For years, Strictly Come Dancing has been referred to as the sparkly jewel within the BBC‘s crown, the place a number of the world’s finest dancers supply their experience to celebrities in a bid to win the coveted Glitterball trophy.
However that crown has noticeably slipped in latest weeks, with the information that Graziano Di Prima was sacked by bosses over studies he verbally and bodily abused movie star associate Zara McDermott, simply weeks after it emerged Giovanni Pernice was being investigated following a criticism by Amanda Abbington.
Whereas the dance world has lengthy been identified for its fiercely aggressive nature, Giovanni and Graziano’s drive to win might have stemmed from their early coaching, having attended the largest dance academies in Europe.
Each performers, who hail from Sicily, attended the distinguished Group Diablo, which because of its ruthless ‘take no prisoners’ strategy to coaching, has been the origin for a number of the greatest Latin dance champions on this planet.
Nonetheless, stars who attended the varsity have additionally acknowledged that they endured gruelling circumstances on the college, together with 12-hour days in coaching and harmful ranges of weight reduction after being advised that ‘skinny is nice.’
As Strictly finds itself in its greatest disaster within the present’s 20-year historical past, MailOnline takes a take a look at the varsity the place lots of its professionals kickstarted their careers…
Weight reduction considerations
Strictly execs Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima’s aggressive nature might have stemmed from their earlist coaching, having attended Group Diablo, the largest dance college in Europe
Giovanni (left) give up Strictly after being accused of bullying his movie star associate, whereas Graziano (proper) was sacked by bosses after being accused of bodily abusing one star
College students who attended Group Diablo, which has 11,000 members, withstand 12 hours of coaching per day, and had been drilled to repeat steps on a loop in a bid to good their routines
Joanne Clifton, who received Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 alongside Ore Oduba, beforehand shared that she was hospitalised resulting from harmful weight reduction after becoming a member of the varsity at 17
College students who attended Group Diablo, which has 11,000 members, confronted as much as 12 hours of coaching per day, and had been drilled to repeat steps on a loop in a bid to good their routines.
Stars who’ve attended the varsity, have additionally shared how they misplaced harmful quantities of weight, after proscribing their diets in a bid to maintain up with their rivals.
Joanne Clifton, who received Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 alongside Ore Oduba, beforehand shared that she was hospitalised resulting from her regarding weight reduction after consuming as much as ’10 espressos a day’.
‘The issue was there have been too many dancers — together with me — who thought being skinny was good. In addition to doing my finest to restrict my consumption of pizza and pasta, and consuming as much as ten espressos a day, I minimize out meat, which led to me being hospitalised with anaemia,’ she stated.
‘That feeling of low vitality was horrendous and impacted on my coaching. For a interval of 4 months, I bear in mind collapsing unexplainably — my physique was telling me to vary one thing.’
Joanne beforehand recalled the hard-hitting strategies tailored by coaches on the college, saying: ‘From the age of 16 to twenty-eight, I danced in Italy with Group Diablo. In contrast to the UK, in Italy there is a membership system for dancing, with a coach who manages each a part of your coaching.
‘So on prime of infinite hours of stretching and coaching, our food regimen was regulated. I wasn’t anorexic, however I used to be clearly too skinny.’
Brutal instructing strategies
Diablo’s academics stand by the varsity’s gruelling instructing strategies, and for a lot of dancers, the exhausting work pays off with nationwide dance titles (Graziano is pictured)
Graziano was fired by Strictly bosses final week after footage allegedly emerged that confirmed him repeatedly hitting is movie star associate Zara McDermott
In an interview with The Telegraph, Diablo’s academics stand by the varsity’s gruelling instructing strategies, with Anna Matus saying: ‘They are often right here for eight hours, typically 12 hours a day. They’re athletes, they’re rivals.’
Simone Cané, who’s the director of the Paladanze college, which is affiliated with Group Diablo, stated: ‘To achieve success on this enterprise you must put within the coaching, the athletic preparation and make many sacrifices. When you’re dancing as a pair, your associate additionally has to function the identical method.’
At Paladanze, hopefuls are usually awake by 7.30am and are normally on the dance flooring rehearsing, or within the fitness center to finish a two-hour exercise by 9am.
Dancers work with a psychologist, and full common massages, and should stick with a strict food regimen prescribed by dietitians, which incorporates loads of pasta and different carbohydrates.
Group Diablo is sadly removed from the one dance college to face such accusations round robust circumstances.
BBC Panorama reported final 12 months that the Royal Ballet Faculty and Elmhurst Ballet Faculty had ‘poisonous’ physique shaming tradition the place academics taunted pupils over their dimension and even led one dancer to try ending her life.
BBC Panorama stated that whereas neither college needed to be interviewed for his or her programme, Elmhurst in an announcement stated it ‘promotes good bodily and psychological well being’ and ‘acts every time points are recognized’.
A Group Diablo employees member additionally denied college students are pushed too exhausting, however stated that the instructing strategies adopted should not be taken flippantly.
Monica Cinti, secretary to the director, advised The Sun: ‘Educating strategies should not harsh, however require critical preparation.
‘There’s a regulation to observe, technical and moral, resembling one should not intrude within the work of others.
‘Right here, we create world champions. Within the final three to 4 years, now we have had a growth in members and world champions’.
Overwhelming stress
At Paladanze, which is affiliated with Group Diablo, hopefuls are usually awake by 7.30am and are normally on the dance flooring rehearsing by 9am
Lots of Group Diablo’s college students be a part of the varsity when they’re simply youngsters, with Giovanni shifting 800 miles from his residence in Sicily.
The dancer admitted that he would break down in tears whereas combating homesickness, however ploughed on over fears he would let down his dad and mom, visitors warden dad Piero and mum Rosalda, after they made large sacrifices so he might attend.
He stated: ‘It was exhausting as I used to be only a boy, and with out my household by my facet daily, I felt as if I misplaced 50 per cent of my power. At first there have been instances the place I did cry on the cellphone to my mamma.’
In 2000 Joanne moved from her residence within the UK to Italy to coach with Group Diablo when she was simply 17, and admitted that the ‘strict’ coaching strategies took an enormous toll on her bodily well being.
Joanne advised Time and Leisure: ‘I spent 14 years of my life there. It was like a college of ballroom dancing, the coaching was very strict. All of us had a private coach and should do a certain quantity of hours of fitness center per week.
‘After which there have been courses the place we might study dance principle, anatomy, vitamin, and instructing strategies. Bodily, it was very, very exhausting however it led me to the World Championship, after which to Strictly.’
In fact for a lot of professionals, their exhausting work pays off with Giovanni profitable the Italian Open Championship in 2012. Joanne was additionally topped the European Skilled Ballroom champion in the identical 12 months.
Bodily assault
Strictly ex-pro Brendan Cole (pictured in 2016) has shared that brutal instructing strategies aren’t restricted to only Group Diablo, sharing that he was bodily assaulted by a dance instructor
Former Strictly skilled Brendan Cole has shared that brutal instructing strategies are removed from restricted to only Group Diablo.
The New Zealand dancer, who hails from New Zealand and left the collection in 2018, admitted he was bodily assaulted by considered one of his dance academics whereas finding out within the UK.
He beforehand stated: ‘My teacher used to hit me on goal. He used to dig his nails into my again.’
Graziano was sacked by Strictly Come Dancing bosses final week after alleged footage allegedly emerged that confirmed him verbally and bodily abusing his movie star associate Zara.
MailOnline revealed that Strictly manufacturing employees raised considerations about Graziano’s conduct final 12 months, however bosses solely went so far as to concern quiet warnings to him.
The group anticipated him to be sacked immediately. They’re stated to be livid that their complaints had been ignored, which means the abuse in the direction of Zara was allowed to proceed. Graziano was even signed on for the upcoming 2024 collection of Strictly.
A supply from the present stated: ‘There have been a number of events the place each bodily and verbal assaults had been made. It was extra bodily than verbal, however all of it was dreadful.’
It was not till employees received maintain of a video allegedly exhibiting Graziano repeatedly hitting Zara– 9 months after their preliminary criticism – that he was fired.
They offered it to BBC HR executives investigating dancer Giovanni Pernice, following claims from his 2023 associate, actress Amanda, that he bullied her in coaching.
Giovanni denies the claims and give up the present final month.
Addressing his exit from the present, a ‘devastated’ Graziano wrote on Instagram over the weekend: ‘I deeply remorse the occasions that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense ardour and dedication to win might need affected my coaching regime.
‘Whereas respecting the BBC HR course of, I acknowledge it is solely proper for the sake of the present that I step away. I’m saddened that I wasn’t allowed to supply a quote to the net information tales, and I tackle board the sensitivity of the scenario.
It comes simply weeks after BBC bosses started an investigation into Giovanni, following claims from his 2023 associate, actress Amanda Abbington, that he bullied her in coaching
‘There’s extra to this story that I’m unable to debate right now, however I’m dedicated to being sturdy for my household and mates. I want the Strictly household nothing however success sooner or later.’
The Mail beforehand revealed that Giovanni has employed a lawyer and publicist in a bid to come back out of the scandal as unscathed as potential.
As extra stunning allegations have come to gentle over Graziano’s sacking, there was a marked distinction in public assist for him.
It’s the newest blow suffered by the BBC present, which continues to be watched by greater than ten million individuals, as allegations towards fellow Strictly star Giovanni Pernice are nonetheless being investigated.
Sources have advised the Mail that the accusations have prompted bosses to increase the inquiry to have a look at different issues, and people, concerned with the dance collection as they put together for its twentieth anniversary.
It signifies that Pernice, who has already let his frustrations on the investigation be identified, faces an excellent longer anticipate an end result after three former dance companions, together with actress Abbington, instructed legal professionals to make ‘critical complaints’ about his conduct.
