Janette Manrara

Pro Dance News Edition WE: 25-01-25

All the latest news from Dincwear Pro Dancewear.

 

Janette Manrara has announced she will take on the iconic role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago.

Janette Manrara has announced she will take on the iconic role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago.

Janette Manrara, who stepped back from performing on Strictly in 2021 to co-host It Takes Two, has announced she will take on the iconic role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago from March, marking her West End debut.

Janette’s West End debut also comes four years after she stepped away as a professional dancer on Strictly.

She revealed the exciting news on social media by sharing a tour poster, alongside the caption: “Extra extra! Big news for Foxy Roxie!

“The dazzling Janette Manrara will be joining the #ChicagoUKTour as Roxie Hart from 3rd March!”

Janette previously admitted she feared she’d have to put her career on hold to become a mum.

She married Aljaž Škorjanec married in 2017.

She admitted she was a “workaholic” and said: “I’m a dancer and my body is my tool, so the decision to have a child was a big one, as it meant putting me out of work for at least a year, maybe two, who knows?

“When I became a presenter on It Takes Two, I felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. ‘Ok, now we can start a family and not stress because now I can work without needing my body physically as much as I used to’.”

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British Youth Music Theatre announces 2025 season.

     British Youth Music Theatre announces 2025 season

British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) has provided details for its 2025 season, featuring 14 new musicals, 25 writers and composers and over 600 young performers.

BYMT is the largest commissioner of new musicals in the UK, offering opportunities and professional training for young creatives across the country.

Creative director Emily Gray commented: “It’s thrilling to be working with so many writers from such a range of backgrounds, brought together by a shared passion for creating musicals with and for young people, and the ideas that our Young Company Panel [a group of 11 to 21-year-olds] have interrogated and decided are the stories to be explored and celebrated this year. Through the programme, we can serve our young people who are dedicated to creating shows that have queer, neuro-diverse and disabled characters and who have advised that all of our casting be gender-fluid throughout the 2025 Season.”

Newly announced productions include the following:

Worn Out is a reimagining of The 12 Dancing Princesses with music and lyrics by Meg McGrady and book and lyrics by Zoe Morris, running in Manchester from 1 to 3 August.

Sense and Sensibility is a musical comedy adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen novel by Grace O’Keefe and Tom Arnold, playing in Exeter from 8 to 10 August.

Theo in Between explores non-binary identity in a small English town and will be staged in Leeds from 22 to 23 August. It has music and lyrics by Jordan Li-Smith and book and lyrics by Gareth Mattey.

The Glamification of Loki, Eden Tredwell’s NTMA-winning mythical musical comedy, will run in London from 29 to 30 August.

Choreomania, described as a “movement inspired exploration of the 1518 dancing plague”, featuring music and lyrics by Evie Atkin and book and lyrics by Evie Press, will play in Birmingham for 29 to 31 August.

Specific venues for the aforementioned productions are still to be confirmed.

These join the previously revealed new production of BYMT’s The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train, with music and lyrics by Luke Saydon and book and lyrics by Carl Miller, which will be staged at Birmingham Hippodrome from 25 to 27 April.

In addition, the season includes a range of BYMT development camps and BYMT projects across the nation, which provides writers an opportunity to develop their shows with other creative young people.

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Wicked nominated for ten Oscars.

Wicked nominated for ten Oscars

The Oscar nominations have been revealed, and Wicked has not gone home empty-handed.

The first part of the screen version of the iconic musical opened in November to record-busting box office numbers and audience praise.

In the Oscar nominations, announced today via live-stream by Bowen Yang (who stars in Wicked) and Rachel Sennott, the film picked up ten nominations, including Best Costume Design, Best Make-up and Hairstyling, Original Score, Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Ariana Grande, Production Design, Film Editing, Achievement in Sound, Visual Effects, Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Cynthia Erivo and Best Picture.

Based on the hit novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the story of two unlikely university friends in the land of Oz, one destined to become Glinda the Good and the other, the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked writers Winnie Holzman (book) and Stephen Schwartz (score) collaborated on the screenplay with Dana Fox.

The Oscars ceremony will be held on 3 March 2025, while the second part of the Wicked adaptation is released in November.

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General News & Sighting

  • The Edinburgh Fringe Society’s “Keep It Fringe” fund will offer 180 bursaries of £2,500 to artists performing at the Festival in 2025.
  • Dollie Henry MBE is offering a chance to 4 emerging Jazz Choreographers to realise their artistic idea and showcase their creative work as part of the Jazz Arts Rewired Festival taking place on the 20th September in London. The deadline for applications is the 21st of March. You can apply via the link in Dollie’s Instagram bio.
  • London City Ballet has announced its programme for 2025.
  • Strictly star Janette Manrara will join the UK tour of “Chicago” as Roxie Hart from the 3rd of March.
  • Sir Matt Bourne announced that “The Red Shoes” will return for a tour beginning in December 2025.
  • The pantomine “Robin Hood” at the London Palladium saw more than 132,000 people this Christmas, a new record.
  • “Wicked” has unveiled new casting for its West End run. Zizi Strallen will star as Glinda and Emma Kingston will play Elphaba. The dance arrangements are by James Lynn Abbott.
  • The cast has been announced for the tour of “Cruel Intentions”. It will star Abbie Budden and have choreography by Gary Lloyd and Emma Hunter.
  • Complete casting has been confirmed for the West End premiere of “Hercules”. The show will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 6th of June. It stars Luke Brady and has choreography by Casey Nicholaw and Tanisha Scott.
  • “Six” has announced the new cast members joining the West End production from the 18th of February. The choreography is by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille.
  • “Mamma Mia! The Party” has extended its London run until the end of 2025. The show stars Ines Fernandez and Lucinda Lawrence and has choreography by Stacey Haynes.
  • “Titanique” has extended its West End run until the 8th of June at the Criterion Theatre. The show stars Lauren Drew and Darren Bennett and has choreography by Ellenore Scott.
  • STOP PRESS – Casting has been announced for the UK premiere of “White Rose: The Musical”. It will star Collette Guitart and Tobias Turley and will run at the Marylebone Theatre from the 27th of February until the 13th of April.

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Future Dance Events News

  • The full cast has been announced for the UK tour of “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical”. The tour will open in Leicester on the 6th of March. The show has choreography by Anthony van Laast.
  • “Hercules” will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 6th of June 2025. It will star Luke Brady and have choreography by Casey Nicholaw and Tanisha Scott.
  • “The Great Gatsby” will open in the West End at the London Coliseum on the 11th of April 2025. It has choreography by Dominique Kelley.
  • Lead casting has been announced for the UK premiere of “Muriel’s Wedding The Musical”. It will star Megan Ellis and Annabel Marlow. The choreography is by Andrew Hallsworth. The show will run from the 10th of April until the 10th of May 2025 at the Curve theatre in Leicester.
  • The full cast has been announced for Sondheim’s final musical “Here We are”. It will star Tracie Bennett and Denis O’ Hare and have choreography by Sam Pinkleton. The show will run at the National Theatre in April 2025.
  • “Clueless” is coming to the West End. The show will have choreography by Kelly Devine and will open at the Trafalgar theatre on the 15th of February 2025.
  • The world premiere of the new musical “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” will be staged in Bath in the Spring of 2025.
  • Disney’s animated classic “Hercules” is headed for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the Summer of 2025. It will have choreography by Casey Nicholaw and Tanisha Scott.
  • The world premiere of “Wild Rose” will run from the 6th of March until the 5th of April 2025 at the Lyceum theatre in Scotland. It has choreography by Steven Hoggett.
  • “Calamity Jane” will tour the UK and Ireland before a West End run in 2025. It has choreography by Nick Winston.
  • The Leeds Playhouse will host the world premiere of “Coraline – A Musical” from the 11th of April to the 11th of May 2025 before the show embarks on a UK tour. The choreography is by EJ Boyle.
  • “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is set to embark on a world tour in 2025. The new production will launch in the UK while its West End staging will continue its run at the Piccadilly theatre.
  • A stage musical based on Prince’s film and album “Purple Rain” is in the works with producer Orin Wolf.
  • “Some Like It Hot” is coming to the West End in 2025. It will be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw.

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Auditions & Vacancies

  • Adrian Gas is looking for tall female dancers (over 5ft, 9ins) for a job on the 1st of March. Contact: casting@adriangas.com
  • Ballet Cymru has an invitation only audition in February. For more information contact: dariusjames@welshballet.co.uk
  • “Mean Girls” has an audition for dancers on the 31st of January. Apply via the link on the show’s Instagram bio.
  • The Rambert has auditions on the 28th of February at its premises in London. You can register and book via the link on it’s Instagram bio.
  • BOR Productions is looking for dancers. Send your C.V and showreels to: casting@borproductions.com
  • Jona Dance is looking for contemporary dancers for an upcoming R & D process in March. To apply, send your C.V, headshot and showreel to: jona.dancecompany@gmail.com
  • Cabaret Delicques is holding auditions in London in March. Contact: production@cabaretdelicques.com
  • Nathan Clarke is looking for tall male dancers for a 6 month contract in Berlin. You can DM Nathan on his Instagram account.
  • Dolce Riviera Parties are looking for dancers for 2/3 month contracts in St Tropez. Contact: casting.drparties@gmail.com
  • Adrian Gas is looking for tall male dancers (6ft minimum) for an event on the 1st of March. Contact: casting@adriangas.com
  • Ruth Forbes is looking for dancers for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Contact ruthforbes@glyndebourne.com
  • Ashleigh Montador Dance Company is looking for a dancer / acro gymnast teacher. Contact Ashleigh to apply.

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Dance Classes

  • Ashley Shaw, Principle dancer with New Adventures, has a Swan Lake Masterclass for 13 -17 year olds at Sadler’s Wells on the 2nd of February.
  • Tracey Illife has a Parisian Showgirl Technique class at Pineapple on the 29th of February from 1.30 – 3.00 pm at the Pineapple Dance Studios.
  • Lucy Jane Adcock is doing regular classes at the Manor in London at 11.00 am on Wednesdays and at the Base Studios on Sundays at 11.30 am.
  • Esme Bowler has a Mamma Mia workshop on the 22nd of February from 2.00 – 5.00 pm at the Park Community School in Havant.
  • Amy Ireland has a Beginners Tap class at Pineapple Dance Studios on Fridays from 10.00 am – 12.00pm.
  • Christina Andrea has Commercial classes at Pineapple on Tuesdays from 5.00 – 6.00 pm and on Wednesdays from 7.30 – 8.30 pm. Christina also has a class at Base Studios on Thursdays from 2.30 – 4.00 pm.
  • Jordi Guitart has a class at Move It on the 8th of March.
  • Josie Lee has an Intensive training day at the Base studios on the 17th of February from 12.00 – 5.00 pm.

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Film & TV

  • The filmed version of “Six”, featuring the show’s original cast, will be released at the cinema on the 6th of April.
  • We spotted Alana Rixon, Millie Lund, Jamie Bell and Victor Allen performing at the Joy Awards with Christina Aguilera. The choreography was by Jay Revell.
  • We spotted Jenny Fitzpatrick in “Bank of Dave 2” on Netflix.
  • We spotted Charlotte Adams dancing in episode 6 of the second series of “Rogue Heroe’s”.
  • We spotted Sianad Gregory in the new advert for Sky Vegas.

Pro Dancer News Published by the Dincwear Pro Dancewear Team.

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