It Takes Two My Life

BOTH: Hi, we're...

Come on in!

This is our family.

-This is Mum.

-Hi.

-This is big brother Riley.

-Hi!

-And this is Dad.

-Hi!

And this is Roger.

We've got achondroplasia,

which means we're shorter than most people,

but being small has its advantages.

The good things are that we can hide in small places.

AMELIA AND IMOGEN GIGGLE

We're the same size as our dog, Roger,

and when we're tired,

our dad can just pick us up and take us to bed.

BOTH: We're also really good at dancing.

It's all we've wanted to do, ever since we were babies.

One day, we dream of becoming professionals...

..And to be the best dancers in the world.

Join us as we work harder than ever...

Meet our heroes...

-What's my favourite number?

-Seven!

..and overcome our fears...

..to begin our journey to become ballroom superstars.

Girls, time to get up.

Amelia, come on - we're going to be late for school. Come on!

Today, we're up bright and early, because we've moved schools

so we can join our big brother Riley at his school.

So, how are you feeling, darling?

-Very nervous, actually.

-Really?

I felt a bit upset, because I was going to leave my friends behind

and I wondered what was going to happen.

We explained to Amelia and Imogen that when you go to school,

the chances are, them people are going to be intrigued,

because they've never seen anybody like you.

What about you, Imogen?

I'm a bit nervous.

-You're a bit nervous as well?

-Mm.

Well, just relax and be yourself.

It's a little bit different for us, starting anything new -

because we look different to everybody else.

Amelia and Imogen have to get on the stilts.

But stilts always break the ice.

-What's it feel like, to be this tall?

-Weird.

-Would you want to be this tall?

-No.

-Why?

-Why? Because we play hide-and-seek better.

Oh, yeah.

I know, it's hard being our size.

Not only are we the only people with dwarfism,

but we are also the only twins

and it's hard for people who have only just met us to tell us apart.

That's Imogen and that's Amelia.

That's Amelia, that's Imogen!

It's all right, I get used to it now.

I used to be like, "No, it's Amelia, not Imogen!"

I'm all right now.

We're identical twins,

because our genes are the same.

But there are some differences.

Amelia's face is wider...

..And Imogen is taller - but only by a centimetre.

BELL RINGS

New friends always have so many questions about our height

that we've decided to do a presentation all about us

at the end of term.

We're off to our weekly dance class.

We practise every chance we can get.

You don't really dance with a partner.

You're a little bit like...

You don't know what to do.

When we enter competitions, we always dance with our teacher,

but we've never danced with boys our own age.

I don't know the boy steps.

Like, we're both girls, so we both do the girl steps.

It's really weird. I'm not used to holding boys' hands.

There is one boy at our dance class who Imogen would like to dance with.

Shush, Amelia!

He's called Ethan, she likes dancing with him.

He's in year five.

He's really nice, Ethan.

Imogen gets embarrassed talking about Ethan.

No, I don't!

We love dancing more than anything

and we dream of being dancers

when we grow up.

The girls have been dancing almost three years

and they've achieved bronze, silver and gold

in both ballroom and Latin.

And they are little stars.

As we've just got the highest mark in our dance exam,

our teacher Mike has got a special announcement for us.

There was a surprise. Everybody came over and it was a bit...

-embarrassing.

-You weren't expecting it.

No, you weren't expecting it.

What I've brought you across here for and everybody else

is that we've got a little bit of a surprise.

You both are going to dance

in one of the world's most famous ballrooms.

You are going to go to the dance in Blackpool.

APPLAUSE

Blackpool is where they dance

on the special Strictly Come Dancing episodes

and where some of our heroes dance,

like Pasha and Ulla.

We've always wanted to dance there.

If they get the opportunity to go to Blackpool

and dance on that floor...

It's a dancer's dream.

But to dance properly, we need a male dance partner

and Mike has two boys lined up for us.

And one of them is Ethan!

Ethan, you're dancing with Imogen.

Charlie, you're dancing with Amelia.

I haven't danced with a boy before, so I was kind of nervous.

I'm going to let Amelia tell you how I feel about dancing with Ethan.

I don't really want to get between them,

or Imogen will get...

I'm just saying... Yeah, you would.

We've only got three weeks to go before we dance at Blackpool.

It's time for the hard work to begin.

The outfits people wear at Blackpool are amazing,

so Mum has said we could have new dresses for our dance -

and they cost £200 each!

I like that bit on the arm.

Because we're so small,

we can't just buy dresses like everyone else,

but that means we get to design our own.

-Did you want this colour with the lace sleeve...

-Yes, please.

..that has a little bit that goes on your jacket?

Imogen knows exactly what she wants...

..But Amelia's arguing with Mum, as usual.

No, I'm not, Imogen!

-Is that more what you had in mind?

-That's more what I want.

-That one?

But can I have a choker, please?

Amelia's a very determined character -

they like to do things for themselves.

And then there's a choker there...

I try and stop them from doing things, don't I?

I am quite bad at that.

"I want a choker, I want a choker."

-She wants a choker.

-I want a choker, OK?

And they are very hard to negotiate with, as well.

Yes. And I get told a lot,

"Mum, I'm nine."

Isn't it my decision here?

I'm wearing it, not you. Not you.

No, Amelia.

Finally, Amelia and Mum reach a compromise.

-That's the colour.

-That's more like a green, isn't it? Is that OK?

That's the colour.

I can't wait to see what they look like.

Thank you, bye!

Today is really exciting,

because it's our first chance to dance with our new partners,

Ethan and Charlie.

Right, we've got two weeks before we go to Blackpool Tower,

so we've got to make sure that it's right,

so that we don't kick each other or trip each other up.

I wonder how different it will be...

..Dancing with boys who are much taller than us.

What you've got to try and do is make sure that you dance

to your own height,

so whoever I'm dancing with,

you adjust to the lady's height, OK?

And not the man's height.

And a-one, two, cycle, spin.

Right around, off we go and...

Uh...

Rewind.

Don't over-stride.

Now, what we've got to try and do

is take the appropriate-size step to who also you're dancing with.

Through we go, through. Step...

Come back, come back, come back...

I'm finding it quite hard.

Yeah, harder than I thought I would.

That's OK, let's do it again.

Quite difficult, with the routines not being the ones that I'm used to,

in the two-week space that we've got.

-First, then a left.

-Ah, second.

-No, you did. Now, go!

Sometimes, it destroys the whole dance,

because if you do it wrong, you're like, aw!

Then you just let yourself down.

Sometimes, when everyone else is bigger than you,

things can be harder.

Having achondroplasia means that we get pain in our joints.

It can affect our sleep and we can get lots of ear infections.

We will always be different,

but our parents do everything they can to protect us

and make us feel good about ourselves.

-You've just had a really hard dance session there...

-Yeah.

..and what we thought was,

what would be a really amazing place,

where you could go and see people dance?

Guess where we're going this weekend?

-Guess where we're going on Saturday?

-Where?

You're going to go to the Strictly Come Dancing live show.

Just for once, we're a bit lost for words.

Will that give you inspiration, do you think?

Yeah? I think so.

BOTH: We're going to Strictly!

We could only get two tickets,

so we couldn't bring Ethan and Charlie with us.

But we're still excited.

I'm so excited - like, literally.

I wonder if we'll get to meet any of the stars?

Take us to Strictly, please!

Head judge Len has heard we are in the building

and he wants to meet us.

Can we have a photograph?

Ho-ho! Ha-ha!

What's your favourite dance?

Quickstep and samba.

Show me your hold - how you hold.

Oh! And your...

Turn your head to the left, please.

That is fantastico!

What's my favourite number?

Seven!

-What number is it?

-Seven!

Seven!

LEN CHUCKLES

And it's showtime!

CHEERING

'Dancing the salsa, Steve Backshall and Ola Jordan.'

We want to be dancers, just like these guys -

but we know to do that,

we're going to have to put in a lot of hard work.

As the show finishes,

we get to meet Steve Backshall.

Do you have any big tips to show us?

The one tip that I have for myself is that all of a sudden,

I find everything a lot easier if I put it into the terms of animals.

So, if I say, for example, this next move,

I'm going to strike out like a cobra,

or this one, I'm going to walk a little bit like a panther,

with my shoulders moving like this,

all of a sudden, it makes sense to me.

So I guess, finding something that's familiar to you

gives you a way into a dance -

from something you already know - can always be a help.

We're just heading home now

and it's been brilliant,

just seeing all the dancers...

and I'm so glad I've done it.

Today is our presentation.

We can tell all our friends about our visit to Strictly.

This is Len Goodman.

Len asked us to say his favourite number...

BOTH: Seven!

Is it difficult to dance with tall boys?

No, not really.

It's just with our instructor,

we would hold them like that,

but we have to hold them like that.

It's helpful when people ask questions,

because they understand more.

What does it make you feel like, when people stare at you?

Yeah, it kind of hurts us, but we know why they're thinking that.

But I wouldn't just stare at them

and make them feel uncomfortable, though.

Because they're the same - we're just smaller.

I think I understand them, because they talked about it

and I think it'll make me better friends with them.

They've probably done more exciting things than I have,

so it just shows you that anything is possible.

It'll be good in school now, because people know more.

Having been brave and able to stand up in front of our friends,

are we ready for our biggest challenge -

dancing at Blackpool?

It's the night before our big day.

I'm having the best time of my life so far.

BOTH: We're off to Blackpool!

Finally, the big day has arrived

and as we walk in ahead of the boys,

we can't believe that we'll be dancing here.

What do you think, girls? Is it bigger than you thought?

-Amazing.

-Right, let's go and get changed.

The best dancers in the world get ready here.

I'm feeling really nervous.

I don't want to get stepped on.

And neither will the boys.

I'm in a world-famous ballroom.

Just really happy to be here.

We are dancing in front of our

invited audience of friends and family,

to say thank you for all their support.

And at last, it's time for us to put on our dresses.

We've had other situations with them,

where they've done new things, where there's been a bit of pressure,

where they've kind of had to take a little moment to gather themselves.

They might not do it, if they become nervous enough.

APPLAUSE

BOTH: Oh, gosh! Here we go!

MUSIC: Sway by Michael Buble

BOTH: Wow, we've done it!

APPLAUSE

Well done. I think it went really well.

I am really proud of Imogen.

-Did good, didn't we?

-We did.

-We are a good pair.

Probably enter more competitions and...

-Win them.

-Yeah, we'll win them, hopefully.

It's fun, because we feel really confident

and I feel really free... to do anything.