Dancer Caoife Coleman is living the LA dream in new hit movie
PROFESSIONAL DANCER CAOIFE COLEMAN HAS A STARRING ROLE IN THE NEW HIT MOVIE ‘THE GREATEST SHOWMAN’. SHE TELLS OLIVIA RYAN ABOUT HER PRIDE IN HER DUNDALK ROOTS
AMOVE to L. A was the golden step to stardom for professional dancer Caoife Coleman, who has a key role in the recently released ‘ The Greatest Showman’ led by Hugh Jackman.
Caoife, whose mother and father are both originally from Dundalk, was born in West Sussex in England.
‘But I spent a lot of time in Dundalk as a child and still visit at least four to five times a year,’ Caoife told the Argus.’
The 30-year-old moved to Los Angeles since April 2015 to pursue her dreams of acting and singing and over the last three years landed stints on shows like America’s Got Talent and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
It was her latest role however, starring alongside Hollywood A-lister Hugh Jackman, which saw Caoife really step into the limelight.
In ‘ The Greatest Showman’ currently in cinema’s nationwide, she portrays an albino twin who performs in the circus run by Hugh Jackman’s character.
‘We didn’t have speaking roles but we are there throughout the entire movie, you can see us. There’s big dance numbers that we are part of too, she said.
Caoife also got the chance to rub shoulders with fellow co-star Zac Efron in the film, which has so far grossed over €100m at the box office since it was released in December.
The Greatest Showman is an original musical that has been praised by critics as celebrating ‘ the birth of show business’, telling the tale of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
It took seven years to complete, and tells the story of the P.T. Barnum, founder of the famous Barnum and Bailey Traveling Circus.
It also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and Michelle Williams, and has received rave reviews for its soundtrack and original ensemble dance numbers which Caoife was a key part of.
‘It was ‘amazing acting in scenes with all the main characters... espe- cially Hugh Jackman, and performing in the all the big dance numbers It really was incredible being on the set of a movie, it’s amazing to see how it all works behind the camera.’
Landing the role was she adds, like many things in showbusiness, knowing those behind the scenes.
‘I have worked with the choreographer of the film, Ashley Wallen, for about eight or nine years... so the opportunity came to do the movie and of course I said yes!’
Caoife’s love of dance stretches back to her childhood.
She started dancing when she was 10, and was, she says, immediately enthralled by the performing arts.
‘I decided around the age of 14 that I wanted to be a professional dancer, so I went to Laine Theatre Arts at the age of 17 for three years.’
‘ Then my first job out of college was a music video but my first major thing I did was a television show called Dirty Dancing Time of Your Life on Living TV in 2008.’
Finding her feet as a professional dancer, she was soon signed up to some of the biggest live shows on British television.
‘ The most memorable shows I have worked on are the X Factor, which I have actually done since 2009, along with Britain’s Got talent.’
Her experience and expertise also saw her join Take That’s hugely popular ‘ The Circus’ stadium tour.
Indeed over the last ten years she has performed with some of the biggest names in music, appearing in gigs for Kylie Minogue, Nicole Scherzinger, Will Young, Cheryl Cole, Robbie Williams, Olly Murs, Rita Ora feat. Chris Brown,
‘I moved to LA then in 2015 to pursue my career further. It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride... Lots of highs and lows!
But it’s such an amazing place to live that the highs outweigh the lows. It makes you push yourself to your limit and more.’
Despite the hectic schedule of Los Angeles life, Caoife admits that she loves to ‘get back home to Dundalk’ as often as she can.’
‘I have actually just returned from Dundalk where I spent the last month. I was back teaching some workshops leading up to Christmas and the release of the movie.’
It’s great to be able to pass my knowledge and experience onto the younger generation of dancers. Especially in Ireland as dancers don’t really get a lot of opportunity to learn from people who are in the industry.’
But, she adds it was the opportunity to spend time with family which made the festive season so special.
‘It really was so nice to come back to Dundalk for Christmas and spend quality time with my family! I miss them so much and only get to see them a few times of year.
But Christmas and New Year is always special... and I love Dundalk at Christmas too!
‘I just love the feeling there, it’s like a movie set in itself... like that movie ‘Brooklyn’ or ‘ The Holiday’ with the quaint little streets and cute houses that haven’t changed much in years compared to the vastness of LA, It’s always so Christmassy, I love it!’
I JUST LOVED BEING BACK IN DUNDALK AT CHRISTMAS, SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILY