Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez tangoed through fire - sending temperatures soaring at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall. The Strictly Come Dancing stars are back on the road with the UK tour for their dance show - Firedance.
The pair and their effervescent cast brought magic to the stage on Thursday, March 30, featuring super-charged choreography, a sensational live band and mesmerising fire specialists. The show kicked off with four pairs taking on the stage with an energetic samba on Bamboléo by Gipsy Kings.
The talented pairs coordinated perfectly from the bright yellow matching costumes to the impressive musicality. The captivating dance-off was inspired by the timeless movie blockbusters Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Carmen and West Side Story.
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And while watching someone ballroom dancing might be one of my favourite forms of entertainment, I could hear myself and other members gasp when a ballerina took on the stage holding fire torches. I am not sure if it was the flame or the passionate dancing that sent temperatures through the roof - but at this point no one was wearing a coat anymore.
The fire effects, the live music and dazzling costumes are what elevated the show and I could not wish for more. When the fire specialist returned to the stage, she looked stunning resembling an elegant chandelier with flame torches dressing her body.
Another highlight for me was the dancer who performed a special choreography in a giant hula hoop. This exhilerating performance made everyone applaud, visibly overwhelmed.
Karen's passionate tango with Gorka gave me goosebumps. It is their incredible chemistry that shines throughout the choreography and their sense of rhythm.
The only criticism I would have is the music, which sometimes was too modern for my liking. Call me a ballroom snob, but I will always prefer the traditional latin music over any remix of a popular song.
Take their passionate tango for example, which was complete with their amazing chrography, stunning costumes, and most beautiful tango instrumental. However when the song broke into Bad Romance by Lady Gaga - they lost me for a good few seconds.
That being said, the show has definitely surpassed my expectations. And as a fellow retired ballroom dancer, I have to say kudos to the female dancers who at some points during the show had just under a minute to change their costumes.
By the end of it, everyone got up and clapped in sync with the electric samba instrumental. It was the right ending to a spectacular show that made me think whether I should dust off my dancing shoes.
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