Dance, romance and Strictly secrets – behind the scenes at Blackpool’s famous ballroom

THE Blackpool Tower Ballroom is one of the seaside town’s most famous and historic attractions.

It’s estimated that 100 million people had waltzed, two-stepped and tangoed the light fantastic within 40 years of its 1894 opening and they’ve visited in massive numbers ever since.

The home of ballroom dancing will be in the spotlight again next Saturday when Strictly Come Dancing makes its annual visit. Take That will perform their new single as the eight remaining couples and audience enjoy the show’s most dazzling night.

Kate Shane is general manager of Blackpool Tower Attractions. She’s a lifelong fan of the venue and was happy to share the 10 most fascinating stories behind the ballroom.TAKE YOUR PARTNERSDances like the Charleston in the 1920s meant physical contact between dance partners was limited. But in the ’30s, contact became much closer with the waltz and foxtrot and that brought with it controls on conduct and behaviour and restrictions on the length of skirts for the ladies.

There are two promenades north and south and the men and women would be on opposite sides of the floor. When the ladies came in they’d get cards listing the music played for each number and they’d note down the name of the gent they’d agreed to dance with.MUSICAL DAYS Organist Reginald Dixon

Music is obviously a key part of dance and our lead organist Phil Kellsall will celebrate 40 years of playing our legendary Wurlitzer next year.

That will be the same length of time as the most famous organist Reginald Dixon, who played here from 1929.

The Wurlitzer the guys play now was made to Reginald’s specification and there’s so much more to it than the public sees.

It can make all different sounds, like sleigh bells or a trumpet, and these come from three organ chamber rooms hidden away on the third level balcony.

I’ve spoken to people from around the world who have come here just to sit and listen to the organ.WARTIME LOVEIt wasn’t just about dance in WW2. Because there was such a huge floor space, the ballroom was used to practise military drills as well as sewing parachutes.

So troops from barracks all around the Fylde coast area were here on military duties during the day and then they’d come back at night to dance with the local girls. There were many American soldiers and Polish air force servicemen, so lots of romances flourished. Blackpool rocks again: Favourite seaside getaway for Scots sees upturn in fortunes – click here to read more COME DANCINGThe old Eric Morley Come Dancing was hosted from here and is, of course, the predecessor to Strictly.

It ran from 1949 right up until 1998 and I loved watching it staged here in the 1970s.

I think it went to various different venues but this is the epitome of ballroom dancing and the place they wanted to be more than any other.

It was every girl’s dream to be able to wear those beautiful, colourful dresses and dance on that famous floor. CHILDREN’S BALLETThis was a huge thing in the ballroom. It started in 1902 and went through until 1972 an amazing 70-year run.

It was a big production affair of routines by dance school children from all over. The routines were choreographed to the music of the era.

It was hugely popular and always pulled in big crowds of eager patrons. VIDEO STARShttps://www.youtube.com/embed/7SxTyvOixJAUS band The Killers shot a video in the ballroomAll sorts of people have performed here and The Killers shot a video here. While lead singer Brandon Flowers was singing, Winona Ryder was waltzing around the floor. It was directed by Tim Burton and I can tell you it was a crazy few days.

The fact that The Killers were there was causing enough commotion, but when word got out that Winona was coming, it went into overdrive.

The door being used was besieged by photographers and fans and I remember being asked if there was any other way to get her in. So I got her to stride through the staff entrance and no one recognised her or batted an eye. It was hilarious. FILM FAVOURITEThe ballroom has been a favourite of filmmakers over the years. Gracie Fields was in a movie shot here about the life story of Rudolph Valentino and a lot of the extras were Blackpool locals who were ballroom regulars.

It goes right up to the present day with Tim Burton coming back again just a few months ago to film scenes for Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children. STRICTLY MAGIC Judy Murray and Anton Du Beke take to the floor (BBC / Guy Levy)

When Strictly started in 2004 I know the BBC wanted to film it here every week, but we’re a visitor attraction and just couldn’t accommodate that.

However, the studio they built in London was based faithfully on our layout, from the balconies to the floor.

The first final here was in the second series. Jill Halfpenny won with that jive with Darren Bennett that everybody still talks about. I was here and it was electric.

When Strictly comes, the whole town is buzzing and with 1,000 people being able to see it live the atmosphere is like nothing else.

The production crew arrive to start setting up on the Monday and it’s one massive team effort to get everything ready.

This is a 121-year-old building that’s not geared up to the scale of modern TV demands, so we need to do things like take handrails off on the stairwells to get stuff in. Over that week it’s like someone has waved a magic wand as they recreate the Strictly you’re used to on your screens. STRICTLY STARSTRUCKMy favourite thing of all is when the celebrities come in and their jaws drop when they see the scale of it and how ornate everything is.

Then that astonishment turns to fear when they realise they’re going to have to dance on a floor that’s much bigger than anything they’re used to in the studio.

Phil Tufnell was hilarious. He took it all in his stride and just asked if the bar was open. Jason Donovan wandered around obviously blown away by the beauty of the place and everyone, like Caroline Flack who won last year, says they feel the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. DANCE FLOOR ROMANCES Pat (87) and Arthur (91) Riley enjoy a dance (Andrew Cawley / DC Thomson)

Countless romances have started in the ballroom. There were loads during the war, of course, and I’ve talked to many people from older generations who’ve come back on nostalgic visits. They love to reminisce about how they met their future partner dancing on the floor.

My parents danced here when they were courting and my grandparents did before that so it’s really in our family. It’s just such a special place, even to staff. Our ballroom manager Danny married the manager of the Tower attraction in the ballroom earlier this year.

And Jimmy Armfield, the former England footballer, had his first date with his wife Ann here. He was telling us about that and said his lifetime ambition was to play the Wurlitzer. So we made that dream come true a few weeks ago when he celebrated his 80th birthday.