Gary Myers reviews JT Productions ‘Dance with the Stars‘, Villa Marina Royal Hall, July 21.
My wife Anne used to teach ballroom dancing, so JT Productions’ Dance With The Stars in the Villa Marina was an opportunity to dip back into that world, just for the evening.
Events began with a junior competition, and the couples were very lucky to be judged by the show’s stars Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor of BBC1 Strictly Come Dancing fame.
After the competition there were opportunities to be photographed with the Strictly stars, interspersed with musical interludes from Gary Chatel and dancers from Gena’s Dance Academy, Ellan Vannin Gymnastics club, the cast of the upcoming JT Productions show Annie Jr (who’s rendition of Hard Knock Life was raucous and wonderful) and sample songs from next month’s Evita.
An extra treat not listed in the running order was a very moving solo dance piece by Breeshey Crookall, who at just 11 years old surely has a very bright future as a dancer.
When Kristina and Robin took to the floor, they certainly didn’t disappoint. Accompanied by the high-energy beat of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way they flew around the dance floor, encouraging the audience to clap along in time.
There were plenty of trademark lifts and spins, punctuated with loud cheers from the crowd. We saw lots of costume changes, which were handled very well, with either Robin or Kristina chatting to the audience and inviting questions, while the other got changed. I really can’t see how they had the breath to talk but they were both wonderful especially with the younger dance fans.
We were treated to several dance styles, Latin and ballroom, with a waltz to Over the Rainbow being our personal favourite, for which Kristina wore a fabulous flowing turquoise dress. Indeed all her outfits were stunning, and I’m sure the ladies appreciated Robin’s see-through shirts.
The pair are shortly embarking on a cruise tour and gave us a preview of the dance they’ve choreographed especially for it. The encore was a staggeringly fast jive, proving they both still had plenty of energy to give.
For anyone interested in dance, it was all there, from the junior competitions and local productions to watching demonstrations by world-class stars. A great evening’s entertainment.
This was Robin and Kristina’s first visit to the island, and they assured us that they’d be back. Given the warm reception they experienced at the Villa, I’m sure they will.
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