Client: Next
Event: Annual Summer Party
Brief: To create an evening of authentic 50s entertainment that is immersive and high energy with some unexpected surprises.
We were thrilled to help create a large scale production for Next’s Summer Party, which took place at the NEC, Birmingham. The huge event hall was to be designed like a 1950s diner, with chequered flooring running between the seating booths, pinball machines, neon lighting and a fantastic triangular stage.
We decided to make use of the whole space and to set the scene as guests entered, Roller Skaters dressed as Diner Waiters and Waitresses were moving around the room carrying trays of milkshakes and mopping the floors as they spun from table to table.
The next surprise was in the form of a Flash Mob, as we recreated the famous dance scene from the cult movie ‘Pulp Fiction’. Our dancers appeared amongst the tables doing the iconic ‘twist’ style dance before moving through the crowds and making their way up on the stage.
Then came the main production show, featuring an incredibly authentic 50s band. Our Creative Director worked with the band’s Musical Director to create 6 performances to feature in the hour long show.
The incredible team of 8 dancers that we chose to cast for this event all had extensive training in Jive dance and had appeared in West End Shows such as Rip It Up, Burn The Floor and also on Strictly Come Dancing. The dancers were teamed with 4 amazingly skilled Roller Skaters, all of whom had worked on the hit skating musical Starlight Express. The cast of 14 was completed by adding two LED Hula Hoopers who bought an exciting additional visual to the performances and who’s hoops also tied in with the themed neon lighting around the stage.
The 6 choreographed routines featured high energy Jive dancing, with impressive lifts and partner work as well as appearances from the roller skaters and circus performers too. There were elements of audience interaction and participation and costume changes throughout the show, all of which were sourced and made in-house.
We were thrilled with the end result, which was without a doubt, a 50’s Extravaganza!
Special thanks to the team at Alive Network.
