Burn the Floor

Dance

West End

Shaftesbury Theatre

Until Sun Jun 30

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Time Out says

Mon Mar 18 2013

In the decade since the new wave of TV ballroom dance contests unleashed their spangles and spray-tans on primetime audiences, spin-off stage shows of varying quality have become a more or less permanent fixture in the West End.

Of these, ‘Burn the Floor’ has one of the finest pedigrees. A high-energy medley of ballroom and Latin moves, it high-kicked off in 1999, and so actually predates ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. But it shares the BBC show’s high production values, gloriously absurd costumes, and, indeed, dancers: ‘Strictly’ veterans Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor are the star attractions here, alongside newcomer Karen Hauer.

Like its competitors, ‘Burn the Floor’ essentially boils down to a group of beautiful, scantily clad dancers performing hot moves to a rousing live band. The challenge is to introduce a level of theatricality and storytelling, to keep the audience from growing weary of all the diamante and glitterballs.

Director and choreographer Jason Gilkison rises valiantly to this here, with uneven success. A jive number featuring rival gangs is thrillingly reminiscent of ‘West Side Story’; but a rumba in which seven bare-chested male dancers writhe, softcore-style, around a blindfolded Hauer is just toe-curling. It’s tempting to imagine how exciting dancers of this calibre could be under the guiding eye of a truly innovative choreographer from the world of pop or contemporary dance – Rafael Bonachela, say, or Wayne McGregor.

But, taken on its own terms, ‘Burn the Floor’ has charm and quality in spades – and it’s impossible not to warm to a troupe of gorgeous, talented dancers who genuinely look like they’re having the best time imaginable. Laura Barnett

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Venue details

MAP

Name:
Shaftesbury Theatre
Address:
Shaftesbury Theatre 210 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8DP

Venue website:
www.shaftesburytheatre.com/
Transport:
Holborn or Tottenham Court Road tube
Map
1. Shaftesbury Theatre
  - 210 Shaftesbury Avenue
    London
    WC2H 8DP
  - www.shaftesburytheatre.com/
  - 51.516276,-0.126081

Event phone:
020 7379 5399
Event website:
www.burnthefloor.com

Categories:
Theatre. West End. Dance
Type of event:
Days Out

Burn the Floor 2013

Date Time Price information
Wed Jun 19

19:30

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets
Thu Jun 20

15:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30
Fri Jun 21

19:30

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets
Sat Jun 22

16:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30
Sun Jun 23

16:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30
Mon Jun 24

19:30

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets
Wed Jun 26

19:30

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets
Thu Jun 27

15:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30
Fri Jun 28

19:30

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets
Sat Jun 29

16:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30
Sun Jun 30

16:00

£16-£90. Runs 2hrs
Buy tickets

19:30

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Comments & ratings

(0 ratings)

It was amazing...The music, the scene, the decor, the dresses, the six packs..lol..Do not miss it! The best £57 I have ever spent. 2 hours of trying to sit still because I wanted to join them...I can't even put it into words how beutiful they all are...Book your ticket and go! :-)

Beatris Mon Mar 18
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