They couldn’t have timed it better. As Strictly Come Dancing is back on our
screens this week, Keep Dancing hits Milton Keynes Theatre and takes us on a
journey of dance. If you like Strictly
you will love this. It has all the
sparkle, glamour and grace that you have grown to expect.
The show opens with You Should Be Dancing which is just spectacular! Yes, we should be dancing but it is rather
hard to do in your seat so just sit back and enjoy the professionals.
Robin Windsor is a big name from
Strictly and he does not disappoint. He
moves so well and every part of his body works with the music to whatever piece
of music he is dancing to. And I mean every piece. Every hand movement finished to perfection. Every bicep. And yes he does wear an almost see-through
shirt. He is extremely sexy and perhaps
this show should carry a warning as many men and women could get a bit hot
under the collar.
Robin’s partner in crime is Anya Garnis,
another Strictly professional who partners Robin for many of the numbers. They are fantastic together and she is at ease
with ballroom as she is with the tango; a very sexy number that cannot fail to
impress.
The other famous duo are the winners of
Strictly 2015, Jay and Aliona who left audiences amazed at their Pulp Fiction
dance last year. Alas they don’t perform
that dance in this show, which is a bit of a disappointment, but it is great to
be this close and see them dance live. There
are moments when you forget that Jay is not a professional dancer as he can
move very well to some very fast numbers. As for Aliona, she is just perfect. Every step, every finish is complete. Forget a 7; they get a 10 from me!
The ‘ballroom’ section was very
emotional. It was just like watching an
MGM film. With numbers such as There’s No Business Like Show Business
and New York New York you really felt
transported back to those golden days. The
elegance and grace as they moved around the stage was breath-taking.
There was a jive section where we
travelled back in time to the 1940’s. This
had some humour in it as Robin tried to dance with each female dancer in turn
and even sneaked a kiss from one or two. It really told a story through dance. The Charleston captured the feel of the
1920’s and gave some elegance and drama to the show. With wonderful outfits to
match once again you were transported back in time.
The singers often came to sing a song
while the dancers were getting changed. Stormy
Weather and Why Don’t You Do Right?
were outstanding. It was disappointing
that there were no dancers on the stage during this time; just one or two would
have been enough to compliment the singing. After all the show is called Keep Dancing. A mention is well deserved for the musicians who were fantastic offering us Spanish guitar and amazing percussion.
There was a range of dance styles including a
contemporary number from Robin with some other male dancers. It was captivating to watch and you could be
forgiven for holding your breath.
The finale included a disco medley which
got the audience dancing and on its feet. Who doesn’t love a bit of disco? It included Play That Funky Music, Boogie Wonderland, Boogie Nights and Le Freak. And to finish there was a Gloria Estefan Medley
which was very Salsa friendly. The
outfits were very bright and vibrant but did look a bit like a car wash when
they spun around.
This is an energetic and lively show
with some amazing dance routines. There
is not a story or flow to the show but instead offers a variety of different
dancing styles and a fantastic array of costumes. If you love sparkly, glamour, elegance and
everything that is Strictly, then you will love Keep Dancing. Its FAB-U-LOUS darling!!
Keep Dancing is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 10 September 2016.
4 stars.
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