What's On - On Stage
REVIEW: BURN THE FLOOR - THE TEMPERATURE RISES
Thu, 2 August 2012
Jason Gilkison’s imaginative reinvented ballroom dance extravaganza, at The Mandela at Joburg Theatre until 19 August, is now in its 13th year but still leaves the audience on its feet begging for more.
Burn the Floor is hot, it’s fast and it’s furious. Sexy young dancers grind their way though number after number. It’s ballroom for today’s generation.
Children will be begging their parents to enrol them in ballroom classes, only to find they don’t teach you how to lose your face in your partner’s breasts.
Well, not in your first term anyway. And, if you think you’ve seen it all before, this version of Burn The Floor boasts new numbers, new costumes and new choreography.
An undoubtedly homoerotic show, the bullfighters are stunning and the fact that the boys wear very little ensures the show is easy on the eye.
Don’t worry girls you get your thrills too. Open legwork abounds, lifts and death drops have the female dancers all over the stage and there is even a fraction of girl on girl on girl action. Plus it’s all enhanced with extra tight, shiny sequined-covered leg-exposing costumes, designed by John Van Gastel.
The show hosts an international and very talented cast, each one of them a champion. Winner of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Australia, Robbie Kmeton, gives the show that something extra. What a wonderful showman, an absolute joy to watch. I’d have bought a ticket just to see him.
Other highlights come from Slovenian-born Aljaz Skorjanec, and the very sexy Santo Costa. I realise now that I spent most of the evening with my eyes fixed on them.
Home grown Keo Motsepe, trained at Corenergy Dance Centre in Craighall Park, Johannsburg, saw the tour last year and says, “ it’s the best dance show I have ever seen”. He got himself an audition and has been touring with the company since January.
Janette Manrara also grabs your attention. A seasoned performer, she has worked on Glee and has appeared with Jenifer Lopez at the Academy Awards.
The score packs a punch; live percussionist Giorgio Rojas and Pat Maddens’ skills had the audience tapping their feet and clapping along.
Is there a downside? Well, some parts are sadly unoriginal; cabaret chairs and cheap hats are a distraction from the technical expertise of the dancers. And, at times, the staging of the vocalist left a cruise-ship taste in my mouth.
This aside, the company numbers rocked, with bags of energy and well-executed simple choreography to glue the show together.
I had a great night, it’s fun and frivolous. Have a drink before you go in, and take another in with you.
Burn the Floor is on until 19 August. Get your tickets from the Joburg theatre website or box office 0861 670 670.
The tour continues in Durban from 22nd August - tickets from www.computicket.com.
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