Strictly stars bring Firedance to Cambridge
Strictly Come Dancing stars Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez are set to resume their tour of the Latin dance spectacular, Firedance.
The run was halted by the Covid-19 crisis after the pair had only completed a handful of shows. Now tickets are going on sale for the tour which will resume next February and come to Cambridge Corn Exchange in March.
Karen said, “I can’t wait to bring Firedance on tour across the UK in 2021. The passion, warmth and excitement from the audiences who saw it in 2020 was absolutely incredible and I know the whole Firedance team can’t wait to be back onstage very soon”
Born in Venezuela and having grown up in New York from the age of 10, Karen Hauer is best known for dancing on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Joining the series in 2012 she has been partnered with household names including Westlife's Nicky Byrne, The ‘Hairy Biker’ Dave Myers, Mark Wright, Jeremy Vine, Will Young, and Sunday Brunch chef Simon Rimmer. In 2019 Karen reached the semi-finals of the series with comedian Chris Ramsey.
Meanwhile, Gorka said: "I had such a great time on the Firedance tour. Yhe audience, Karen, our fellow dancers and team made it a truly memorable experience so the bar has been set for 2021. I can't wait to return."
Gorka’s flair for dancing started from a very young age. Originally from Bilbao, Spain, aged 11 he attended ballroom and Latin dance classes where he quickly excelled and became one of the top dancers representing Spain across the world.
Gorka appeared in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 series. His debut saw him paired with EastEnders star Tameka Empson. In 2018 he was partnered with TV star Katie Piper after having waltzed Alexandra Burke to the final the previous year.
The Firedance show is based around the story of two Latin dancers from rival houses who meet at The Festival of Fire and when their eyes lock there is an instant connection. Through a mix of Latin, commercial and contemporary dance, eclectic musical styles and hypnotic rhythms, their passionate affair unfolds.
A spokesperson for the tour said; "With a live band featuring Latin musicians and a dynamic dance ensemble performing Argentine tango, flamenco, contemporary, paso doble, samba and salsa, audiences can expect a captivating show of fresh and exciting dance from two of the world’s finest. The constraints of the ballroom are thrown off, making way for hot pulsing beats, seductive choreography and passionate performances that will take your breath away. Featuring iconic songs such as In the Air Tonight, Sway, Bad Romance, Sweet Dreams, Relight My Fire, Bamboleo and many more."
The making of the production was recently documented in an in-depth BBC Four programme ‘Danceworks – Firedance: Latin Fever’, showcasing the intricacy, skill and physical demand behind the show produced jointly by Raymond Gubbay and Kilimanjaro Live. Detailing the creative process from rehearsal to behind the scenes of the opening nights, it gives an insight into Karen and Gorka’s sheer technical ability and passion for the discipline, pushing the boundaries of what is known of Latin dance. Watch here.
Stuart Galbraith (CEO Kilimanjaro Live) and Anthony Findlay (CEO Raymond Gubbay Ltd) who jointly produce the show and tour said, “Firedance is an exciting, contemporary, breath-taking spectacle and we’re really proud to have been involved in the creation and production of such an innovative and visually stunning show. It’s great that it’s coming back in 2021 as the public reaction to it earlier this year was so fantastic. We worked very hard to rearrange the dates that had to be postponed, are returning to many venues for a second show and we’ve added some brand new ones to the tour list as well so that even more people can have the opportunity to see and enjoy the jaw-dropping skills of Karen and Gorka”
Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Corn Exchange, Cambridge 7:30pm*
*Rescheduled March 2020 shows.
Tickets available from firedancelive.co.uk
