Former Strictly professionals pay homage to Robin Windsor in new Legends tour
A new dance tour featuring five former Strictly Come Dancing professionals will pay homage to the late Robin Windsor .
The professional dancer, who appeared on the main BBC One show between 2010 and 2013, died in February at the age of 44.
Italian dancer Vincent Simone said Windsor was originally set to feature in the Legends of The Dance Floor tour, which is taking place across England and Scotland this October with dancers Brendan Cole , James Jordan, Pasha Kovalev and Ian Waite.
Vincent Simone performing on tour (Terry Blackburn/PA)The 45-year-old told the PA news agency: "I have my own show called Tango Passions, and my last performance was last year in November.
"And he (Windsor) was there on my very last show in London, and we met at the bar, and he was so excited because he was going to be part of this tour.
"So we do have a little section in our show where we mention the loved ones that belong to our world that are unfortunately no longer with us.
"And that's a really lovely moment, like a memorial moment to them, like as an homage to a friendship – to the legend that Robin was as well.
"It is really sad, but hopefully we're making him proud."
He added: "Robin was one of a kind, and everybody loved him. Everybody loved him."
Robin Windsor died in February aged 44 (Matt Crossick/PA)PA ArchiveSpeaking about the dance they perform in tribute, he said: "As we were choreographing it, I said to Scott (director and choreographer), 'I don't know if I can do this number. My heart really hurts'.
"I had pain in my chest every time I was practicing this number.
"Now, with an audience and stuff, I feel happy because I feel like, 'Okay let's celebrate these lovely people that have made an impact (in) our lives'. So it's a beautiful moment in the show."
Waite, 53, added: "He was one of us and that's what's so bizarre about coming back together again, you realise how much you've got in common.
"Because of our years of history of competing as ballroom dancers and then our time on Strictly, you end up having so much in common that you are kind of the same people."
All five of the performers competed on Strictly, which began its 20th anniversary series last month.
Ian Waite, pictured, features on the tour along with fellow dancers Brendan Cole, James Jordan and Pasha Kovalev (Jonathan Brady/PA)PA ArchiveThe popular dancing programme recently faced controversy following allegations made about professional dancer Giovanni Pernice by his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington.
The corporation launched an investigation and said last month that it had assessed and "upheld some, but not all" of her complaints.
Simone said: "I don't know what happened in the show, because it's been a while since I've been on it.
"It's been 10 years at least. It's just unfortunate, because, it is an amazing show. You can't beat this show. I think it will still go on."
The fivesome have already begun the tour and have further dates in cities and towns including London, Bradford, Newcastle, Perth, Glasgow and Buxton.
Kovalev, 44, said: "Nothing can replace live theatre and when the five of us get together, you never know what to expect."
He added: "The energy you get from this five on stage, dancing, having fun, chatting, talking to the audience, going back into the stories – they've been the memories of Strictly, the memories of our childhood and past professional careers. You cannot get it anywhere else."
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