My new tattoo is a Dr Gonzo illustration by Ralph Steadman from the book 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thomson. My tattoo was by the super talented Guy Neutron at Love Hate Social Club in Notting Hill. Love Hate opened in 2012 and is owed by Ami James of Miami Ink fame and Huey Morgan of the Fun Loving Criminals. With a great atmosphere and the world's best tattoo artists either residing or doing guest spots Love Hate is the hottest new tattoo shop in London and I cannot rate it highly enough. I have waited 8 years to get my tattoo done and it exceeded all my expectations. I cannot praise Guy enough! And I think the proof is in his work. My tattoo is stunning! Guy - I salute you!
‘We Will Rock You’, the now infamous rock musical written by
Ben Elton and set to the soundtrack of Queen, is now entering its 11th
year in the West End. This is a big achievement, and there is a reason why this
show has staying power.
‘We Will Rock You’ is set in the future where our lives are
lived online and all music is electronically made. A small group of ‘Bohemians’
are trying to find ‘The Dreamer’, the one who dreams in lyrics and sound. ‘The
Dreamer’ who will bring back real music to the world. But their quest is
blighted by the ‘Killer Queen’ and Commander Khashoggi , who are on a mission to
ensure musical instruments remain forbidden.
Unlike some other jukebox musical ‘We Will Rock You’ has a
story that is strong enough to stand up to the legendary sounds of Queen. It
also brings an exciting concert vibe into the West End.
‘We Will Rock You’ is a love letter to the music that shaped
our lives, narrated by Queen tracks. The show had incredible foresight when it
was created all those years ago into how the digital sphere would impact on our
lives. Listening to the charts these days you will hear a lot of electronically
produced music and some may say the artistry of making music is losing its
prominence. ‘WWRY’ ignites the audience with a passion for ‘real’ music and is
a reminder of not only how Queen are one of the best bands to have come out of
the UK, but also the power of music as a whole.
The stage looks dystopian, depressing and sparse. It gives a
great sense of the mundanely of life lived without live music and without
connection to other people. The costumes are incredible and really show off the
characters personalities. The costumes also create some hilarious surprises!
There are impressive uses of the set which allow the
audience to get up close and personal with the action with one particularly
wowing moment that will stay with audiences long after they leave. ‘WWRY’ also
stays totally current with all of the references in the show being occasionally
updated making the show totally relevant to the audiences. Plus it means if you
visit the show more than once chances are you may have new jokes and references
which keeps the script fresh.
The cast are really wonderful and a mention must go to the
incredible live band. There are some awesome singers that leave the hair on the
back of your neck standing up! Oliver Tompsett (Galileo), Rachel John
(Meatloaf) and Brenda Edwards (Killer Queen) gives outstanding performances.
One stand out moment in the show is ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ which gave me
goosebumps.
‘WWRY’ is not just a celebration of Queen but of all the
great musicians which really makes the show so much more powerful. There is a
beautiful moment where the cast list a name of musicians that changed music who
are no longer with us before ‘Only The Good Die Young’ is performed. It is such
a touching moment and a beautiful tribute. ‘WWRY’ highlights the power of music
and the deep connection people feel to it.
Once the big Queen hits start coming there is an incredible
atmosphere in the theatre. By the end of the show everyone is one their feet
singing and dancing along. Queen were a band that changed music and are loved
globally. ‘We Will Rock You’ celebrates this.
For all the music
lovers out there ‘We Will Rock You’ is rockin’ out at the Dominion Theatre.
Regardless of critics opinions there is no doubt Viva
Forever! is one of the most talked about theatre shows in recent years.
The story revolves around Viva, a young singer in a girl
group who appear on the talent show Starmaker. After getting through to the
live shows the band is torn apart as the judges suggest Viva goes solo. The
story follows Viva through the world of TV talent shows where every trick in
the book is tried to win more votes, for the judges of course. With little
regard for Viva she quickly becomes disillusioned and wonders whether this is
what she wants. What she really, really wants.
Although this is known as a Spice Girls musical the story is
not the story of their rise to fame. In fact there is very little Spice in the
show. There are only a handful of Spice Girls songs , most of the songs are
original. But when the Spice Girls hits such as Spice Up Your Life and Wannabe are
performed it is a great moment where all the audience join in singing and
dancing along to the original routines. There are two moments in the show that
feature Spice Girl medleys and these are certainly the highlight.
There were also some moments of humour where Spice Girls
songs are a backdrop for comedy moments. I won’t give too much away but when an
awkward scene in a hotel bedroom where ‘2 Become 1’ is played something very
cringe gets turned into something very funny! Plus a brilliant use of the song
‘Too Much’ is used in relation to waxing.
Unfortunately that may be where the praise stops. The reason
the Spice Girls were so popular was their message of Girl Power and sense of
fun. Viva Forever! lacked both of these and is a story about failure, not
success. The concept of a Spice Girls
musical is so exciting but Viva Forever! missed out on the opportunity to
harness this and instead created a story which has no relation to the Spice
Girls.
The story is weak and you don’t feel a huge sense of wanting
the characters to succeed. In fact you feel very little towards them at
all. There is a love story thrown in but
just as an after thought. The love interest doesn’t even say a word until the
second half! Jennifer Saunders is one of the nation’s most loved comedic
writers and performers so it is quite a shock at just how bad the story turned
out.
It is not all bad though! Lucy Montgomery, who plays Suzi (a
friend of Viva’s mum), is hilarious and very much pays tribute to Ad Fab. Hatty Preston, who plays TV producer and
overall media luvvy, Minty is also very funny and brings much needed laughs. In
these moments it does show that at its core Viva Forever! was to be the Ab Fab
of the modern age but unfortunately it fails to get there.
Overall Viva Forever! sadly does stand to receive much
criticism but that is part of the fun of the show! Sometimes pop culture that
is so bad becomes something so well remembered. And Viva Forever! may be the
latest member to this club.
Viva Forever closes on 29th June 2013 so make
sure you get your tickets before it is too late! Do not miss the opportunity to
be able to say ‘I saw that’ in years to come when people are still speaking
about the show.
Viva Forever! is playing at the Piccadilly Theatre.
‘Burn the Floor’ returns once again to the London stage. Showcasing
the best in partnered dance ‘Burn the Floor’ features hot choreography, even
hotter dancers and legs that move so fast it is a wonder that the floor doesn’t
set alight!
To open the show the cast descend through the crowd dancing
their way to the stage. What a way to open! ‘Burn the Floor’ takes a while to
hit its stride but once it does there is no stopping it. Whether jiving,
waltzing or shaking it samba style the audience is taken on a rollercoaster
ride moving between slow styles and fast, up tempo routines. Featuring some
lifts and tricks that leave the audience wowed, ‘Burn the Floor’ is an
energetic and modern celebration of latin and ballroom dance.
The cast, lead by Strictly favourites Robin Windsor and
Kristina Rihanoff, are the crème de la crème. There are no leads in this
production, every member of the cast is exceptionally talented. A special
mention should be given to Giselle Peacock, a total firecracker with the
fastest feet on the stage.
After a slow start the show comes to life once the whole
cast take to the stage and the lights start a dance of their own. When the
audience cheer and clap there is a real party atmosphere.
A rendition of ‘Proud Mary’ gained a standing ovation, a routine
featuring a blindfold adds some spice and the moments of contemporary dance
were a beautiful break in the frenetic performance.
‘Burn the Floor’ will be a delight for lovers of Strictly or
latin and ballroom dance. Featuring no story it is a showcase of the plethora
of dance style performed to the highest standard. The dancing is highlighted
with popular songs, and some unexpected choices, accompanied by Peter Blewden
and the brilliant Vonzell Solomon, who sparkles with her beautiful dresses and
powerhouse voice.
‘Burn the Floor’ is
playing at the Shaftburys Theatre until 1st September 2013. Book
tickets here http://www.burnthefloor.com/westend/
Believe the hype. ‘Wicked’ is one show in the West End that
everyone seems to rave about. After seeing it you will be too! ‘Wicked’ tells
the story of the two witches of the Wizard of Oz and how they came to be.
Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good (played by Hayley
Gallivan, the understudy of Louise Dearman and Gina Beck) meet at school and throughout
a whirlwind of a tale we find out just how Elphaba came to be the Wicked Witch.
The story is genius. As a prequel it takes a totally
original direction and ends up changing the way you view the Wizard of Oz
whilst seamlessly joining with the original tale. Unlike other attempts at
creating a backstory (such as the recent film Oz: The Great and the Powerful)
there is nothing predicable in this tale.
‘Wicked’ as well as being magical is also touching. The
strong themes of friendship and standing up for what you believe in that run
throughout are totally relatable, a great achievement for a fantasy story. The
backstory of Elphaba is very believable and will completely change your
perspective of the Oz story, and in a good way. If you couldn’t believe the
charming world of Oz could be improved then be prepared to be shocked. ‘Wicked’
achieves the unachievable.
As soon as you walk into the theatre you are greeted with a
huge and stunning set. It truly is magical! Every part of the set moves and
interacts and becomes almost an extra member of the cast. The Apollo theatre is a perfect fit as the
stage is huge and is able to accommodate the vast scale of Wicked’s production.
The use of special effects is also dazzling.
Elphaba and Glinda are perfectly cast. The chemistry between
Gina Beck and Hayley Gallivan was palpable and made the show ever more
believable and enjoyable. Gina Beck is
hilarious as Glinda and brings so many laughs throughout.
‘Defying Gravity’ is the highlight of the show. This song
performed in the West End exceeds all expectations. If you are a fan of the
Glee version of the song prepared to be blown away! Hayley Gallivan is one of
the best performers I have seen, her voice is outstanding and more than once
did I get goosebumps. Her performance of ‘Defying Gravity’ had everyone stunned
into silence, wowed and more than a few people crying, before bursting into
rapturous applause.
Gina is yet another performer with a brilliant voice. In
fact every member of the cast sings incredibly well. The attention to detail
paid to the supporting cast is fantastic. Every little aspect has been thought
about and makes ‘Wicked’ such an incredible production.
The costumes are beautiful. Once again the quality and
details are of the highest degree. The costumes not only are there to dress the
cast, they are there to be a part of the show.
As Elphaba moves through her journey she starts off as a dowdy teenager
but through getting to know herself her appearance evolves. As the people of
Oz’s opinion of her changes so does the way she looks. ‘Wicked’ is a production
where every single thing you see plays a part in the story.
The songs perfectly highlight what is happening in the show.
Moving between drama, laughs and emotion I haven’t stopped listening to the
soundtrack since leaving.
‘Wicked’ raises the bar in theatre. Every aspect is first
class and this show is what modern productions in the West End must try and
live up to. It is boundless in its execution, every member of the cast is
exceptional, the sets dazzling, the songs mesmerising. ’Wicked’ is the best
show I have seen in the West End. It truly is spellbinding. Do not miss out!
‘Wicked’ is currently playing at the Apollo Victoria
Theatre. A UK tour starts in Manchester on 14th September 2013.
Visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk
for all the information your heart may desire!
Today is International Women's Day. A day to celebrate women, their contribution to society, to history, to families and most importantly to raise awareness of the millions of women who still don't have a voice.
One of the most important books I have ever read is 'Half The Sky. How To Change The World' by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn.
It relates the tales of women all around the world who have overcome adversity, injustice and horrific events to positively move forward in their lives and in doing so advance women's rights and the lifestyles of other women.
It is very easy to forget when living in the UK just how much discrimination and chauvinism is still inflicted upon women throughout the world. Statistically women are the most prejudiced sector in society on a global scale. This is a shocking fact. We are incredibly lucky in the UK.
The recent story of Malala in the press has highlighted the incredible bravery of women fighting for their rights. And unfortunately we have also seen just how far there is to go, with the story of the young Indian woman gang raped, mutilated and left for dead on an Indian Bus.
But the truth is their stories are only the tip of the iceberg At the very least women still face derogatory treatment, at the very worst they are seen as nothing more than a commodity and are inflicted with horrific torture, abuse and stigma.
'Half The Sky' tells the story of what it is really like to be a woman in the world today. But rather than be a morbid and depressing look at the conditions females live in it is an eye opener. It heightens your awareness of the struggles women face globally, but it makes you grateful for all the rights and privileges we have in the Western world. It makes you angry at the disregard and abuse women face purely because of their gender. It fires up your desire to highlight issues and find out just what can be done to enable equality for all.
But most importantly the book is a testament to the strength and courage of the women. It is inspiring, uplifting and full of hope.
'Half The Sky' also details many brilliant, small charities that help women gain independence, equality and better treatment. If you are wanting to do any fundraising but are looking for small, more obscure charities who really could use the help it is well worth checking out this book.
Just by reading the book and becoming aware of women's stories you are helping because I can guarantee you will not be able to stop yourself from telling other people! Read the book, pass it on to a friend, blog about it, spread the word. Post links to the charities, highlight the stories of injustice and fire up your fellow citizens in the fight for equality!
Happy International Women's day. A day to celebrate the beauty and strength of 50% of the global community.
'Update on the Ian Watkins (lead singer in the band Lostprophets) charges: "...alleged to have conspired with a woman to rape a one-year-old girl. He also stands accused of two incidents of conspiring to engage in sexual touching with two young children; possessing, making and distributing indecent images; and possessing “extreme” animal pornography." '
This is absolutely sickening news. I think originally when people heard about the charges they assumed that because he is in a band that maybe 14/15 year olds were involved (and possibly he didn't know their age). But the reality is far more horrific.
What is going on? There are so many cases of celebrities being exposed (or more correctly being accused) of paedophilia at the moment. Do famous people live lives of such excess that they need more and more extreme activities to find thrills? Are taboos the only things left to satisfy them?
Is the media to blame?
Does pornography have a role to play in the ever increasing spectrum of sexual activities and the promotion of extreme sex acts? In such a competitive industry to get noticed producers, performers and distributors need to find niches or more extreme ways of getting their name known. Plus prolonged exposure to anything removes or lessens the taboo. If people are repeatedly seeing certain acts over time it becomes less of a unique preference and more of a commonplace occurrence. Is the media to blame for the open sexualisation of music, film and TV? These days sex is everywhere, at every time of any given day. Listen to five songs on the radio and sex will surely be eluded to. Near naked people are plastered over billboards and magazines. Music videos, TV programmes and films often have soft core porn in them and the timeslots in which they are shown and the ratings they receive reduce over time. Or is it simply that we live in a day and age where policing and investigation are more advanced and crime is less easier to hide? A mirror to society?
I think it is emblematic of society and how depraved it is becoming. Depraved is perhaps too strong a word for what I mean so let me explain myself. As more and more subjects and behaviors become acceptable, it is becoming more and more difficult to find anything taboo. Gone are the days where peoples sexual proclivities were private and you were considered perverse if you engaged in a little bit of light S & M.
Although liberation of sexuality is a good thing it seems almost like the doors were bust open wide and now anything and everything is discussed or able to be viewed online. We live in a day and age where nearly all people of a certain generation know what '2 Girls 1 Cup' means.
Of course this does not mean that the majority of people engage in perverse acts. But the fact we now openly reference the more extreme end of sexual behaviours in conversation shows how lackadaisical our attitudes are becoming to these taboo acts.
I read an interesting article once speaking about how women now in their 40's and 50's when they were teenagers oral sex was something of a fringe activity. It was not an act everyone engaged in. It was a personal choice. Now women in their 20's and 30's see it as a norm and a regular part of sex. I think to my generation it would seem odd if people didn't partake in oral sex. It is now de rigueur. Of course for my generation there are now sex acts that are becoming more popular and less of a choice but are still not seen as a given. In reality the next generation will probably find these acts prevalent.
It is not wrong to live in a more liberal society and in fact speaking more openly about sex has many positive effects. But our attitude must be in accordance. Respect and consent are of the utmost importance. If your partner does not wish to engage in any act they should be respected and not pressured into it.
I feel this is the key issue. It is not the broadening scope of sexual acts that is a problem but our attitudes towards them. The adage 'different strokes for different folks' is apt. Everyone has their own turn ons and everyone is different. But it is the way that the sexual bartering system is escalating but our attitudes are not becoming more liberal. It feels like instead of sexual liberation being a positive thing it is a negative due to how people engage in these acts and relate with their partners.
I would not consider myself a prude but I do find the abject sexuality that is paraded around abrasive to society. As a single woman I very rarely meet a man who would like to get to know me. Instead they would rather have sex first and then maybe find out what you are like after. This shows the shift in sexual attitudes, and I am not sure it is a positive thing. The more blase we become the shorter the scale between what is acceptable and what is not becomes.
Celebrities live their lives on a different level. Everything is big, more accessible and more extreme. It seems sex is something that also falls into this category. And if you live your life on the higher end of the scale the boundaries get pushed higher and higher.
Have we gone too far down the road to make a real difference in liberating sexuality in a positive way? Or has the sexual sensationalism that is at the forefront of our society become so excessive that depravity rules?
After two and a half months of rehearsals we were ready to
ramp things up. It was time to move to the Olympic Stadium.
I was so excited
and could already imagine how incredible it would feel the first time we viewed
the field of dreams (AKA the pitch). Unfortunately for me on the day of the
first stadium rehearsal I was ill and could not make it. I was gutted!
I heard from all my
Olympic friends how great it was to finally be in the stadium…but also how it
had rained for 2 hours and everyone was soaked! This was something that would
be a reoccurring theme throughout our rehearsals (to the point where people
were joking if it didn’t rain on the night we would have no idea how to dance
on a dry stage!)
The next week I was due to make my first appearance in the
stadium but very sadly my nan died. All my family were abroad so it was vital
for me to be at home to take care of things. I will always be sad that my nan
never got to see me perform in the opening ceremony, but as a lot of people
have said she in fact had the best seat in the house.
After juggling everything I was unsure if I would be able to
continue on because I didn’t know how many rehearsals I may need to miss (there
was a rule – two missed rehearsal and you were a reserve / out). But I was
determined that after everything I had been through this year, everything I had
fought through there was no way I was going to miss out on performing.
I do have to say that this tragic experience is really the only
thing that slightly damped my Olympic experience. I had contacted the organisers about my circumstances as soon
as I knew I needed to go home because I was worried about my attendance and the
outcome. (I knew I would miss at least 3 rehearsals at this point). When I
eventually received a reply it was unsympathetic and disrespectful and I was
fuming at the response. I don’t want to go into detail but it left a very sour
taste in my mouth.
Luckily I didn’t need to have any further contact with this
particular person and I have to say that out of the thousands of people
involved in the organising and running of the opening ceremony there was only
ever this one person who I had a grievance with. Everyone else was so very friendly,
enthusiastic and helpful – no matter how busy or under pressure they were. And
I think that is testament to the Olympic spirit that everyone involved in the
games has.
The next week I finally got my first glimpse of the stadium.
Seeing the stadium for the first time was incredible. A real goosebump moment.
I couldn’t believe in a few weeks we would be performing to 80,000.
Once we started rehearsing in the stadium it was more
important to learn our positions, transitions and entrances and exits. This
meant there was a lot of waiting around, but when there are 1400 people to move
that is inevitable!
This was also when we started practicing our entrance and
exit . I would be entering on a human made tube train (so terribly iconic of
London it was brilliant! Although we had joked that to make it authentic we
should hold some sort of strike or delay on our way around the track – also known
as the M25). Gosh! From where my tube entered the stadium to where we got onto
stage was almost a 400m run. Well that was a shock to the system! And running
around a 400m track, whilst holding onto the shoulder of the person in front of
you, and for some of my friends whilst carrying a LCD tube to represent the
train, was no easy feat! This is something that took a long time for us to get
into a workable rhythm. I think this was probably the moment we were worried
about most. But after sitting out to watch a rehearsal a few sessions later
from the seats it didn’t look half as bad as we all felt it did (which was very
reassuring!).
As I mentioned before once we reached the stadium for
rehearsal was when the dread rain curse reared its ugly head. We had been lucky
at Dagenham – there was only one session that had to be moved indoors because
of pouring rain. But from now on that was not an option as we needed to be
prepared for the possibility, and let’s be honest the probability, that it may
rain on show day. I think it rained at nearly every rehearsal we had. The stage
would become slick, making it hard to dance or run without slipping, and there
were a few casualties. But eventually we were so used to this I think we were
prepared for all eventualities the British weather may have throw at us come
the 27th July!
As the stadium rehearsals were a lot longer than the
previous rehearsals we also were given food packs. You may think this is a very
mundane entity to write about but the meal packs were to become such a talking
point amongst the volunteers I could not edit them out! At first people were
excited – we had something new at our rehearsals. The meal packs consisted of a
bread-heavy, filling-light sandwich (AKA brick), plus some Pringles, a Nature
Valley cereal bar and an apple. For every meal. At every rehearsal. For three weeks. I swear
if I see another Nature Valley cereal bar I will not be held accountable for my
actions! I managed to accumulate quite a collection at the bottom of my bag!
Ironically the press have now started referring to the velodrome as 'The Pringle'. How it pains me to hear those words! (But to be fair they do have a point).
A week before the show we were informed that the ceremony
was running 20 minutes over so 2 minutes needed to be taken from each section
of the show. This did cause a frisson of panic as we were seven days from performing
but luckily the changes to my section were minimal. I did feel bad for the NOW
section as theirs was the most affected. There was one song that was shortened (‘Random
Antics’ or as we all knew it as Rah Rah East London Madness!) that everyone was
sad about! But when you look at the facts it was either two minutes from each
section be or a whole section would be removed from the show. I am sure
everyone would be more than happy for the former option when they look at it
like that.
Unfortunately there was one section that had to be cut
completely – a stunt bike team. Everyone was saying how devastated they were
for these performers. To have rehearsed for so long and then not be in the
ceremony is such a tragedy. But I hope that they know that everyone was sad for
them and really respects all they had achieved thus far.
The other great thing about stadium rehearsals were starting
to see the lighting and effects that would be used during our section. Every rehearsal we would find out a little more and it would blow my mind every time! When it was casually mentioned that we would have fire jets during 'Firestarter' I think I nearly exploded with excitement! I would get to perform with pyrotechnics!!! How incredible is that?!
One of the moments that choked me up was the ending. I was lucky enough to finish standing on Glastonbury Tor looking out over the whole stadium. This is the only moment during our performance that you could really soak everything in. With Emile Sande's 'Heaven' playing, the house which is a central point to our performance would lift into the sky to reveal Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the British inventor of the World Wide Web. This is a man who revolutionised our lives and turned down making profit, instead deciding to make it free for everyone. As the house lifts up a message shoots across the seats saying 'This is for everyone'. The first time I saw this it made me emotional but it is a moment I will never forget.
Once we had moved to the stadium everything had kicked up a gear and time seemed to be slipping through our fingers. Once we had practiced our tube trains, our ending, our transitions and practiced with lighting and effects the next stage were dress rehearsals. To 60,000 people...
I would like to take time to thank Kenrick Sandy, Skytilz
and all the dance captains.
It was a huge undertaking to take people with such
a vast range of abilities and try to train them to a performance standard. It
would have been so easy to just two-step and sway your arms a bit and express
that these people were volunteers and that explains the simplicity. But the
fact that Kenrick and his team were willing to push for a higher standard and
have faith in the volunteers is commendable. The fact that the dance captains
always taught with a smile and spoke with kind words, always encouraging and
not scalding us when they would have been under immense pressure it quite a
feat. I have so much respect and love for these guys . Thank you for thinking
big, being totally inspiring, nurturing us and helping us realise our dreams at
the personal sacrifice of your time, I am sure huge amounts of stress and
pressure. You helped us achieve the goal of putting on a great show and made a
beautiful moment in everyone of our lives that we will forever treasure.
Week two of our Olympic rehearsals and we were back at 3
Mills studios in Bromley-By-Bow. This
week we started to learn our actual choreography (the week before had just been
to get us used to the style of the hip hop moves we would be learning, as this
is something that was new to a lot of us – me included). I was nervous about
how my body would cope as I was still recovering from my operation and visiting
the nurse daily, but this week was a lot easier on me. In fact I think the
rehearsals helped my body kick start getting back to normal. I was in a bit of
pain and stiff for a few days afterwards but slowly but surely I was getting my
groove back!
This was also the week that we got to meet our dance
captain, the amazing Skytilz! I remember for weeks afterwards the first
thing the volunteers would say to each other was ‘how awesome is Skytilz?!’ Everyone
loved her, she made every rehearsal a lot of fun, broke every move down so we
all understood and made a lot of jokes! I have to say the dance captains have
really made the experience for me. All of them are incredible talented but so
down to earth and approachable. I don’t think we could have been taught by
better people. (Shout out to all our dance captains especially Nads, Nathaniel, Duwane, Theo and Rhimes!!)
My section was the 80’s and 90’s. I remember we didn’t know
which songs we would be dancing to. Only after we had learnt some moves and
eventually tried them to music did we find out what tracks they were to. This made
our time at 3 Mills always exciting because you never knew what was coming
next! It took about three weeks before we knew all the songs we would be
dancing too and I loved the choices.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning a completely new dance style –
and loved that most of the moves had names (this was a godsend when trying to
remember routines!). With names like the Roger Rabbit and Steve Martin they
were impossible to forget. Every Sunday was a five hour solid rehearsal of
dancing and although tiring I always left with a smile on my face and counting
down the time till the next rehearsal.
At our first rehearsal at 3 Mills we got to meet the main
man, Kenrick 'H2O' Sandy, who was choreographing the whole Thanks Tim
section. Kenrick is a huge name in the hip hop dance scene. He helped
choreograph the ‘Streetdance’ films, he co-owns an Olivier award winning dance
company called Boy Blue Entertainment and has been a judge on the dance show ‘Street
Dance Stars’. We were working with the best of the best. Plus all of our dance
captains are members of Boy Blue Entertainment. (Check them out in the video below)
Kenrick told us that our section was going to be the most
hardcore and energetic out of the whole piece. He wasn’t lying! As he said ‘you
can’t be two-stepping to no Firestarter’! Even though our rehearsals were early
on Sundays morning we needed to bring energy. I can’t think of anything better
to give you a rush on a Sunday morning than dancing, especially in preparation
for the opening ceremony.
During our second week we also got taken to try our costumes
on. I couldn’t believe we got to try them on so soon and it was awesome seeing
everyone in their neon clothes and smiley face t-shirts! It really was a
flashback and I can clearly remember people wearing my costume to raves in the
90’s.
I was pleasantly surprised that Danny Boyle attended every
rehearsal. He was always there with an encouraging speech, a handheld camera
and a look of excitement. Whenever we were waiting he would always make a point
of speaking to us individually.
The thing that has always stood out to me is Danny Boyle’s enthusiasm
for the volunteers. Realistically it is a huge risk to take 10,000 people, some
of whom have plenty of experience and some who have never performed in their
life, and use them to create a show, not just any show but one that is
presented on the global stage. His reputation would be on the line. But not
once did I ever get the impression Danny Boyle was worried about this. In fact
I don’t think he even thought of any other option. He seemed to have his heart
set on normal people representing their country. What a wonderful attitude. I
have never seen such enthusiasm for a project or the people involved. We all
came into this being overwhelmed that we would be part of Danny Boyle’s show.
But Danny repeated told us this was our show.
The 3 Mills rehearsals were purely about learning the
choreography. Once we graduated from there we would start to transform what we
had learnt into a show. After five weeks at 3 Mills we moved onto the old Ford
plant car park in Dagenham, officially known as 1:1. This meant a two hour
commute for me, from one side of London to the other. Although this meant waking
at 5.30am on Sunday mornings I always woke up excited and bounded along to
rehearsals like an excitable puppy.
This outdoor space had two full scale replicas of the Olympic
stadium, both fields of play separated by a giant circus tent. This would be when we would learn our
coordinates and the transitions we would make around the stage during our
performance.
The most exciting element about Dagenham was that each week
our rehearsals got bigger and bigger as we were joined by more and more groups
from our section. We started out week one as all 400 of the 80’s and 90’s
dancer. We were then joined by the Now’s, making it 700 people. A few weeks
after that all 1400 dancers came together. It was our first glimpse at the
other sections and it finally felt like we were working towards a show rather
than having a lot of fun in a massive outdoor dance class.
As well as cleaning choreography we also needed to learn
funnelling (something I found difficult not to turn into a race as I am
naturally competitive but would come hugely in handy when trying to get 1400
people into a tube station after rehearsals) and huge amounts of blocking. Although
very time consuming the mass team, lead by the amazing Gina Chan Martinez,who
were responsible in getting all 1400 of us into the correct places, always
completely their tasks speedily. It is incredible what they do when you think
about the scale of it. And this wasn’t just getting people into lines. This
involved getting people into complex shape, like our awesome 90’s smiley face,
which would be the formation my section started in.
Dagenham was also the place where we got to see more of the
man who was choreographing the whole 'Thanks Tim' section, Kenrick Sandy. Kenrick would often start and end the day with
motivational, and hilarious, speeches that equally made us passionate about our
performance but eager to get it right. Kenrick made sure we were under no illusion
that we could just roll up and give a half ass performance. Although we would
be working our usual jobs in the week at the weekend at rehearsals we would be
expected to act like professional dancers, which meant paying attention and
pushing ourselves to make the moves look as best as we possibly could.
What really help was having the awesome dance captains and
Kenrick walking through us and if we looked to be having trouble they would
always help us in a way that motivated us instead of making us stand out as ‘the
one who is getting it wrong’. There was a definite sense of we are all in this
together and working for the same goal. There was no ‘them’ and ‘us’. This gave
us an environment where we all felt comfortable and didn’t need to feel like we
would look silly if we needed to ask for help. And if you were too nervous to ask the dance
captains were always there watching and giving friendly tips when needed.
The first ten weeks of rehearsal were all about getting us ready to move into the stadium. By then we had learnt our choreography, learnt our transitions and learnt our coordinates of where to stand on stage. Now it was time to take things to the next level. Now it was time to graduate to the Olympic stadium...
This is the image that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
My brain still can’t quite full comprehend that just next to one of those
flames I am stood, performing to billions of people across the world in the
London 2012 Olympic Opening ceremony.
The journey started almost a year ago when I saw an advert on
Twitter (how terribly modern) for auditions for dancers for the Olympic Opening
ceremony. I took a curious glance to see what the criteria was and to my
surprise no experience was necessary. I didn’t think this could be right! But I
thought nothing ventured, nothing gained so I applied. Having up until this
point only taken Michael Jackson style dance classes (which to be fair come
in handy on a night out!) I doubted I would even get through the application
process.
About a month later, whilst on a family holiday in Florida, I received
an invitation to attend an audition. I couldn't quite believe it! Surely I had
managed to stealthy get through the process and at some point they would
realise their mistake! I remember telling my mum I had an audition for the Olympics
and she looked baffled. I hadn’t mentioned to anyone I had applied and I think
she thought I meant as an athlete! (And that would be fooling no one!). Even
just receiving an invitation to audition was enough to start the buzz around
the possibility I may be involved in some capacity in the world’s largest
sporting event .
When my audition date arrived I headed to 3 Mills Studios in
Bromley-By-Bow and I was nervous. I had never auditioned before in my life and
was sure I would be the person with the least experience there. I was
certain I was about to step onto the set of ‘Fame’ and although I had sneaked
through the application process I would suddenly be outed as an infiltrator.
In fact the audition process was brilliant! I had a fantastic day
meeting such enthusiastic people who were just as nervous and shocked to be
there as I was. We were inspired by videos of previous ceremonies and regaled tales
of people’s memories of previous ceremonies. The range of people was so diverse
it was inspiring. People of all ages and walks of life were taking a shot to be
involved in the biggest show London would ever put on. We ran around in a giant game of battleship,
danced to Beyonce (it was a sign!!) and acted our way through a scene involving
vigorous teeth brushing and Oyster Card swiping.
I left on a high. I was sure I may not get through but just to be
able to say I auditioned for the Olympics was enough.
The next day I received an email saying I had been successful and
was invited to attend a role specific audition. Surely this wasn’t real? I was
so excited! And curious as to what the role may be. I was hoping for dance (as
this is my passion) but terrified that if I was against actual dancers, people
who had danced their whole lives, performed in shows and took regular classes,
that there was no way I would get in.
Three weeks later when I arrived once more at 3 Mills everyone was
wearing sweats. This was a good sign! It was almost certainly a dance audition.
But then the fear returned. What would be in store? I now realised I wanted to
be involved more than I thought and didn’t want this to be the end of the road.
Once the audition started I relaxed – in fact you couldn’t do
anything other than enjoy! It was hours of dancing fun and the buzz was
brilliant. At the end when we danced to ‘Moves Like Jagger’ everyone, even the
paramedics, were dancing! It was an infectious jubilant mood! Once more I left
on a high, happy to have been given the opportunity to be invited to audition.
We then had a nervous 8 week wait to know whether we were in or
not. I had a friend who had also auditioned and whenever an email was sent she
would receive hers around 8 hours before
I received mine. I always took this as a sign of not being ‘in’.
On the 13th January around 8PM I received the email. ‘Congratulations! London 2012 Ceremonies
are pleased to inform you that you have been successful in your audition to
become a Ceremonies Volunteer Performer in the London 2012 Olympic Games
Opening Ceremony’. I couldn’t believe it! I was
going to be in the opening ceremony of the Olympics! I cried with
joy. Whoever thought someone with no experience would be given the opportunity
to represent their country and perform on the world’s biggest stage?
Rehearsals started in April. I was so excited to get going. Unfortunately
for me three weeks before our first rehearsal I had to have an emergency
operation of my back. This lead to me having a section of my back removed and
needing to see a nurse every day for 6 weeks. I was told I may have to accept
defeat and pull out of the show. I was flabbergasted. At no point had I ever
contemplated I may not be able to take part.
Three weeks later and it was the first rehearsal. The operation
was more serious than I thought and this was the first time I had been properly
out of my house and moving since my operation. It seemed impossible that I
would be able to dance but I was determined I would not let this opportunity slip
through my fingers.
Once more I returned to 3 Mills, which would be our home for the
next five Sunday’s. We received our Olympic accreditation (well actually I didn’t.
My photo was never right and I spent the first 4 weeks having my photo taken!).
It felt real all of a sudden. I mean I had a BADGE!
We sat in one of the sound stages and all of us nervously but
excitedly spoke with our fellow volunteers about how we couldn’t believe we
were here! Then Steve Boyd – the softly spoke but ever so enthusiastic American
who guided us through our auditions – introduced Danny Boyle. The Danny Boyle.
I was so excited! I was sure other people would lead our section and Danny
would direct from afar. But this was our first opportunity to see just how
hands on, and how down to earth, Danny was.
When Danny explained our section I was overjoyed. The concept
sounded fantastic! A blend of the best of British pop music combined with a
thank you to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the British inventor of the World Wide Web
and the man responsible for how we live in the modern technological age. We were then shown a storyboarded video of our
segment. I can’t lie, I choked up a bit when I realised just how proud this
segment made me feel to be British. I could not wait to start learning the
choreography. Plus my segment was the 80’s and 90’s – totally music I grew up
with!
Danny then took smaller groups to look at a scale model of the
stadium. It was huge! I couldn’t believe we would be performing in such a huge
arena, the OLYMPIC arena at that.
Then we split into two groups and moved into another sound stage.
The first rehearsal was hard. Nearly 4 hours of constant dancing. I was in
agony. We were lined up, drilled with choreography and then performed two rows
at a time. There was a feeling of at any moment if you messed up you would be
kicked out. The team reassured us that we were through so we could relax but
everybody was on edge. I felt gutted. I
knew I was underperforming but the fact I was even moving was a feat unto itself!
At the very end I spoke to mass movement to let them know of my situation. I
was told it was OK for me to sit out the last two runs of choreography but the
message was passed onto my cast coordinator. I was asked if this was a reoccurring
problem and couldn’t help feel like I possibly may be relegated to an understudy
position or moved to a space where I may not really be visible.
At the end I was ready to lie down and rest. I felt a mix of
emotions. Such excitement of being in on the secret, enthusiastic to keep
learning more choreography but also worried that maybe my body was not ready...
