By Jordan Beth Vincent
DANCE
BURN THE FLOOR ★★★½
State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
Until January 15
A lot has changed since Burn the Floor first premiered two decades ago. Back then, ballroom dance's peculiarities were situated in elite competitions – with dances carefully divided by type and genre in the world of Dancesport. Both Latin American and Standard ballroom dances have since become increasingly mainstream through visibility on reality television, and Burn the Floor's specific appeal is its hybridisation of ballroom dances with other forms of movement, as well as the fame of one of its choreographers and founders, Jason Gilkison.
Burn the Floor.
This latest iteration of the show (directed by Peta Roby with choreography by Roby and Gilkison) offers the same enthusiasm, energy and athleticism that the brand has been spruiking since its founding. Twelve dancers (many of whom are both So You Think You Can Dance alumni and Dancesport title holders) perform a range of styles, blending rumbas with tangos, hip-hop, jive or just plain old bump-and-grind.
There are definitely moments where, in the show's transparent desire to be sexy and edgy, things veer towards tasteless. Then again, Dancesport has never been known for subtlety, and part of what makes these dancers so entertaining is that the hair flips and calculated grimaces are as seamlessly choreographed, specifically chosen and rhythmically executed as the spins, jumps, shimmies or flicks of the heel.
The dancers are impressive and versatile, performing at top energy all the way through what is undeniably a demanding production. Despite some faltering moments (and particularly some patchy vocal performance moments), this is a fun show that has not forgotten that the heroes are the dancers themselves.