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* ALJAZ SKORJANEC, 30, FROM SLOVENIA, IS BEST KNOWN FOR APPEARANCES ON STRICTLY * DANCER SAYS HIS MOTHER'S FAVOURITE QUOTE WAS: 'THE SHORTCUT IS THE LONGEST WAY’ * HE TOOK THE

SAYING TO HEART AND IS JUST AS KEEN ON REHEARSING AS PERFORMING  By RICHARD BARBER FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 17:09 EDT, 20 December 2020 | Updated: 05:10 EDT, 21 December 2020 Aljaz

Skorjanec, 30, is a dancer from Slovenia, best known in the UK for his appearances on Strictly, which he joined in 2013, the year he won the famous glitterball with model Abbey Clancy. He is

married to fellow professional, Janette Manrara. I’ve been dancing since I was five. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a dancer. I grew up in a small town in Slovenia an

hour-and-a-half’s drive from the capital, Ljubljana. As soon as my parents saw that I was serious about my ambition, my father, Srecko, would drive me there after school to dancing lessons

every other day and then wait hours before driving me home again. It’s a sacrifice that I’ve never forgotten. My mother, Natasa, was equally supportive of my ambition. She was a great

believer in discipline and dedication. Her favourite saying was: ‘The shortcut is the longest way.’ What she meant by that is that there’s no substitute for doing things properly and

thoroughly. It’s something I took to my heart. In fact, I had her maxim tattooed onto my left upper forearm. My wife, Janette, and I love to perform, but we’re just as keen on rehearsing

because that’s when you perfect a routine. She’s good with concepts and ideas; I’m good at making the steps work. One of the things I love about Strictly is that it’s always evolving. This

year we saw ex-boxer Nicola Adams dancing with another woman. I regard that as real progress. The first time I appeared in the Blackpool Junior Dance Festival — I was about 11 — there were

two girls who won every award going. They were incredible. Janette and I both realise that dancing at this level will come to an end one day. Eventually, our faces may not fit anymore or our

bodies will start objecting to the demands we make on them. But it’s great while it lasts. Until then, we’ll give it our best with discipline and dedication, as my mother drilled into me.

Aljaz, along with Pasha Kovalev, Graziano Di Prima, Robin Windsor and Karim Zeroual plan to appear in Here Come The Boys for a ten-week season at London’s Garrick Theatre from the beginning

of March.  Aljaz SkorjanecAbbey Clancy