Show: Keep Dancing
Format: Musical
Genre: Musical
Date: November 1 2016
Location: Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Following on from last year’s Puttin’ On The Ritz, a ballroom dancing showcase which celebrated the works of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, we have something of a follow-up in the form of Keep Dancing at Liverpool‘s Empire Theatre. The biggest difference between the two shows comes in terms of the music which acts as the soundtrack for proceedings. In contrast to the early 20th century songs which are old favourites to longtime music lovers, this provided a mix of hits from the 1950s-to-1970s and some modern hits.
Granted, there are nods to a fondly-remembered time when music was a lot simpler, but for the most part, it’s a modern exhibition of ballroom dancing, at least in terms of the songs. However, there is one big similarity between Puttin’ On The Ritz (which you can read my review of by clicking here) and this show. And that is the outstanding quality of the dancing on display (which, of course, is the feature attraction). Anyone who has ever watched Strictly Come Dancing will know what to expect here. And they will likely be very impressed.
Keep Dancing
Description Of Keep Dancing
The dance moves are eye-catching, complex and, most of all, spectacular. I wouldn’t necessarily pick out certain routines as having a true “wow” factor, although the Hot Honey Rag (which admittedly had much in common with the similar routine for the Maple Leaf Rag in Puttin’ On The Ritz), where nearly a dozen dancers sit on the edge of the stage in an increasingly-rapid and difficult-looking display of hand- and thigh-clapping, including criss-crossing and additional arm movements, was definitely the most eye-catching and well-received performance of the evening.
But the standard of the dancing was high throughout the show, led by the superb combination of Robin Windsor and Anya Garnis, both of Strictly Come Dancing fame, who were amazing and extremely professional throughout; the show reached a higher level when they were on stage doing their thing, and doing it very well indeed.
Other Dancers
However, the backup dancers were all very good too (so much so that they all deserve a mention here: Mason Boyce, Aaron Brown, Victoria Burke, Florence Edge, Yanet Fuentes, Jordan Hinchliffe, Joshua Moore, Shane Seal, Lisa Welham and Rose Wild). The routines varied from modern, funky dancing to a slow-paced, almost artistic representation of combat to classic vintage moves harking back to a bygone era. It is a feel-good show, and the dancing (which also included some guest spots by Louis Smith, British Olympian and winner of the 2012 series of Strictly) and choreography were brilliantly executed and very professionally produced.
Analysis Of Keep Dancing
That being said, one cannot ignore the quality of the singing as well, because it was excellent. Both Lisa-Marie Holmes (who delivered a great rendition of Stormy Weather)and Harriette Mullen did themselves proud with a mixture of fast-paced, high-pitched funk numbers and some slower, quieter and more emotional renditions. It is hard to say which of the two stood out more for their vocal range and for the standard of their signing because both were superb.
But Adam Warmington is also a very talented vocalist: he handled the songs which included the larger dance troupes, as well as those which delved into a different, Spanish salsa culture (which I will elaborate on shortly). The show is primarily about dancing, so it’s easy to take the singing for granted, but even if this were a production that you were only listening to rather than watching, you would still come away with a high opinion of the performers; they add quality to an already-strong show.
Songs
Going back to the songs themselves momentarily. Aas noted earlier, there are some old favourites like New York, New York. But many of the songs are modern, from She Bangs to Sax. (Yes, that song from the Asda Christmas adverts from last year). There is also some variety not only in the genre of music but also the language. Indeed, there are several Spanish-speaking numbers in the show, including Bailamos and Ameska. As with the dancing, this helps to keep the show fresh. It ensures that no two parts are the same, thus providing a high level of variety on the stage. The songs are familiar and fun, and add more appeal to the show as a whole.
Some other observations. I liked the simplistic setting. This ensures that your eyes remain solely on the performers rather than anything else. Mind you, the flashy, Hollywood-esque semi-circular lighting frame over the curtain was also a nice touch.
Space
In addition, spacing out the performers – almost to the point that the show seemed to have four quarters rather than two halves – was a smart move. This ensured that no performer outstayed their welcome and that there was a sense of chronology to the routines. It also kept things fresh for those who may not have liked a particular song or dance. And the frequently-changing costumes were glitzy and colourful. Those sported by the dancers during the final routines evoked thoughts of car wash brushes. This perhaps would have been more suited for the song Car Wash itself. It definitely wouldn’t have seemed out of place!
On the downside, some of the performances were a little on the short side. Certain early routines only slightly exceeded the two-minute mark. And the show as a whole could be longer. With there being no overriding story, it wasn’t necessary to stretch the show any longer than necessary. But I felt that another 15-20 minutes wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Some vocal arrangements were slightly different from what the audience may have preferred. This was particularly noticeable for I Want It That Way. And it was occasionally hard to tell when certain routines actually ended due to a slow fade into black. This resulted in the odd awkward pause before the applause would commence. However, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives with this show.
Summary Of Keep Dancing
In closing, if you’re a fan of Strictly Come Dancing, or if you’re a fan of ballroom dancing in general, then you should love Keep Dancing.
