Saturday night, he added: “But then, my favourite thing about it was before we went on, you could hear the VT playing.
“And hearing your dad speaking about your experiences… and I have a little girl now, and it sort of put this massive lump in my throat.
“There was no other way to do the dance than to go out there and just do it with your heart.
“It was an amazing dance style and if you just go and pour yourself out, you can’t go wrong, it was a beautiful moment.”
The dancer shares one-year-old daughter Lyra with former Strictly pro turned It Take Two host, Janette Manrara.
The VT during the show saw reality star Ghouri delving into her experience of being born deaf, and the impact it has had on her life.
“This is a song about being unheard,” she explained, adding: “I was born completely deaf in both ears and my parents found out when I was 12 months old.
“Being born into a hearing family was difficult. They are the ones that have to adapt their lifestyle around me so they started learning British Sign Language.
“That was so beautiful. I remember those days. I first discovered dance when my parents took me to my first dance class at my local dance studio. Everyone around me communicated in speech. No one used British Sign Language, this was before I got my implant.”
Reflecting on her 2022 Love Island stint and the vile, ableist comments she witnessed about herself following her appearance, she recalled: “Two years ago I went on a reality TV show.
“I was the first contestant with a cochlear implant. I wanted to be a contestant who had a disability but could still find love.
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Aljaz Skorjanec talked about the emotional moment
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“My dad told me there was a lot of stuff written about me on social media. There were things written about about my voice, the way I speak.”
Becoming tearful, Ghouri continued: “It made me hit rock bottom. I feel like I’ve not just failed myself but the whole deaf community.”
“She is very strong now because of that,” Ghouri’s dad, Tarek, commented. “She wants to scroll on past the negatives and not give them the time of day anymore.”