YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK IN CULTURE
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Caro Meets Children's Show Interview
Prancer: Prancer The Dancer
By Caro Moses | Published on Monday 19 December 2022
It’s nearly Christmas and – as you all surely know by now – there are lots of fab shows happening for children over the festive season.
One such show is ‘Prancer The Dancer’ at Shoreditch Town Hall, which sees shy would-be dancer Prancer trying to find the confidence to dance in public.
The show, by Brighton’s Marlborough Productions, features a time travel element and a trip to Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom, so naturally I was intrigued. I spoke to Prancer, ahead of opening night.
CM: Can you start by telling us what to expect from ‘Prancer The Dancer?’ What happens in the show?
Prancer: ‘Prancer the Dancer’ is a time travel dance adventure with a smash hit disco party soundtrack. Prancer – that’s me! – is from Blackpool and wants to be a dancer but is very shy, which is very sad. That is when you’d give me a big “awww”. Thank you.
Every time I try to dance in front of people, my legs turn to jelly and I freeze. Building a time machine, we travel to the future to see what life is like when I have the confidence to be Prancer The Dancer! We meet a time travelling dance ambassador named Ian who helps us along the way.
We learn dance moves of the future. We learn that silly dance moves create power. And then we bring all these lessons back with us to a world famous dance competition… All of this, plus a dance party after the show!
CM: Who is the show aimed at? Do you have a special message to convey to them through it?
Prancer: The show is aimed at young people and their grown ups too. There’s something in there for everyone to enjoy. We just want to encourage everyone to let go and have fun. It’s a very joyful show.
CM: I am a big fan of anything about time travel. Can you tell us a bit about your time machine and how you made it?
Prancer: Well, I just threw it together with some bits and bobs from around the house! But it is a time machine powered by noise and dance, so it needs everyone collectively working together to get it flying.
CM: Can you tell us about what kind of music to expect in the show and the dance party?
Prancer: We’re playing everything from Madonna to Motörhead, Tchaikovsky to Beyonce, we’re gonna party to Ultra Naté. It’s an eclectic and electric soundtrack. We’ve well and truly got you covered.
CM: Can you explain for readers who don’t know where and what the Blackpool Tower Ballroom is?
Prancer: The Blackpool Tower Ballroom is one of the most famous locations for dance in the whole entire world!
It’s in my home town of Blackpool and it is a beautiful space, with lots of ornate details and has a sprung dance floor. That means it’s bouncy like a trampoline and people almost float as they dance.
CM: What made you want to be a dancer? What do you love about it?
Prancer: Dance is an amazing form of expression. It’s a language that we all can speak, regardless of where we come from. Some dance big, some small, some wiggle, some jump, some blink in time to the music. It’s a way of having fun and connecting with others. That and the costumes are incredible.
CM: Do you want to be famous?
Prancer: I just want the confidence to dance and to be able to dance in front of people. Sigh.
CM: Why do you think dance is powerful and how can it revolutionise the world?
Prancer: Well, through Ian the Time Travelling Dance Ambassador, we learn that dance is a renewable form of energy. So it is powerful in every sense of the word. The sillier the dance, the more power that is created!
CM: The show is happening just before Christmas. Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
Prancer: We love Christmas in my house. We love it so much my mum named me after one of Santa’s reindeers. We have the tree up all year round. I eat brussel sprouts for breakfast. We don’t use toilet rolls, we use wrapping paper. It is a bit scratchy.
CM: What are your biggest dreams and ambitions?
Prancer: That I can have the confidence to dance and make lots of new friends and we can all have a massive dance party together.
‘Prancer The Dancer’ is on at Shoreditch Town Hall from 20-24 Dec. Read more about the show and book tickets here.
LINKS: shoreditchtownhall.com | marlboroughproductions.org.uk | twitter.com/marlboroughprod
Photo: Matt Crockett
