Tangolicious
Saturday nights strictly started its new season with a show stopping Tango performed by professional dancer Johannes Radebe and his celebrity partner John Waite. The 2012 Great British Bake-off winner, clearly showing his talents extended further then the kitchen. The intense Tango performed to New Orders ‘Blue Monday’ was expertly choreographed by Johannes and executed to perfection by professional and celebrity alike. The judges equally impressed by the strength of the pair’s performance gave them an impressive score of 30 points out of 40, putting them joint second on the leader board. Dressed in matching black tuxedos the two male dancers captured the essence of the fast, sensual Latino dance. With tantalising foot work, the pair artistically pivoted their way around the dance floor, changing lead and direction effortlessly. Their precise bolero postures only adding to the fierce characterisation of the dance.
The significance of this performance however extended further then just moving rhythmically around the ballroom following a sequence of steps. History was made on the Strictly dance floor with the first ever male same sex pairing. Whilst no one can deny the impact made by the pairing, the ultimate aim surely is for this to be the norm as apposed to something we need to celebrate due to the abnormity of the situation. Arguably any cause worth fighting for has to start somewhere and Strictly proved no better platform with an audience of over 8.4 million.
Having attended Dance and Ballet classes for many years, I am well aware of the imbalance of gender, dancers predominately being female. Expression of dance is a gift and as such should be shared regardless of your sexual orientation, ethnic background or age.
Whilst tv dramas and soaps have integrated story lines around same sex couples, the characters are often stereotyped. This type of categorization only leads to uneducated prejudices.
Reality TV show Made In Chelsea recently televised Ollie and Garth Locke taking their vows in the Natural History Museum. The ceremony was beautiful, a pure show of love. I can’t deny I did have a few tears of joy for them both. The programme later went on to tell their journey of surrogacy to become parents. Individuals questioning their own sexuality deserve a more fair and accurate representation, which appears only possible if its in a reality tv show.
The Way Forward
Recently I had the pleasure of being introduced to Lydz the child of a fellow dancer, who with their partner Hannah, had set up a company called Access 27 LTD. The company recently received a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England the aim to research and develop a new piece of digital theatre, exploring the impact of Covid 19 on young people’s mental health. Through various forms of theatre and contemporary dance Lydz and Hannah have created platforms whereby issues faced by LGBTQIA and young people can be explored. The pair have taken their unique company to local schools, equally working alongside social workers, teachers, youth workers and health professionals. The company truly is exceptional in its approach to the modern-day issues young people face. The ability to show emotional expression through the medium of dance and theatre enables young people to express their fears and frustrations in a safe and protected way.
I appreciate not everyone will share my passion for dance, questioning the value of pirouetting your way through life. I can only speak about the way dance makes me feel. For two hours on a Sunday and Wednesday I am free to express myself, no matter what else is happening in my chaotic life, dance lifts me out of the constraints of everyday living. Whether I’m performing a Ballet routine to Jonasu ‘Black Magic’ which is an amazing track or warming up to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habit’ I am in the moment nothing else matters. So, to sum it all up in the words of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman ‘KEEP DANCING!’
For More Information About Access 27 Ltd Follow Their Facebook Page.
