The dance troupe Flawless who made it to the finals of Britain’s Got Talent are currently touring with their show: Chase the Dream. We popped along to the Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells to see the dance group perform.
Flawless are a street dance group who acknowledge their roots and take in many cultures and many eras. Their athleticism is a given, but their humour, inventiveness and abundant charm might come as a surprise to many.
Flawless try to tell a story of a dance fantasy on board a dream ship in Chase the Dream, where every dream becomes a dark reality turning their dreams into nightmares and of a battle to find their way home or risk being lost in the realm of dreams. For us, this story on stage didn’t make any sense, there needed to be a better narrative like Zoonation have done in the past with Into the Hoods or Groove on Down the Road.
The story in Chase the Dream is told through dance as well as on a screen with lots of clips, at one point they are in a train station, then on a train, then in an office and somehow on to an intergalactic dream ship!The dance routines when they got going were impressive, but we felt they needed just a touch more of a wow factor. In the first half, we were left feeling a bit disappointed with the number of video clips used rather than dance. After the interval, things seemed to pick up dramatically with some great routines showcasing the great Michael Jackson and some 90s classics plus a trip to Wakanda! In these sections there was some fantastic upbeat music combined with lots of flips and acrobatic stunts.
One of my favourite dance scenes was a hip-hop ballet number to Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity” which was choreographed really well showcasing the struggles one of the “characters” faced after an audition. It reminded me of a scene in Fame, but this didn’t then transition into another scene – where the boys need help is threading the pieces together.
We thoroughly enjoyed the part where you get to put on a pair of white gloves and the UV lights just show your hands moving to a routine they show you,. The results are amazing to see with the auditorium joining in.
We felt the ending didn’t finish quite right; the music started and we expected a fast-paced dance finale to finish but after a few seconds the music just stopped and the whole audience were left a little confused not knowing whether that was the end and to clap or not!What I did think was a brilliant idea was supporting local young dance groups and, on the night, they gave one group from Kent the chance to perform at the end of their show. This troupe were amazing and they did a fantastic routine with flips and great dancing with a fun, upbeat soundtrack, they were great fun to watch and a surprise to the night.
In Chase the Dream, Flawless are aided by a brilliant lighting design that delivers the blinding glare of a stadium rock concert as well as moody atmosphere. It’s a shame the first half of the show wasn’t as enjoyable as the second half, but we still had a great night out and did leave the theatre busting some new moves! The boys are talented but just need to think about a story that takes their audience on a journey.
You can see their tour dates here. Thanks to Assembly Hall Tunbridge Wells for giving us the opportunity to see the show.
