BWW Reviews: BURN THE FLOOR Scorches the O.C.

Let me just say this right off the bat... BURN THE FLOOR is quite possibly the most entertained I have ever been at a dance-centric stage show. From its electric start to its rousingly gangbusters finalé, the show truly lives up to its scorching name. The show is such a ball full of kinetic energy that even as a passively seated—albeit thoroughly entranced—audience member, you can't help but feel like you've just sweated through the most rigorous dance-a-thon in the world.

After a series of performances that set the Pantages in Hollywood ablaze a few months ago, the tour is now calling the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa its temporary dance home for the next two weeks through June 12. As it touts in its marketing subtitle, the show is indeed "Ballroom Reinvented."

Thanks to the on-going pop culture saturation of televised dance competition shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, it seems like, suddenly, even the average joe/jane knows the difference between the Viennese Waltz and the Quickstep. And on BURN THE FLOOR, you get a purposely-amplified sampling of it all... from Swing to the Rumba, from the Foxtrot to the Cha Cha, from Tango to Salsa, all the way to the Paso Doble. All 10 distinct "international" styles of competitive Ballroom dancing are represented here, with music provided by a pair of hardworking live percussionists and two distinct singers that occasionally inter-mingle with the beautifully writhing, superbly-toned bodies of the international cast.

The idea seems simple enough: what if you had a show where the focus is just on the dance sequences? Dance numbers have always been staples of the Broadway musical, where an entire troupe bursts into a seemingly spontaneous flash mob of leaps and bounds, conveying emotions via the art of the dance. Jettisoning a book, BURN THE FLOOR is all about the dance, and, boy, are these guys really, really good at it! Using different "locales," costumes and moods (via lighting and smoke effects), the cast literally glide and stomp through their laundry list of dance styles with purposeful gusto.

Much like the Broadway show that originated it, this tour version features no definitive storyline—just one sensational dance number after another, without a boring vignette in the bunch. There is a subtle, underlying motif that finds the women seemingly always engaged in catfights over the men's lusty affections, but the playfulness of the often wordless repartee supersedes any deep meanings the creators may have set out to include. Set pieces, rather, are loosely grouped in more open-ended themes like "inspirations" and "the latin quarter," allowing for seamless transitions that feel organic. Dances come in pairs and sometimes in ensembles, performed with painstaking expertise by an international cast (England, Australia, Russia, and Venezuela are among the nations represented). When the entire troupe dances in dizzying unison, though—like in the technicolor dream setting of "The Dirty Boogie" or the sexy slow-burn of "Sway"—it is truly a magnificent display of technique and skill. You will constantly find yourself perplexed by how such feats of dance are achieved in such perfect execution.

At the heart of the touring company of BURN THE FLOOR are a couple of Ballroom stars that emerged as standouts during their tenure on the 3rd Season (and the 7th "All Star" Season) of So You Think You Can Dance: the gorgeously bawdy Anya Garnis and the charmingly agile Pasha Kovalev. Though their talents are certainly undeniable, but their inclusion in this kinetic collective places them squarely amongst an even playing field—every single dancer is impressive in their own right. You will truly be in awe as every dancer straddles the fine line between athleticism, eroticism, and pure entertainment.

While the acrobatic syncopation of its up-tempo numbers will no doubt have you at The Edge of your seat, they also allow for moments of pure, ethereal beauty, as seen, for instance, in the breezy splendor of the Viennese Waltz performed during a new haunting rendition of the otherwise cheesy song "Nights In White Satin." The pacing of the dance numbers is wonderfully balanced all throughout with nary a speed-bump.

Perhaps the best, most unexpected surprise of all in seeing BURN THE FLOOR is the inclusion of a couple of really great live singers—backed by pre-recorded music that's enhanced live on stage by percussionists Joseph Malone and Henry Soriano—that sometimes steal the spotlight from the terrific dancers. Aside from the admirable singing of originAl West End cast member Peter Saul, it was such a pleasant treat to hear the show's featured female vocalist Vonzell Solomon—"Baby V" herself from the 4th Season of American Idol—sing gorgeously throughout the show. Blessed with a more mature-sounding voice than her days on Idol, she tackles latin rhythms, sexy jazz runs, and floor-thumping disco anthems with equal ferocity. Admittedly, at first, I did a double-take thinking Deborah Cox came out to sing, but then slowly recognized Solomon as she came stomping down the stairs towards center stage, belting like a seasoned, confident diva. Bravo, girl.

As for the show overall, while it certainly lacks the polish or marquee equity of a Twyla Tharp showcase, BURN THE FLOOR more than makes up for it with its sheer uninhibited spunk, its palpable sexiness, and some awesome, truly kick-ass routines that is as exciting to watch as it must be for this talented bunch to actually perform for us. I believe that BURN THE FLOOR will wow even novices of these particular dance disciplines, because the main intent here is to, above all, entertain.

More entertaining than most scripted Broadway extravaganzas, this modernized take on competitive, international Ballroom dancing is a feast of energetically-charged movements. By the time they jump into the aisles for the whiz bang thrills of "Proud Mary" (complete with growling diva riffs from Ms. Solomon), you can't help but to leap to your feet in euphoric applause. And you will.

Follow this reviewer on Twitter: @cre8ivemlq

All photos by Joan Marcus. From top to bottom: Anya Garnis hangs on to Pasha Kovalev; Vonzell Solomon belts out the tunes; a few of the boys sweating it off.

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Performances of BURN THE FLOOR at The Segerstrom Center of the Arts continue through June 12, 2011 and are scheduled Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 1pm and 6:30pm. BURN THE FLOOR is directed and choreographed by Jason Gilkison.

Ticket prices start at $20 and can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am). A limited amount of $20 Student/Senior Rush tickets are available for all performances except the Saturday shows (cash only, 1 ticket per valid I.D.)

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

For more information, please visit SCFTA.org or the show's official site at www.BurnTheFloor.com.

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