Nikita will appear alongside guest star and Strictly legend Karen Hauer as he brings an evening of electrifying entertainment where artistry meets innovation, and Nikita’s trademark charm, power and charisma shine brighter than ever.
Created by world-renowned choreographer and BAFTA award-recipient Jason Gilkison, Nikita Kuzmin: Supernova promises to be its most daring and dynamic with an electrifying fusion of movement and music.
Review by Richard Lambert
Although many people associate Burn the Floor with Strictly Come Dancing, the stage show actually came first, premiering in 1999—five years before Strictly launched on the BBC. It helped transform competitive ballroom dancing into theatrical entertainment, combining world-class technique with the energy and spectacle of a live concert.
The connection between the two productions is largely through choreographer Jason Gilkison, who was a founding performer and later Artistic Director of Burn the Floor before becoming Creative Director of Strictly Come Dancing. Over the years, many dancers have appeared in both productions, reinforcing the close association between them. Far from being a spin-off, Burn the Floor helped pave the way for ballroom dancing’s modern popularity.
A theatre experience begins the moment you arrive, and these days a long queue for security bag checks has become almost inevitable. Unfortunately, that was followed by a medium house red wine priced at £10.10 which, despite the premium cost, tasted disappointingly cheap and bitter. It wasn’t the most welcoming start to the evening.
The set is impressive, featuring staircases, platforms, tables and five video screens, along with 1000s of LED pixels, all of which appear to work and to have been placed in the correct position. Combined with an extensive moving lighting rig and a fully laid dance floor, it creates a sophisticated and visually striking production.
What makes this even more remarkable is that the show is touring. The entire set, lighting and technical rig has to be loaded in, programmed, rehearsed, performed and then completely loaded out again in a single day. It is a testament to both the touring crew and the staff at the New Wimbledon Theatre that such a technically demanding production can be delivered so seamlessly within the one working day
And talking of the video, the video screen content and show sync was outstanding. In addition, the LEDs were all pixel-mapped into a video playback allowing for colour swipes, kaleadoscopes, droplets and complete full-stage explosions to be played in any colour palette that matched the beautiful colour palettes of the lighting design. The only thing I didn’t like was the over-use of the blinders aimed at the audience, quite annoying.
Of course, the dancing was superb. The interwoven stories added variety and helped maintain the show’s momentum, while Nikita’s relaxed, conversational style made the audience feel part of the evening rather than simply spectators. A competition involving two audience members was particularly enjoyable and was handled with warmth, humour and genuine sensitivity, especially when one participant presented some unexpected challenges.
The costumes were fabulous, with an endless succession of quick changes, each perfectly suited to the style and mood of the dance. It has to be said, however, that the predominantly female audience seemed to have a clear favourite: the moments when Nikita appeared shirtless—which happened rather frequently. Judging by the enthusiastic reaction each time, it was certainly a crowd-pleaser.
There was one small costume inconsistency that caught the eye. During a routine in which most of the cast performed barefoot, Nikita and one other dancer remained in white socks. Whether it was a deliberate choice or simply an oversight amid the whirlwind of quick costume changes backstage is impossible to say, but it was noticeable enough to momentarily distract from an otherwise impeccably presented production.
I knew of Nikita before the performance, but by the end of the evening I felt I had a much better sense of the person behind the dancer. Whether partnering on the dance floor or chatting with the audience, he displayed an effortless charm and warmth that made everyone feel welcome.
Cast list: click here
Director and Choreographer – Jason Gilkison
Set Designer – Henry Thomas
Lighting Design – Richard G Jones
Video Design – Leo Flint
Costume Design – Vicky Gill
Artistic Director and Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Tickets: Click here