For twenty-five years Burn The Floor has been mesmerising audiences worldwide. From seriously sexy to irresistibly charming, the ensemble of dancers joins forces with a live band in an electrifying production that will have you leaping out of your seat. Breathing new life into traditional dances such as the Viennese Waltz and Foxtrot, Burn The Floor sizzles with the passion of the Tango and Paso Doble, and revels in the sheer energy of the Cha Cha, the Samba, Rumba and Jive.
This year’s production, Burn The Floor – Dare To Dream, features Human Nature’s Phil Burton as special guest vocalist and Adelaide very own Mark Stefanoff. Mark has worked extensively with Burn The Floor over the past few years, and is no stranger to Adelaide stages, having appeared in numerous local productions, corporate events and as a guest vocalist. Mark has worked nationally with companies such as The Production Company and was part of the national tour of the smash-hit musical Kinky Boots as The Referee Angel.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide leg of the tour, Mark spoke to Glam Adelaide about Burn The Floor and what drew him to pursue the performing arts as a career path.
“At the beginning it was the energy that I felt on stage and that adrenaline that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced in anything else in life. But then as I kind of shifted from performing in community theatre and looking at turning it into a career, it was telling stories on stage and being able to kind of transport people for a small moment of their day that gave me that rush. That is the coolest thing I think for me and just seeing people completely be captured by a performance.”
Burn The Floor is a high octane celebration of ballroom dance, brought to the stage in a fresh and jaw-dropping new way.
“I think the coolest thing is you never know what to expect with Burn The Floor. We’ve been breaking down these boundaries of what dance is, what performance is, and showing this art form in a way that educates, inspires, and completely captivates an audience. Audiences are in for an incredible Australian rock show from the band and Phil Burton, but then they are also in for some of the most incredible choreography I’ve ever seen on stage.”
Prior to this tour of Burn The Floor, Mark worked on the show overseas.
“I had always heard of Burn The Floor, an Australian company, and the show had kind of been crossing paths with my own performances, and I went to see them perform back in 2018. But when the opportunity arose to work with them, it truly changed my life for the good. And I feel so lucky to be part of this incredible company now.”
The show is accompanied by an electrifying live band.
“The music has been cleverly picked – a huge huge credit to our music director Tyler Azzopardi and his team, who have carefully selected this program with the choreographers. The band tells the story with words while the dancers are expressing the story. It kind of unites us in a way on stage that I think is really special. We don’t really see that in many other art forms. There’s this new relationship between the dancers, the singers, and the band, and it just works so beautifully and seamlessly that it doesn’t feel like you’re at a dance show, you just feel like you’re at an experience.”
The show also features the incredible Phil Burton of Human Nature fame.
“Phil is just incredible. He’s become like a dad to all of us. Growing up, my family used to listen to Human Nature, and we would always be playing the Motown records, and I think it was a bit of a starstruck moment when I actually got to see him physically in the rehearsal room. He’s so relaxed and calming in that process that you feel so safe, and he’s got the most incredible suggestions and advice because he’s done this for his entire life, and so getting to work with him like that has been pretty sensational.”
The Adelaide performance of Burn The Floor marks the first time Mark has performed in his home town with a large-scale touring professional production, and needless to say, he’s both excited and nervous.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting nearly 15 years now for this, and whilst it’s really cool to be able to do gigs in Adelaide, bringing in an actual show that I’m so proud to be a part of to my hometown… it’s going to be a very emotional experience. I don’t know how I’m actually going to get through the show, especially with my family being very close to the front and seeing them all there and having such incredible support from the Adelaide community who have helped me get to where I am.”
Tickets for the 17th September performance of Burn The Floor at Her Majesty’s Theatre have been flying out the door with only limited seating remaining.
“I’m excited for Adelaide and Australian audiences to have their eyes opened to this craft in a new way, and I can’t wait for them to hear music in a way it’s never been done before. These classic songs that have been revived and brought back in a way that’s never been done before. That is going to leave you absolutely gobsmacked.”
Burn The Floor – Dare To Dream will be in Adelaide for one night only: Tuesday 17th September, 7.30pm at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Further information and tickets can be found at: https://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/burn-the-floor .
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