Georgina Butler
Writing. Dancing.

FEATURE: ‘The Last Tango’ Rehearsals with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace – London, September 2015

 

Dancing comes naturally to Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace. The pair’s passionate professional partnership on Strictly Come Dancing endeared them to the nation and, since leaving the ballroom behind, a foray into musical theatre has seen their fancy footwork thrill audiences in venues nationwide. Now, hot on the heels of the success of Midnight Tango and Dance ‘Til Dawn, comes the dynamic duo’s third production: The Last Tango.

As the name suggests, The Last Tango is Vincent and Flavia’s grand finale. The show opens this month ahead of a 32-week farewell tour to give fans all over the country one last chance to see them perform live on-stage in a full-length piece. The World Argentine Tango Champions have been dancing together for twenty years and now it is time for them to pause, reflect upon their successes and consider new projects – but not before saying goodbye to theatre in style!

Described as their “best show yet” by the smooth-talking Simone, The Last Tango has been devised as a celebration of Vincent and Flavia’s most intimate, emotive and beautiful dance moves. Anticipation is high and expectations are even higher so I was chuffed to be invited to watch the cast in rehearsal.

 

Georgina Butler with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace during rehearsals for The Last Tango.

 

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FEATURE: Rare ballet shoes a “pointe” of interest at auction house – June 2015

 

Forget the glass slippers, ballet princesses wear pointe shoes

 

Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world. This is a particularly appropriate statement to attribute to ballerinas and their ballet shoes. After all, dancers know that finding their perfect pair of pointe shoes is so much more important than shopping for killer heels!

Ballet technique is all about creating an impression of weightlessness and ease so, although the seemingly effortless grace audiences witness really does glide on blistered feet, a well-fitting pair of pointe shoes can make all the difference to a dancer’s performance. They are also a source of endless fascination for both dance devotees and the general public.

The battered pointe shoes of three of Britain’s most famous ballerinas are to be auctioned off this month. Moira Shearer, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Mary Honer were idols who inspired generations of dancers to train and perform. Their legacy is still alive among ballet students today, which makes the discovery of this collection all the more exciting.

 

Two pairs of ballet shoes. Margot Fonteyn's pointe shoes (on the left) are among those up for auction.

 

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FEATURE: Happy International Dance Day, 29 April 2015

 

I dance. Therefore, I am.

 

Dancers all over the world are celebrating International Dance Day 2015 today.

Dance has always been an essential part of my life and I am a dedicated advocate. Dancing offers so many physical, psychological, emotional and social benefits. Everyone should seize the chance to dance!

Dancing promotes a healthy and active lifestyle, helps to build confidence, teaches the value of hard work and perseverance, encourages creativity and expression, relieves stress, brings people together and fosters artistic appreciation. And, above all else, dancing is really good fun!

 

International Dance Day Word Cloud.

 

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FEATURE: ‘You, Fascinating You’ The Musical, September 2014

 

A musical adaptation of Germaine Shames’ beautiful book will bring a forgotten ballerina’s life to the stage.

 

American author Germaine Shames began researching the narrative of her biographical novel You, Fascinating You nearly a decade ago. Ten years on, she is looking forward to You, Fascinating You: The Musical.

The powerful tale of You, Fascinating You reveals the hidden epic behind a timeless love song and provides an insight into the life of headstrong Jewish ballerina Margit Wolf. The book was first published in 2012 and has won an Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society.

Now, a future on Broadway beckons. The true story of this unforgettable Hungarian woman and her romance with an up-and-coming Italian composer has been adapted as a musical that is currently being prepared for its stage debut.

 

You, Fascinating You the Musical. Times Square theatre billboards along Broadway in New York City.

 

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FEATURE: ‘Dance is the Word, an inside perspective’ – English National Ballet Blog Post, June 2014

 

As an English National Ballet Dance is the Word writer, I was asked to write an article describing my experience of meeting other journalists, bloggers and writers and watching this year’s nominated Emerging Dancer competitors in rehearsal and performance.

My piece, Dance is the Word: An Inside Perspective, was featured on the English National Ballet website as a post on their blog.

 

pointe shoes dancing writing dancing notepad

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