LOVE AT FIRST DANCE
In 2017, the Oscar-winning musical LaLa Land married a classic love story with dance and music. Viewers across the globe fantasised about being swept o their feet by Ryan Gosling, or men dreamed of staring into Emma Stone’s big beautiful eyes. Two years later, BBC Lifestyle, the home on DSTV for the very best in dating and romance, brings audiences Flirty Dancing, a series inspired by the hit film. Self-confessed romantic and choreographer Ashley Banjo plays cupid, using his skills to bring people together through the art of dance.
Ashley, who met his wife through dancing, believes something electric happens when people dance together.
Each week, Ashley teaches two complete strangers one half of a fully choreographed routine, which they rehearse separately over the next four days. Then, the strangers meet for the first time. The idea is not to talk and instead communicate via the medium of dance.
Ashley creates a bespoke routine for each couple, building in moments that allow them to show themselves in their best light, play to their character strengths – and check each other out, without a single word being spoken. It’s up to them whether they want to see each other again.
Couples bust out their moves to smash hits such as Ella Eyre’s ‘Came Here for Love’, ‘ Perfect Strangers’ by Jonas Blue featuring JP Cooper, Rudimental’s ‘Waiting All Night’ and ‘Chasing Highs’ by ALMA.
Each blind date is set in locations where you’d typically bump into a stranger – just like in the movies when protagonists tumble into each other on street corners. It’s a heartwarming series that follows men and women, of dierent ages, in pursuit of a more timeless way of dating – as if the internet doesn’t exist and they have to show o their best moves to win someone’s heart.
Flirty Dancing starts on BBC Lifestyle, DSTV channel 174, on 23 June at 8pm.