Cliona’s quick-step wows the dance judges

Country music star Cliona Hagan stole the show on Sunday night when she took to the floor in the first of the ladies dance solos in RTE’s Dancing With The Stars.

The Ballinderry woman went to the top of the leader board with dance partner Robert Rowinski and looks an early contender for the title.

With the first eliminations this weekend, Cliona will be raising her game to stay out in front.

She is one of 11 celebrity contestants on the show which includes Irish rugby star Peter Stringer and Eilish O’Carroll from Mrs Brown’s Boys.

Cliona has won many awards for country singing, including Best Female Vocalist of the Year at the renowned Country Music Awards (August 2017 and September 2018).

On Sunday’s show viewers saw Cliona perform a quick step to Luke Bryan’s Country Girl.

Cliona admits that she is totally out of her comfort zone having had no previous dance experience.

However, she says she is loving every minute of it and is fully embracing her new dance experience and is ready for the challenging weeks ahead.

Cliona, who is no stranger to the stage at the SSE Arena having performed at Farmers Bash last year, says she is prepared to give 100 per cent effort on the dance floor to win the public’s vote.

The Ballinderry woman has been rehearsing every day between six and eights hours at the studio with professional dancer partner Robert Rowinski who is the 2010 winner of the Polish version of Dancing With The Stars.

Cliona has a great work ethic and spends time outside rehearsals going over her choreography at home. She is hoping that this year one of the female contestants will manage to win the title and she will be trying hard to bring the ‘Glittering Ball’ home.

With positive comments from all the judges on Dancing With The Stars, Cliona goes into the show this weekend as a firm favourite to progress to the final.