Nikita Kuzmin in his debut solo dance spectacular, Midnight Dancer, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York
STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Ukrainian star dancer and choreographer Nikita Kuzmin leaps into the Grand Opera House, York, on May 20 in Midnight Dancer, his debut British and Irish solo tour.
The Kyiv-born holder of six Italian Championship Latin and Ballroom titles invites you to “a fairytale ball like no other and a night full of music, sequins and world-class dancing” in the company of fellow dancers Sophie Baker, Thomas Charles, Lowri Hamilton, Samuel Lake, Charlotte Lee, Zara Liu, Seamus Mcintosh, Daniel Rae and Andreea Toma.
Joining 27-year-old Kuzmin too will be singer Rebecca Lisewski, who has appeared in Mamma Mia! and Cabaret in the West End and the UK tour of The Spongebob Musical.
Follow the highs and lows of a classic romance story as two star-crossed lovers meet only to be torn apart. Will they reunite at the masked ball or will real life put an end to their fairytale fantasy?
Presenting 2024 Celebrity Big Brother runner-up Kuzmin “like you’ve never seen him before”, Midnight Dancer promises a modern-day Cinderella story with “all of your favourite dancefloor anthems, dazzling costumes and explosive dancing”.
“Whenever I create my shows, I want them to be different, so every detail matters about the narrative,” says Nikita. “I need a narrative, as a dancer, as a creative person, otherwise, I don’t see the point if they don’t have a story.
“When I see other shows without a narrative, I feel they get lost. A show can only resonate with me if it has meaning.”
Explaining the roots of his debut solo show, Nikita says: “It was always quite clear to me, I knew where I wanted to go with it, after many years of prepping it, making the show with creative director Tom Jackson Greaves, who I’m working with for the first time.
Nikita Kuzmin in Midnight Dancer, “a classic romance story where two star-crossed lovers meet only to be torn apart”
“We started at the beginning of last year’s Strictly season, and I’ve spent every single day for the last eight months working on it. It’s been a lot of work.”
In putting the show together, “being in my position, you do have the final say, but I do like to listen to other opinions, and we chose what we’re doing as a collective of me, the [creative] director and the company – though I always have quite a say!” says Nikita.
When picking the company of dancers, “I look for characters; I look for different movement, distinguishing one from the other; I look for the sparkle in the eye; the intensity inside the body,” he says.
“It needs technique but I love individuality and to see people move in a way that I wouldn’t necessarily do. To find people who embrace that quality, it’s fantastic.
“I think my job and Tom’s job is to ask ‘when do we want to see the individual, when do we want to see the collective?’, and it should be like ocean waves that have their individual course but are also collective – and I think we’ve done a pretty good job of doing that.”
The tour opened on March 8 in Bromley. “It’s gone so much better than I expected. It’s a dream come true,” says Nikita. “I think it’s surprising the audience in how we’ve created something that is very different from other Strictly [off-shoot] shows, by not following the usual course but going our own way and exploring feelings in a deep way, like a movie that starts well, then goes badly and then all is well again at the end.”
Selecting one word to describe Midnight Dancer, Nikita chooses “drama”. “That’s my favourite word,” he says. “It’s a very dramatic show, but you know what, I love how deep, how fast paced, it is,” he says of a show with 53 songs and 120 costumes.
Nikita Kuzmin in the poster artwork for Midnight Dancer, heading for York on May 20
“The most important thing is to have fun. I think audiences are in for the best night ever. If not, let’s make them feel better, with plenty of banter from me as well. I always try my best.
“I think we’ve done the show in such a way that it’s very clear when we’re doing the story and when we’re breaking off from that to have a chat, and I’m really proud of that.”
Nikita’s own performance draws on “a combination of things”. “I have a certain character on Strictly, and I do play to that, but I also like to be honest on stage. I’ll discuss my feelings in a very honest way, being funny or talking of sometimes feeling a bit scared performing on my own,” he says.
“Being honest makes the audience feel we’re all together in this show because I can be honest with them, they can be honest with me.”
Midnight Dancer will be on the road until May 24. Looking ahead, Nikita’s return is confirmed already for his fifth season as a Strictly professional. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait. You never know how it will go,” he says.
“I would say the year I reached the final [with Layton Williams in 2023] was my favourite, but I would take every year I’ve done it because I love to be partnered with different personalities. You always try to make sure they have the best time ever and enjoy every bit of it.”
Before then, “I’m looking to have a little vacation, a little break, before Strictly,” says Nikita. “Exciting projects” are in the pipeline too. Watch this space.
Nikita Kuzmin in Midnight Dancer, Grand Opera House, York, May 20, 7.30pm. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.