Since its debut performance 11 years ago, Spirit of the Dance has been all over the world and been seen by more than 30 million people, with an extra few hundred this evening. Billed as ‘bringing with it a pedigree of nine global awards, including Best Choreography and Best International Production’ I think it must have left the awards in one of the thousands of dressing rooms that this production has seen.

This show (one of the eleven companies currently touring it) is supposed to combine the passionate Latino rhythms of tango, flamenco and salsa with the endless foot stomping of Irish Dance mixed in, no small order and one that wasn’t reached this evening.

This is a deeply unauthentic show and I felt sorry for the dancers in it, who really did try their best and threw themselves into the show. It must be heart breaking to be an up and coming dancer with this, one of the few shows to get regular work in. There was no space for individuals to shine and no time for any personalities to stand out. It was quick change after quick change, and on into the next stripped down geographical location. Red frills must be Flamenco, Tartan must be sword dancing, Thursday must be Croydon. There were hints of startling talent from some of the dancers but it was crushed under the next regimented pastiche.

The high energy sound track never stopped for moment and I have deeply held suspicions that a lot of the clacking, stomping and tapping was in fact part of the sound track. Overlaid for extra O’rish effect. The ‘singing’ was shameful lip-synch and obviously so (I checked), a real pity as I’m sure the dancers could have sung given a chance.

The ‘award winning’ choreography was lazy, derivative and trite and some of it barely recognizable as representing the style of the dance highlighted, particularly the passionless flamenco and silly salsa.  I sat through the whole ‘belly dancing’ piece thinking it was a Las Vegas show girl skit, hmmmmmmm.

The only part of the show that felt real and gave the troupe a chance to shine was a sit down (no dancing) piece of high energy handclapping, very clever – if a little autistic - and done with verve, it was very good.

These are a fine group of young energetic dancers who deserve much much better than this, (they also deserve no blame for this show)  they danced their little hearts out and gave us all their energy but the choreographer should be taken out and whipped and the director stomped on with those hard Irish boots. It’s a really shame that these talented dancers don’t get the opportunity to shine other than in these rigid routines. This is McDance for the masses.

On the good side the lighting was fab and the sets glittered in the right way and even at two hours it flew by, but it left me with an over all feeling of having been stuck in an up market ‘cruise show’ for two hours, with a heavy dose of Benny Hill thrown in for luck.  I should have gone out for an hours bingo before to get myself in the mood.

If you’re happy with a glitzy show with lot’s of Irish leg flailing and some vaguely amusing moves then fine, and as my friend Susan says, ‘if you don’t like the dancing you can always stare at their asses.’

‘Spirit of the Dance’
Theatre Royal, Brighton
September 29-30

www.ambassadortickets.com/1107/664/Brighton/Theatre-Royal-Brighton/Spirit-of-the-Dance