Amy Dowden & Carlos Gu are about to embark on their new tour REBORN, which shall be in Glasgow at The Pavillion Theatre on nineteenth March.
With Amy having made a return to the dancefloor following her most cancers analysis and Carlos discovering his true self within the UK, they honestly really feel REBORN. This inspirational new present, the place the transformative energy of dance shines by, will function a blinding forged of world-class dancers and vocalists. Taking audiences on an emotional and uplifting journey by highly effective and show-stopping routines, REBORN is a testomony to the enjoyment of dancing.
How would you describe the brand new present?
Amy: It options some fabulous dancing, in fact, and individuals who come to see it are going to be taught a lot extra about us. We are telling our tales by dance and we’re going to take you on an emotional, uplifting journey, that includes so many various types of dancing.
Carlos: We’re the perfect of pals and friendship is an enormous side of this tour, in any other case we wouldn’t be on the street collectively.
Amy: Totally. We’re sincere with one another. We love one another. Carlos is like a part of my household and we’re at all times loyal and reliable in the direction of one another. We acquired one another’s again.
Carlos: We have a really deep soul connection. We know and perceive one another so nicely. Sometimes we will consolation one another simply by holding fingers with out having to say any phrases.
Why did you determine to name it REBORN?
Carlos: Because the theme of the present is about having a brand new life. It’s a rebirth and a breakthrough. You undergo such a tough time, then you definately break by and you’ve got a brand new model of your self. From the start I had this title in my head as a result of the present is predicated on my story, in addition to Amy’s. I moved to the UK from China and I modified my profession from aggressive dance work into the tv world. When you make an enormous change like that you just’re navigating your new life, assembly new folks and also you don’t know the way it’s going to go. You don’t know whether or not you’re going to do nicely or if it’s going to go badly. Because of my sexuality, transferring to the UK has undoubtedly helped me open up myself extra, and it has inspired me to be my true self and to simply accept who I’m. I’m a brand new, totally different model of myself due to the setting I’m in and due to the problem of the work that I’m doing over right here. Then I talked to Amy in regards to the thought of doing a tour collectively and after I take a look at her she’s the right instance of the REBORN theme. She went by the worst interval of her life and he or she by no means surrender. She fought again.
Amy, given what Carlos says, how does the theme of rebirth resonate with you?
Amy: I had my identification stripped away from me after I had my most cancers remedy. I misplaced my hair, I gained weight, I wasn’t in a position to dance and I didn’t know what my end result was going to be. I’ve undoubtedly turn into a brand new individual as a result of I don’t assume anyone is really the identical after they’ve had most cancers. But what? I’ve turn into a greater model of myself, a warrior model of Amy, so I undoubtedly really feel reborn and I take a look at life otherwise now. I reap the benefits of each alternative, each beat, each second on stage, and each second I can get to spend with my pals or my household, since you don’t know what tomorrow’s going to carry.
Can you inform us a bit in regards to the routines and the music you’re that includes within the present?
Amy: It options each fashion going, from disco to industrial, Latin, the Argentine tango, flamenco, ballroom, Fosse.… We’re overlaying all of the bases. And with the songs there’s a variety as nicely, from pop songs to Latin and Argentine tango tunes and all these favourites that everyone is aware of and may sing alongside and dance to within the viewers with us. Many of them are songs which have helped us personally or have performed a big half in our lives. For instance, we’re that includes I Didn’t Know My Own Strength, which is the track that I rang the bell to on the finish of my chemotherapy remedy.
Carlos: We’ve spent a lot time on checking out the music as a result of it’s so vital. If you get the music proper then half of the present is finished. I’m an enormous Bob Fosse fan, I am keen on him, so there’s a Fosse-style shock on the tour too. I’m not going to spoil the shock, however let’s simply say that I’m going to be doing another sort of efficiency as a substitute of simply dancing. As nicely as ourselves, now we have some improbable dancers within the present and stay singers to offer it that actual, passionate feeling. And as Amy says, it’s a very genuine, authentic, highly effective journey that not solely gives superb dancing however which additionally takes folks on a journey by the narrative of our private tales.
How would you sum up your ardour for dance?
Amy: For me, it’s my life. It’s been my saviour by the toughest of instances. When I used to be informed ‘Sorry Amy, you’ve acquired most cancers’ my ardour and drive to be again on the dance flooring was what saved me going after I was at my lowest of factors and didn’t know if I used to be going to have the ability to get off the bed.
Dance has additionally given me my husband, who was my dance associate, and it has given me pals like Carlos, who’s now like household. I’m so fortunate to have discovered dance as a result of it has given me all the pieces in my life.
Carlos: I feel my ardour for dancing is just about just like Amy’s. Dancing is my life and it feels prefer it’s my peace too. Only after I’m dancing do I really feel like I don’t have any troubles. Life’s drawback don’t exist whenever you’re dancing. It’s like a pure and peaceable place the place you are able to do no matter you need, the place you may categorical your self, and I really feel like I categorical myself extra by dancing than in every other kind.
What do you most get pleasure from about dancing collectively?
Amy: We each come from the aggressive world, so we share the identical beliefs and the identical passions for the methods and the values of dance. We used to compete in opposition to one another, so I feel that’s what attracts us collectively as dance companions. And as a result of we’re such good pals we may be sincere with each other.
Carlos: I agree. We’re each strict as nicely. In dance if you wish to produce one thing good it’s important to be strict about what you need and what you don’t need. We need to make an excellent present collectively and now we have the identical objective on the subject of that, so now we have to be very strict with one another. Coming from the identical background, it’s additionally simpler for us to speak issues by.
You’ve each gained quite a few trophies and honours. Which ones imply probably the most to you?
Amy: Winning the British Championships is one thing I’m very happy with, and I acquired to win it with my now-husband. There’s just one winner yearly and I get to have that subsequent to my title as former British Champion for the remainder of my life.
Carlos: For me turning into Chinese National Champion is a large honour as a result of now we have so many dancers in China. I feel now we have, like, 60 million folks doing ballroom and Latin, round 20 million of that are doing it at a aggressive stage. That implies that now we have to work extraordinarily exhausting with a view to get forward, so profitable my first Chinese championship was an enormous deal for me, particularly as a result of I truthfully didn’t count on to win it.
What do you hope folks take away from REBORN?
Amy: I hope that they’ll take away the message that at any level in your life you may flip to pals, to household, you may change as an individual and it is best to by no means surrender in your goals. ‘Don’t get bitter, get higher’, ‘This too shall pass’ and ‘Stay true to yourself’ are quotes that I at all times use. Never cease dreaming, by no means cease pushing, by no means cease attempting to turn into the perfect model of you.
Carlos: I hope that they get to be taught extra about us as folks. On TV we are typically at all times constructive and completely satisfied, however we’re solely human and there are such a lot of advanced feelings there. But it’s a constructive message as a result of we’re humorous, highly effective and powerful. And the dancing within the present gives a lot greater than folks have seen from us earlier than.
Are there any stops on the tour which might be expensive to your coronary heart?
Amy: Obviously Cardiff is a really particular one for me – to have the ability to go and do a double-show day with a loud Welsh viewers and my household and pals. I feel for them it’s going to be an enormous second as nicely, after all the pieces they’ve been by with me and now to be there and see me carry out once more. But in every single place we go on the tour is particular to me, attending to journey across the nation and assembly all our followers. There are quite a lot of locations Carlos hasn’t been to earlier than, so I can’t wait to point out him round someplace like Bath and go to the Roman spa collectively. Everywhere we go we’re going to try to do one thing, even when it’s simply taking a stroll across the city.
Carlos: I’ve been to some locations across the UK on the Strictly stay excursions however I’ve solely lived on this nation for 3 years, so there’s a lot extra for me to find. I’ve by no means been to Bath, for instance, however I’ve heard a lot about it and I can’t wait to be there with Amy as my tour information. And we’re performing within the West End. That’s an enormous field ticked!
CREDITS: Steve Ullathorne/ Simon Button
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