Strictly joins Streetdance: Where dance worlds collide!

Following a successful residency in the West End in 2012 where it attracted rave reviews, a brand new production of FLASH MOB will appear in Kent as part of a national tour.

The cast for this latest production includes Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer from Strictly Come Dancing, Flawless from Britain’s Got Talent, and Dance Critic’s Choice winner and Olivier nominated Tommy Franzen from BBC1’s So You Think You Can Dance. Dubbed the modern day Romeo and Juliet by the media, contemporary duo Alleviate and Irish fusion couple Brosena, both from Sky 1’s Got To Dance, complete the impressive line-up.

If you’re new to dance, this show is the perfect introduction. FLASH MOB enables you to sample many styles from Latin to locking, from Celtic to contemporary and from street to Salsa.

The production climaxes with an exciting finale that is sure to see the entire audience on its feet, as it takes the show title to its literal conclusion when both cast and audience collectively experience the joy of dance through a shared FLASH MOB.

It will be the first theatre production to actively encourage social networking as an integral part of the show. Facebook and Twitter are used as tools to drive the storyline in the first act, so the audience will be invited to switch on their mobile phones and tweet as the show begins. It’s a hugely exciting concept to the many fans who engage with their dance heroes on social media.

Marina Blore, director of World Dance Management explains: “Many dancers work their way through weeks of competitive heats on TV with no public, live platform for their talent at the end of the programme. Whilst they may be offered A-list concert tours or West End shows, the dancers rarely get the chance to perform again in their own right.”

She added: “In this show the dancers have choreographed their own individual performances and with the help of Nick Winston, our artistic director and choreographer, we also show what can be achieved when these different dance genres are fused together. FLASH MOB enables the talent to showcase their work as part of a much bigger production.”

FLASH MOB is a celebration of dance, the art of movement, without the need to pigeon-hole or focus on any one genre, or an enforced or indulgent narrative. The intention is simply to celebrate dance as an art form that can “move” the audience emotionally.

Conceived and produced by World Dance Management, the show provides a platform for the amazing talent that has emerged from TV dance reality shows in recent years.

Kent Dates:

Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells – Saturday 21^st June 

Churchill Theatre, Bromley - Sunday, 29^th June 

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury – Monday 7^th July 

For the rest of the tour dates, please visit http://www.flashmobtour.com/208-2/uk-tour-2014

Move It 2012

The UK's biggest dance exhibition/festival, Move It, the show for dancers, teachers, students and enthusiasts, will be held at Olympia from March 9th to 11th.

With 20,000 dancers taking part over three days across three stages, this amazing spectacle has performances from Flawless and the English National Ballet - together, fusing streetdance and ballet; Got To Dance's Akai, Alleviate and Chris & Wes; Britain's Got Talent stars James Hobley and Twist & Pulse and many more, including performances from the best performing arts colleges and streetdance crews.

The Big Dance Interview Sofa returns, with ex-Strictly Come Dancing champions Darren Bennett (with Jill "The Halfpenny", Series 2) and Lilia Kopylova (Darren Gough, Series 3) guests at 12.30pm on the Sunday.

There's a Dance Teachers' Convention, as well as the chance to grab a bargain in the leg warmer department and take part in a variety of different classes, so check out the website today to book your tickets.

Snippets: Strictly Come Dancing, Black Swan, Comic Relief, Dancing on Ice, Got To Dance, Dancing With The Stars

Rachel Stevens will be covering the BAFTAs from the red carpet for Orange and dressed accordingly to announce the fact - as Natalie Portman in Black Swan!

Last season's Strictly Come Dancing champion Kara Tointon and Xmas Special participant Ronni Ancona will be joining almost Dancing on Ice contestant, Nadia Sawalha, X-Factor's Olly Murs and Dermot O'Leary, and singer Craig David, amogst others, trekking through the desert to raise money for Comic Relief.

We can but live in hope ...

Got To Dance Live that should have opened at Excel London has been postponed until later in the year. And Turbo and Dance Dynamix have made it through to the final of Sky's Got To Dance.

Dancing With The Stars Louis Van Amstel has put together what looks to be a stunning show - Ballroom With A Twist, featuring dancers from DWTS and So You Think You Can Dance and singers from American Idol.

Got To Dance, First Semi Final

Alleviate and Chris & Wes were the first acts voted through to the final by the public, catch all the videos here on Sky's Youtube account.

Snippets: Strictly Come Dancing, X-Factor, Let's Dance for Comic Relief, Got To Dance

Bruce Forsyth was honoured at the NTA's... and then proceeded to frighten the life out of Tess, who could be seen to utter something along the lines of: Don't do that to me, Brucie!

He'd accepted the Special Recognition Award and said: This would be a good night to announce my retirement (the collective gasps were heard throughout the nation) ... but I'm not bloody going to!

X-Factor picked up the Talent Show Award, which Simon Cowell promptly dedicated to a show producer, Shue Green, who'd beaten cancer this year.

Steve Jones will be joined by Alex Jones for this year's Let's Dance for Comic Relief, with Claudia being too busy with Film 2011. Celebrities lining up are: Noel Fielding; Penny Smith; Rebecca Front; designers Colin and Justin; Russell Kane; Andi Osho and Ed Byrne! Routines will include Crazy in Love, Bad and I Love To Boogie (Billy Elliot).

Sky have launched a voting app on I-phone for Got To Dance and the top 28 have been revealed, with the first semi on Sunday at 6pm.

Got To Dance Auditions 2: Mr Bombastic and The Gingerbread Man

Razzle Dazzle, fantastic energy, these kids rock - like name like nature; Miss Bombastic, no - but a 'YES PLEASE' to Mr. Bombastic Ashley; Ella, lyrical and musical, good mix of styles; the slick Dance Dynamix; awesome Lauren; well cool Blue Magic, unusual, good moves; Rok Chix, bit meh. The Gingerbread Man-iac, fun, definitely a creative!

Got To Dance Auditions 1: A bicycle, a robot and Scatwoman.

In no particular order ... A big fat YES to the energetic and tight Eruption, great look, good moves, but Duo? Whaaaaat? Back2Back - gets an Oh Yes! Lovin' the bicycle and Bollywood! Theo, the Mini King of Pop, yes, we've seen it all before, but he's so cute - and right on the beat.

Tamara the freestyler; Sean & Stacey, the contemporary. One athletic and athletic, the others athletic, balletic and musical. Damsha Dreams is fab-u-lous and Olivia, the Tiny Dancer freestyler began so lyrically and beautifully then forgot to finish her lines in the rush to get to the next move - bags of personality though.

Robot Reflex, Aiden McMillan - blinding, and what an amusing, original and quirky piece of music - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite, what will they think of next?
Persuasive's signature move would be a yes, didn't see enough though.

Happiness. Jeez. No, she's definitely no SuBo. SuBo looked like she would be awful and wasn't. Happiness looked like she danced - completely lacking in timing, musicality and technique. Original, her own style? Quite frankly, David Brent was original but you wouldn't have put him through, would you? It was all talk about warming up and how she performs and then the bombshell that this is the first time in public? Matt Bell's fusion of ballet, hip hop and Morris was much better! And he's taking the mick. There's £250k riding on this - is she really going to keep out someone who can actually dance? Can the producers and judges on these programmes just not help themselves? And why do we not know if she made it through? Are they embarrassed with themselves? Seriously, if she can go through, I'm dusting off my leg warmers next year ...

Snippets: Strictly Come Dancing; Louie Spence, Dancing on Ice, Got To Dance

Strictly Come Dancing stars Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace, Natalie Lowe & Ian Waite, Chris Marques & Jaclyn Spencer and Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova will be at Alton Towers in March.

Madcap interview with Louie Spence!

Q&A with Dancing on Ice contestant, 'Comedy' Dave Vitty.

Interview with Got To Dance judges Ashley Banjo, Adam Garcia and Kimberley Wyatt.

Snippets: Kara and Artem, Julianne Hough, Davina McCall,

The News of the World reports that Artem's mum Anna is as smitten with our Strictly Come Dancing winner too! She said: "She (Kara) looks really great. They make a beautiful couple which fills my heart with pride and joy." The couple pretty much confirmed last night in front of millions that they are indeed a couple, and Kara says they get on brilliantly and are looking forward to doing normal things like going to the cinema or for a meal, after being stuck in a studio for three months. Photo and quotes courtesy of the NOTW.

Ex-Dancing With The Stars professional and future Cheryl Cole sister-in-law (possibly) Julianne Hough's new video has been banned for being too sexy! Choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance's Adam Shankman - decide for yourself - I thought it was no worse than many many others and tame compared to the X-Factor final!

An interview with Davina McCall ahead of Got To Dance 2.

Snippets: Got To Dance; Clog Dancing!

Clog Dancing the new streetdance?

Got To Dance will be airing a preview programme on December 19th, before the launch of the new series on January 2nd.

Snippets: Daniel Radcliffe; George Sampson; Got To Dance, Move It

Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe, will be appearing on Broadway in How To Succeed in Business - and is having dance lessons! From the clip I saw on the 'Making Of' documentary yesterday, he's not kidding about the shuffling! (Hoping to see Deathly Hallows next week!)

George Sampson is writing a book, his life story apparently. He's what, 16? 17? But Britain's Got Talent, Streetdance 3D, Waterloo Road - I guess he has packed a fair bit in already!

Got To Dance is being brought to life in an Exhibition at Excel between 4th and 6th March, featuring classes, perfomances and shopping. This is followed by Move It, Upper Street Events dance exhbition at Olympia between 10th and 13th March, also with performances, classes, seminars and traders.

Snippets: Dancing With The Stars, Akai, Strictly Come Dancing,

Trav's Thoughts are in - I wonder if the small round stage will make it to Television Centre for the AT's? Main show and Results.

Interview with Got To Dance winner, Akai.

Beyonce joins in a streetdance!

Peter Andre will perform his new single 'Defender' on Saturday's Strictly show.

Gareth Gates is taking on the role of Marius, in Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre.

Paula Abdul's Live to Dance show will feature Kimberley Wyatt as a judge, as does the UK equivalent, Got To Dance.

Snippets: Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, X-Factor, Got To Dance, Dancing On Ice

Trav's Thoughts are in on Dancing With The Stars, it's themed night, with every couple having to tell a story - the results and vids are here, they're well worth a look. And an interview with Lacey Schwimmer's musical foray.

The audition dates for the next series of So You Think You Can Dance have been released. To follow in the lock-step, box-step and rond of Charlie Bruce, make your way to Manchester, Freemasons' Hall on October 17th, to Glasgow, City Halls on the 19th and London, Interchange Studios/Hempstead Town Hall Centre on 21st and 22nd. Full details can be found on the website, with full terms and conditions and how to audition elsewhere.

Can you teach an X-Factor singer to have soul? Barb Jungr muses on that within this interview.

And do you agree with this article, that Kara's dominatrix outfit was too much for early evening Saturday night TV - bear in mind, the child wouldn't have asked if Kara hadn't alluded to it! I am in agreement about Cher - she looked shockingly fragile and I'm wondering how she'll cope. I hope it was just the tonsilitis and we do see her at her best on the live show.

Interview with Got To Dance winner, Akai.

A Dancing On Ice rumour - Brigitte Neilsen!

Snippets: Streetdance, Got To Dance, Dancing on Ice

The Streetdance 3D DVD is out soon and to celebrate, a launch party will be held at the hmvforum in Kentish Town on September 27th.

Kimberly Wyatt chats about Got To Dance.

Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner is being his usual happy, chirpy self ...

Edinburgh Festival TV Special - Got To Dance!

The traditional opener this year featured Sky's Got To Dance - and in the best tradition, there was (almost) controversy over voting, lol! A nice review courtesy of The Guardian, with an even nicer photo of dance legends Ashley Banjo and Adam Garcia accompanying *coughs* What? They are legends ... both being pretty fit is purely coincidental.

Snippets: Strictly Come Dancing, Glee, Got To Dance

More rumours for Strictly - Frank Bruno, Jennifer Metcalfe (Hollyoaks) and the Masterchef guys, John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

The Got To Dance audition dates have been announced - time for you to apply!

Glee writers have been dropping hints about Series 2!

And sorry to end on a sad note - but there was a message from Cutest Blog on the Block this morning to say my blog background will disappear and I have to choose a new one! Devastated doesn't descibe how I feel, I love my background, it's the prettiest one I've come across! So just to warn you, because I don't know what else is out there, I may take the opportunity to change the look completely, so bear with me if things become a little erratic in the next couple of weeks!