Secret of Russell’s Entrancing Dancing

Russell forgets his injuries last night after a session with Nureyev’s ‘mind doctor

The Express – Sunday October 16,2011
By David Stephenson

RUSSELL Grant has been hypnotised to stop him thinking about his bad hip which almost made him quit Strictly Come Dancing.

The popular astrologer called in Texan Richard Bandler, world-renowned neurolinguistic programmer, who once worked with ballet star Rudolf Nureyev.

The Sunday Express was granted exclusive access to Russell’s 40-minute hypnosis session. Bandler told him: “I want you to start dreaming the perfect dance.

“You have seen yourself dance perfectly. Now it’s time to feel yourself doing it.

“Your unconscious is practising what to do. While you’re dancing perfectly in our mind, all your fears can disappear.”

Emerging from the trance, the first time he has been hypnotised, Russell said: I feel the peace. I have an inner kind of calm now.”

Last night he and partner Flavia Cacace danced the foxtrot to Don’t Rain On My Parade from the musical Funny Girl. Other highlights on the hit BBC1 show were Nancy Dell’Olio’s Argentine tango with Anton du Beke and Lulu’s rumba with Brendan Cole.