The Burn the Floor Story
The original idea for Burn the Floor came in a burst of colour and energy. I was witness to a scintillating display of Ballroom and Latin dancing at Sir Elton John’s 50th birthday celebration at the Hammersmith Ballroom in London in March 1997.
In the midst of a glamorous costumed evening Elton, the ultimate host, the party in full swing, 16 young energetic dancers mesmerised the packed room in a 20 minute dance display. For me it was just the spark of an idea. I was soon to meet and discover the ballroom dance world, its people with their intensity, commitment, discipline and work ethic. These ideals would become my inspiration. It was the dancers themselves that provided the real spirit, their good nature, openness and sheer talent combined with a burning passion and love of dance.
It would be another 18 months before I gathered the first team together, a core of dancers and designers in a London ten day workshop late in 1998. A quest to combine the natural chemistry and personal values of the individual dancers with aspects of modern theatre technology. Small pieces of choreography from Anthony Van Laast, costume ideas from Bonita Bryg and lighting by Patrick Woodroffe, set by Marc Fischer who became our original design team, we rehearsed and stitched together the initial pieces day after day at Pinewood Studios.
The results were spectacular on film, creating strong images and magnifying personalities. The result bought us a commitment from Universal to support us for a full-length show that we would produce specifically for film. A genuine buzz began in the ballroom and Latin dance environment sending new dancers our way, all with ideas and excitement.
The frantic rush to deliver the show by June of 1999 began. Sets, costumes, choreography, all focused on a world premiere in Bournemouth. We were to film all three planned shows for worldwide release, thus beginning a never-ending cycle of marketing and touring around the world.
It was a tense and nervous time. Tensions often flared under the pressure. Deadlines missed and re set, staff replaced, as patience and performance came under question. Slowly the show began to take shape. Six weeks, twelve hours day, six days a week in an old army barracks hall in Hammersmith, followed by a week of technical rehearsals in South London preceded the move to Bournemouth. Seemingly the BTF tradition of delivering under pressure and creating opportunity from little, “no matter what it takes” was born at this time. After chaotic dress rehearsals the shows were performed with much relief. This collection of spirited dancers, assembled from fifteen different countries, the fierce personalities all honed in dance competition, excelled on stage, the months off work and pressure released. The enduring comment of the night captured the feeling in the company. “It’s as if we all won the competition tonight!”
Finally with the results on film, the Bournemouth shows completed successfully to solid critical comment, we began our first world tour. Australia for two months, back to the UK including the Royal Albert Hall in London, the point theatre in Dublin ( the home of Irish dancing ) and then a long trek through Europe. Relentless over night bus travel, occasional deep snow, to critical reviews, some great, some disappointing. A few dancers couldn’t take the pressure and went home early. Everyone was tired. It was a solid learning process, what worked, and what did not work in the show, with the very best teacher, the audience. We discovered cumbersome and difficult to move scenic pieces, slow and meandering parts of the show. We had “too much and too many” this was our first lesson in production. Every one was happy to break in December some seven months after we started.
With all the success we also encountered set back. Our first USA tour in March 2000 highlighted by shows at Radio City Music in New York was cut short in six weeks. We would finally learn our lesson in touring economics, too many “grand ideas “proving impractical. Seven semi trailer trucks hauling what had become a massive production across vast distances. We had grown to a staff of eighty.
As producer I was required to call a halt to re-asses our structure and ideas. Advising the dancers who had shown such passion, loyalty and commitment was like attending “a funeral for a dear friend”. With all we had achieved in just ten months it seemed unreal to stop.
We began to assess all we learned about the show, the pace and structure. Jason Gilkison came to the forefront from dancer to Associate Choreographer and finally to Artistic Director and sole Choreographer. His ideas breathed new life into the dancing and the show and we began a process of change. We looked for different ideas in structure and music, costume and staging, it was a major overhaul and began what is now an annual process of BTF. We look to find a higher level for the dancers, a streamlined and stylized presentation that would continue to evolve.
Its was six months before the company reassembled with many new faces, the desire to succeed and the even greater passion. New Years Eve in Monaco was the catalyst, on stage for the Millennium New Year at glamorous Le Club Sporting was to be our turning point. A new enthusiasm was born.
Although there was drama to come highlighted by our return USA tour opening around the chilling events of September 11, 2001, BTF had reached a plateau. We considered ourselves strong enough, and were becoming good enough to succeed in any circumstances no matter how challenging, how testing, good or bad could only build the character of this unique company.
Under Jason’s guidance the show continued to blossom in all directions. Audiences were growing and good critical reviews are now the regular thing. Through the USA in 2002 and twice again in 2003. Japan, a highlight in 2002 in Osaka and Tokyo. Casino seasons in Biloxi and Reno in 2002 and 2003 helped us create the second company, and with a long season, a mini version of Burn the Floor running at Busch Gardens for nineteen weeks through the early part of 2003, our USA connection remained strong.
Japan and Australia featured in our schedule again in 2004, and we took our performance credits to 87 cities and 17 countries with over 2 million people seeing the show. Such has been our success in Japan it has become our spiritual home.
New ideas come much easier now, and we continue to evolve, in search perhaps of illusive perfection, and BTF has become a strong unique family.
2005 sees us planning our new version of Burn the Floor, to be called Burn the Floor-Extreme Ballroom. Sixteen dancers working with eight musicians and two singers. Jason has created new choreography, new music, costumes and presentation. The band has brought a whole new level to the show — I can’t believe the energy level it creates. With shows in Australia, London, Shanghai and Beijing, Extreme Ballroom is under way. If the early reviews of the new show are any guide we have really stepped up to a whole new level.
2006 will see the “Last Dance” tour of Burn the Floor in April, May and June. It will be the final run of the original concept show, through Singapore, Korea, Taiwan Hong Kong and of course Japan in both Osaka and Tokyo, before we go over completely to Extreme Ballroom.
Thank you Jason and Peta and the foundation dancers, who are “the heart and core” of the BTF team. And to all the dancers and creatives, especially Anthony Van Laast who gave us so much through the early years. Now after five years we can celebrate our very own history and tradition.

Duration: 1 hour 37 min
DVD English