May 2008

Back in March I was lucky enough to attend the European premiere of Burn The Floor’s latest show, Floorplay, in the quirky city of Amsterdam, where I met artistic director and choreographer Jason Gilkison. Having trained in ballroom and Latin dance since taking his first steps at his grandfather’s dance school in Australia, Gilkison has worked his way up to the very top of his game – and Floorplay is a fantastic example of this artist’s choreographic talent. Gilkison first heard about the show back in 1998, while spectating at the world-renowned Blackpool Festival, just one year after announcing his retirement from competition with partner Peta Roby. The decision was a risky one, and watching the action from the sidelines of the Empress Ballroom can’t have been easy to stomach. But, ten years down the line, that risk has certainly paid off, and Burn The Floor’s phenomenal success shows no sign of waning. The energy on stage at the Carré had to be seen to be believed, and when I talked to this month’s cover star Jessica Raffa and her partner Robin Windsor, it became clear that this is the product of a fundamental passion for dance, which all the members of Burn The Floor share. The show’s producers are in talks to bring Floorplay over to the UK, while Gilkison’s dream is to see it on the West End stage. If these goals are realised, there’s no doubt you’ll find me amongst the audience – and I’ll have my dancing shoes at the ready.
Katie Gregory