HAVING focused on the Argentine tango with their first touring show together, Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace wanted to add a little variety to the follow-up.

“The one era which allowed us to go from the waltz to the Charleston, the tango to West End dancing was the 1940s,” says Cacace of the result, Dance ‘Til Dawn, which pays homage to the golden age of the Hollywood musical.

“It seemed to suit what we wanted to do – with lots of stylish dresses and suits. When you watch those films you’re amazed how incredibly talented they all were.”

The pair, who both partnered celebrities on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing between 2006 and 2012, learned new skills for Dance ‘Til Dawn.

“There was no narration or speaking roles in Midnight Tango,” says Cacace of their first show.

“With Dance ‘Til Dawn we wanted to take it a little further, so we put together a script which didn’t take itself too seriously.

“It’s still primarily a dance show, but it is very funny, light-hearted and entertaining.

“From a young age when you’re doing your first steps and start putting choreography together you learn about story-telling and acting.

“What we are doing in this show is pushing the boundaries, breaking down the dance so we go from natural, normal movements into dance movements and fuse the two together – it’s much harder.

“We [Simone and Cacace] have non-speaking roles, so we are telling the story through body language and expression, with the dance fusing it all together. It’s very different for us.”

When it came to casting the 18-strong team of dancers Simone and Cacace were looking for characters who could sing and dance. They ended up auditioning more than 400 dancers.

“It was incredible,” says Cacace. “So many people wanted to be a part of it. It meant we could pick the best – the level of the show is so high. When we recast for this tour for six new cast members we had hundreds more people turn up.”

The pair left Strictly in 2012, after Cacace won the competition with her partner gymnast Louis Smith, and Simone reached the final with Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer.

“Strictly was an amazing part of my career,” says Cacace, who is now married to former 2010 contestant Jimi Mistry.

“We feel very privileged to have been a part of it – each year I gave the show 110 per cent. It has given us great things – we have been able to go back to dancing at the top level. With the 2012 series we ticked all the boxes.”

As for the future, Dance ‘Til Dawn continues to tour the country until May.

“We are looking at the possibility of a third show,” says Cacace. “We are thinking it would be good to create a trilogy.”

Essential information

Starts 7.30pm, 2.30pm matinees on Thurs and Sat, tickets from £22.50.
Call 01323 412000.