Sunday 28th July 2013 by TicketTree team
We’ve seen the fascinating Flavia Cacace many times on Strictly Come Dancing and on stage for Midnight Tango, but when TicketTree got the chance to speak with her for an exclusive interview, we were spellbound with what she had to say.
Born in Naples, and moving to Britain at the age of 4, Flavia hardly needs more of an introduction as she’s become a household name in the world of ballroom dancing. Her exuberant style has captivated audiences up and down the country since she joined TV’s Strictly Come Dancing in its fifth series. She’s also danced with celebrities as diverse as Terry Wogan, Louis Smith, Gethin Jones, Russell Grant, and her now-fiancé, Jimi Mistry.
So why did she leave the world of TV and set off to the theatre? Flavia tells TicketTree how passionate she is about the stage. “You are in a world you have created, and it's about the story not the audience, it’s personal.” Perhaps this is what contributes to Midnight Tango’s success, which is still creating a buzz even after it burst onto Britain’s theatrical scene in 2010!
But Flavia is quick to tell us that it’s not all about her. Vincent Simone, her dance partner in Midnight Tango, has a huge role to play. “We have danced together for 18 years so he knows me so well” says Flavia. It’s no surprise that they were both crowned the UK Argentine Tango Champions in 2006 and rightly so. Their talent and on stage chemistry has wowed audiences, which Flavia explains is crucial because a good performance is made up of “music, dancing from the heart, and focusing on your partner.”
For such a passionate person, we can’t but help wonder what Flavia would do if she had an unlimited budget for her dream production. Does she need millions? What would she spend it on? Down-to-Earth Flavia says it’s not about the money, “I think sometimes simple is more creative and beautiful.”
With Flavia’s drive and energy, we couldn’t pass up on asking what’s next for her. She smiles proudly and lets us in on the scoop around her new production, Dance ‘Til Dawn. It has a glamorous 1940s LA theme and promises every inch of the passion of Midnight Tango, but she’s excited because it’s essentially “a brand new show, a new creation, a new story and new choreography.”
The whole production sounds amazing and very hands on which explains why Flavia will sadly not be competing in Strictly 2013. She’s committing to Dance ‘Til Dawn and explains “we will be working very hard to make it as good as possible.” The TicketTree team cheekily ask her if she thinks it will be better than Midnight Tango and Flavia confidently says, “Midnight Tango has been a dream production already, but we hope to top it with Dance 'Til Dawn.”
We are left with little doubt that it will.
Midnight Tango is on the final stretch of its national tour, in Manchester ‘til July 27th and Leeds ‘til August 3rd. You can book packages for the Manchester dates on our site.
Dance ‘Til Dawn’s UK tour begins on February 18th 2014 and runs right the way through until July 6th 2014, up and down the UK. You can find full date and ticket information on their website.