Surrey Strictly stars Vincent and Flavia are trying something new. Emily Horton catches up with them as their musical Dance ‘Til Dawn comes to Woking (March 2-7, 2015) on its nationwide tour
Dance 'Til Dawn - Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
The feet of Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace have barely touched the ground over the past ten years. Surrey’s most famous dance duo won nationwide fame through the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and wowed regional audiences with Midnight Tango, an Olivier Award nominated show devoted to the Argentine tango.
Romantically involved for many years, Vincent and Flavia, who are both Italian born and now live in Guildford with their new partners, have been dancing together for two decades and spent a total of seven series on Strictly.
Now the ex lovers, but firm friends, are starring in the West End in an ambitious new musical called Dance ‘Til Dawn, which is running at the Aldwych Theatre for a limited season and then touring.
“The show is amazing and we get standing ovations every night,” enthuses Vincent, adding, “We had a success with Midnight Tango and we did it for three years, so obviously we were a bit apprehensive about this new show. Dance ‘Til Dawn is more like a variety show, we are using songs that people recognise – from Moon River to Bruno Mars – there is acting and a narrator and it’s funny. I am hilarious in it – honestly!”
flavia and vincent in dance til dawn
Vincent and Flavia’s latest extravaganza is set around a love story from 1940s Hollywood and has a heart-wrenching plot and a cast of some 20 actors, singers and dancers.
“We asked ourselves what we could do to make our show different, and we thought, let’s give people a story,” Flavia explains.
Such a major production must be a huge leap from tutoring celebrities on Strictly.
“It was a bit of a risk. You just cross your fingers and hope you have put something together that people will love,” she says.
With the story requiring them to be in character, I wonder how the pair took to acting?
“I’m quite good!” says Vincent, adding. “Al Pacino, watch your back!”
That he has a natural flair for drama is no news to his legion of fans.
“It was the way I was made. It’s what attracts all the women who come and see our show,” he says, cheekily.
Vincent and Flavia first partnered up as teenagers at Hurley’s Dance School in Guildford. They rose to become world tango specialists but, in their new production, they run the gamut of fancy footwork.
“We swing from a waltz to a Charleston to an American smooth to a rhumba to a paso doble,” explains Vincent, adding “In this show there is incredible variety and not many dancers can do that.”
The show’s choreographer Karen Bruce (a former Strictly pro) agrees.
“Vincent and Flavia are 10 dancers. Most professional dancers specialise in one thing. If you’re completely mad, you specialise in all 10 – and that’s very rare in the UK now.”
This prodigious talent was surely why the pair landed the roles on Strictly. In 2012 Flavia won the competition with her partner, Olympic gymnast Louis Smith. It was after her triumph that she and Vincent took the decision to take a break from the television programme.
“We really, really loved the show,” says Vincent. “But we never had time to concentrate on our own dancing.”
The result was Dance ‘Til Dawn, which had its West End debut in October, before embarking on its nationwide tour this month.
“The West End opening was lovely, some of the Strictly guys – including Brendan Cole and Judy Murray – came to press night,” says Flavia, adding, “Of course I miss Strictly – it was a huge part of my life.”
Not least because it was during the 2010 series that she met her husband Jimi Mistry – who now plays Kal Nazir in Coronation Street. They married just after Christmas last year.
Flavia Cacace and Jimi Mistry
“I can’t quite believe we are on our first anniversary. It’s been a brilliant year.” says Flavia.
It will be Vincent's turn to undertake marital vows this year however, as he plans his wedding to his partner Susan, with whom he has two sons, Luca, five and Matteo, one.
Not one but two weddings are planned next year, he tells me.
“I have a huge family in Italy and Susan has a huge family in Ireland, so we came to the conclusion that we would have a July wedding in Ireland and then one in Italy in August. Otherwise we will end up with 1000 people!”
For now though, Vincent’s focus is on Dance ‘Til Dawn.
“I think this is the year to shine with our new show,” he says.
And, with five star reviews rolling in, our favourite Surrey dancers are doing just that.
Don’t miss it.
Dance ‘Til Dawn is at the New Victoria Theatre Woking Mar 2-7; for tickets and more info, visit dancetildawnonstage.com
