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Dance City News

 

Dance City on ITV

6/11/08

Dance Life - 6 X 30 min series for ITV Tyne Tees

The North East is putting on its dancing shoes and taking to the floor in a brand new series for ITV Tyne Tees.

Dance Life is a six part series following the lives of dancers at Newcastle’s Dance City, the National Dance Agency for the North East.

From tango to tap, Dance Life charts beginners taking their first steps – as well as veterans of the dance floor on a pilgrimage to Argentina, the birth place of tango.

Buenos Aires lies half way across the globe from the North East, yet Liliana Tolomei’s tango group are aiming to dance with the locals on the most famous tango floors in the world, including Argentina’s very own ‘Sunderland Club’.

Dance Life charts the tough training for the trip – which is the culmination of a lifelong dream for many of the dancers. It’s especially emotional for their teacher, Liliana as she returns to her homeland with her English dance students. Will they measure up in the land of the tango?

Retired teacher, Chris McConway has fallen in love with the sensuous dance. “What Liliana has done is shown us the richness of tango and it’s culture and encouraged us to dive in and want to be part of it,” he says. Liliana says :“Tango can be a very strong drug. Once you’ve got it, it is difficult to get rid of it and then it takes you everywhere.”

And she should know. After breaking her back at 19, Liliana says tango was the thing which saved her life and got her walking – then dancing again.

Conor O' Kane, break dancer and member of Bad Taste Cru, also finds dancing compulsive. “It becomes like an addiction,“ he says. ‘Bad Taste Cru’ are champion professional break dancers from Northern Ireland and Eastern Europe. Now based at Dance City they love inspiring youngsters to dance. Emma McKinney, producer of Dance Life, says: “‘Bad Taste Cru’ are literally bringing young people in off the streets to learn the art of breaking with the real old school traits of hip hop and breaking. “They demonstrate respect for others, looking out for one another, and building a strong community. The young lads love them.” And see what happens when Madonna’s favourite Bboy held a master class at a weekend of workshops at Dance City.

The series shows that age is no barrier to dance. The lunchtime tap class of agile pensioners is the longest running at Dance City. Their teacher, West End star Kris Manuel says: ”They’re a joy to work with -sometimes I come in and I’m sad or tired they always brighten me up .”

Madrid born Raul Caulderon is on a mission to share his love of flamenco with as many people as possible – especially children in the region. He describes himself as the ‘Spanish Billy Elliot’. His father didn’t approve of dancing as a career and he had to train in secret. ‘’It wasn’t until his father saw him on his opening night at the Theatre Royal Madrid that they were able to resolve their differences,” says producer Emma McKinney. Raul says: “When I dance I feel liberated – I feel free” – and you can see it in his dancing.

Dance Life Mondays at 10.40pm on ITV Tyne Tees Television.

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