In REBORN, Strictly favourites Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu goal to focus on the transformative energy of dance as they share an intimate portrait of their private lives and fervour for dance on this spectacular present.
Supported by a forged of dance champions and Strictly resident vocalist Andrea Grant, the standard of the stay vocals, the choreography and its execution are of completely distinctive high quality.
The excessive power begin indicators the intent of the night – to place dance entrance and centre of all the pieces. Amy charts her dance journey from her old flame disco to falling in love with the Cuban heels the opposite women have been carrying at her dance courses and her change to ballroom, her dance partnership along with her husband Ben, and their pursuit of the 2016 British Championships that led her to be the one skilled to show down Strictly when provided it. The reasoning behind it’s actually touching.
Carlos’ story is equally touching, born in Taiyuan in Northern China, his father handed away earlier than his delivery leaving his mom to convey him up alone. In a house full of affection, his prodigious expertise led him to go away residence on the tender age of twelve to pursue his dance dream, finally changing into Chinese National Champion. His transfer to the UK and his emergence as his true free self are defined with pleasure as he declares: “China is my country, but the UK is my home”. His happiness at fulfilling his dance dream in addition to with the ability to specific himself absolutely personally, is palpable. He dances a male/male Tango in a shocking pink go well with, that highlights his pure showmanship. He shares too, that the dance fashion that fires his souls is Flamenco which he powerfully dances with the supporting forged.
Amy explains how Carlos exploded into her life in 2022, filled with power and mischief and the way they naturally gravitated in the direction of each other. Gu now a completely fledged member of Dowden’s household, spending the final two Christmases along with her, getting his first ever Christmas stocking and now calling her mother and father Mama and Papa. She declares he’s the “little brother I never had”.
Dowden’s Cancer journey is spoken of frankly as she dances and narrates the horrific setbacks, the ache, lack of identification, how chemotherapy ravaged her athlete’s physique, how Sepsis and infertility, modified her endlessly.
Gu surprises as he takes to the microphone to delivers a superb choice from Cabaret/ Chicago, the viewers’s jaws collectively drop because the opening bars of Mein Herr ring out and keep on the ground till he’s completed.
The costumes and lighting are of remarkable high quality, you may see on stage all the cautious planning and design that has introduced this to fruition.
For all of the emotive storytelling it’s the dance itself that affects, it’s pure perfection, arguably the very best quality of any Strictly professionals on stage. There are blazing routines to One Night Only, Proud Mary, I’m a Survivor, This is a Man’s World, Whitney’s I Didn’t Know My Strength, You Can’t Stop The Beat (the routine that gave Dowden and her associate Karim Zeroual her first excellent 40 rating), a darkish Tango to Everybody Wants to Rule the World, culminating in an explosive pre-finale of Born This Way and Who Runs the World – Girls, the finale itself is an emotive one danced to Over The Rainbow.
If you weren’t a fan earlier than, you can be after experiencing the pair’s expertise stay, up-close and private. The power is off-the-charts all through. The real love the pair have for dance, for each other and respect for his or her viewers simply shines by. Pure perfection.
5 STARS
Continues to tour the UK.
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