Strictly Come Dancing professionals Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara tell Joanna Davis about the glitz and glamour of their Dorset-bound Oscars tribute show

I'M speaking to my favourite Strictly couple down the live from Slovenia, where dancers Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara are spending Christmas with Aljaz's family.

I'm picturing a scene like something out of the movie Frozen - snow covered turrets on fairytale castles and frozen lakes.

Except it's far from that.

"I was expecting some beautiful snow," Aljaz says, "Except it's more like 15c and damp, we don't think it's going to be a white Christmas!"

Regardless, this handsome couple, complementing each other with their dark good looks, still conjure up a scene of Christmas couple cosiness snuggled up on the sofa in Slovenia.

They tell me they've been watching plenty of old movie musicals, deciding which should be included in their Remembering The Oscars UK Tour, which calls in at Bournemouth Pavilion on Friday, March 27.

Florida-born Janette, petite, and a ball of energy (especially when the Strictly voting terms and conditions are being read out by Claudia Winkleman) makes the perfect pairing with Aljaz, a tall and handsome study of composure in ballroom numbers who can rival his wife for excitability when it comes to receiving judges' scores.

Janette tells me that Remembering the Oscars has evolved naturally.

"We started with Remembering Fred, a tribute to Fred Astaire that we did for two years. In the third year we decided to come back with something bigger and different - Remembering the Movies. We could remember all these films that we loved that had dancing in them and we decided that this year we would step it up and do Oscar nominated films. The songs are all Oscar winners and Oscar memories. We want to bring the best of the awards to the show. This is going to be our biggest and best show yet."

Aljaz tells me he and Janette enjoy dancing to American Smooth lyrical numbers and there will be 'plenty of routines like that', he says.

Janette added: "We're still in the middle of creating the show and last night I was up until 3am watching movies for the show. We're just trying to put into our heads exactly what we want the show to be like.

A particular favourite number of Aljaz's to perform on the Remembering the Movies tour was a romantic Romeo and Juliet-themed American smooth dance and a routine to West Side Story.

The show will give Janette a chance to wear some 'incredible' costumes, she says, all of which have been handmade. There will be a dress for a Ginger Rogers dance that Janette is excited to wear, she says.

Remembering the Oscars will take its audience from the Golden Ages of Hollywood through to Disney family favourites and beyond, featuring many classic and contemporary songs. It will feature a cast of some of the best dancers based in the UK, a new stage design, wonderful costumes and a huge LED screen, with specially filmed content.

They've enjoyed this series of Strictly but were disappointed that both their journeys ended prematurely - Janette's partner Paralympian Will Bayley had to withdraw from the competition because of injury and Aljaz and his partner Viscountess Emma Weymouth were the sixth couple to be eliminated.

Janette says: "What Will achieved touched a lot of people's hearts. He did a show like Strictly to connect with the audience, I'm gutted we couldn't carry on with the journey, but I know he was thrilled to perform."

Aljaz loved his experience with his high society partner, Emma Weymouth, who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth. Her marriage saw her become the chatelaine of the Longleat Estate in Wiltshire.

"I think all the other pro partners were jealous of how much fun we had in the beautiful village where Emma lives, it was the most incredible experience in Strictly going there and being woken up by lions! We had a great time," he said.

The Remembering the Oscars tour will include a six date residency at London's Peacock Theatre, something the pair are really looking forward to.

"We've danced at some incredible venues and when we performed at the London Palladium it was an absolute honour and a dream to be there," Janette says.

Janette says she and Aljaz always find a local spot for lunch in whichever town or city they are performing in, and manage to learn a bit about the area they're in.

Aljaz adds: "It amazes me how much love people in this country have for dancing and how much they love to go to the theatre," he continues. "There's some beautiful venues around the country and we love performing in all of them. We always like The Sage at Gateshead. We always remember the ones where we have the best crowds."

And then the smooth talker tells me: "Bournemouth is the best place in the world for us to go to, we love it there, but don't tell anyone I told you that!"

I can picture the glint in his eye all the way over in Slovenia.

*Janette Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanec appear in Remembering The Oscars, Bournemouth Pavilion, Friday March 27. The tour also takes in the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on May 1. Tickets are available from all venues, ticketmaster.co.uk and www.rememberingtheoscars.com