The testosterone sizzle of 'Burn the Floor'

The title "Burn The Floor" basically says it all with heat generating from the quick steps of its hunky dancers who come together to create a new perception of ballroom dancing. This is not your grandparents' idea of ballroom dance, which was thought as only being elegant and subdued.

Instead this dance form was reinvented into a sizzling, sexy style by dancer/choreographer Jason Gilkison, an Australian former dancing champ, when the show premiered in England in 1999, long before ballroom dancing went primetime with "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Can Think You Can Dance." (The current production features Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis, alumni of "So You Think You Can Dance.")

Over the past twelve years "Burn the Floor" has toured some twenty countries, including a number of extensive U.S. tours, the latest of which is winding down in various Southern California cities, including Los Angeles where Jim Halterman caught up with some of the hunky dancers.

While dance is as popular as ever thanks to television shows like "Dancing With The Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance", (in fact, many of the show's performers, including leads Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis, are alumni of "So You Think You Can Dance"), "Burn The Floor" also entertains with an eclectic mix of dances and rhythms. Dancers Kovalev and Gary Wright as well as drummer/percussionist Henry Siriano talked to EDGE about the energy that goes into the show as well as how they maintain their tight physiques while traveling across the country.

Adrenaline-pumping

EDGE: It seems to sell "Burn The Floor" short by merely calling it a dance show. How would you describe the show to someone?

Pasha Kovalev: Even if you're not a fan of dance you'll find something in the show because we have so many good things going on. We have live singers, live music, live percussions...so there's a lot besides dancing. There is no one single storyline but there are stories in each and every dance. We have 28 dancers that show the story with our dance language because that's what it's all about. It's a lot of fun to watch and people who come to see the show always jump and try to dance in their seats!

Henry Siriano: It's a high-energy, non-stop, adrenaline-pumping ballroom dancing show. It's definitely not your Grandparent's ballroom dancing!

EDGE: So it sounds like the show is more than a little on the sexy side, too, right?

Pasha Kovalev: Oh yeah, absolutely. We have lots of that going on and some numbers you won't see much clothes on us so that is very sexy! [laughs]

Staying in shape

EDGE: Everyone onstage has an amazing body but is it a challenge to get your workouts in because you're traveling, staying in hotels, etc. How do you manage that?

Gary Wright: Obviously any dancer needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can't expect to eat junk food everyday and get away with it. For me, the most important thing is to keep the weight on because it's such a demanding show. I'm constantly trying to eat to maintain my weight!

Pasha Kovalev: The show itself is a huge workout and all the guys and girls have to actually try to keep weight instead of losing weight because of the show. We still get our workouts before the show and we do all our stretches and rehearsals.

EDGE: How do you keep it exciting for yourself show after show? Does the show change over time?

Pasha Kovalev: Within each dance you try to find something special and you keep working. It's either a love story or there's a party going on so you try to find new ways to interact with one another. Even though it's the same thing over and over again and we're doing eight shows a week you try to find something special in each and every dance.

Henry Soriano: For me, it definitely helps to get to play drums and get to play percussion, as well. It's also ever evolving. Every couple of weeks there's something new we're putting in and we do changes here and there just to keep it fresh. Another part of keeping it fresh is just practicing all the times. I practice almost every day just to keep up with my own musical abilities.

The TV influence

EDGE: How important are TV shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing With the Stars" in bringing this resurgence of dance to the mass public?

Pasha Kovalev: You know, TV is a big, big factor in popularity so dance has gained popularity in the big circle of people and those [shows] are definitely showing dancing on a new level. Even a few years back if somebody was asked what do you do and you said 'I'm a ballroom dancer' then they'd say, 'Oh, ballet?' Now, nobody questions it. Everyone knows the form of dance that it is and it's because of those TV shows!

Henry Soriano: Absolutely. Thank God for shows like that because they're popular and have opened the public up to what ballroom dancing could be and, of course, our choreographer, Jason Gilkison, is very innovative in putting ballroom dancing in a modern setting and that helped to educate people on dance in general. I think that helps a lot when people say 'Ballroom dancing is boring!' They'll come see the show and open their eyes to it so I think it's very cool that "Dancing With The Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" are so popular right now.

EDGE: Pasha, you've been on "So You Think You Can Dance" before. Will you see you on either that show or "Dancing With The Stars" this year?

Pasha Kovalev: Maybe. I was invited to do "Dancing With The Stars" this season but it didn't work out because of my commitment to "Burn The Floor" [but] you never know what's going to happen next.

Gary Wright: Being from England, "So You Think You Can Dance" is just starting up back home and I'd like to maybe one day get onto "Strictly Come Dancing" [the UK precursor to "Dancing With The Stars"] because I think it's a very good thing to promote dancing, get people involved and to show people how good dancing can be so I would like to be in something like that.

Acting next?

EDGE: Are you interested in acting or is dancing your main focus? Pasha, I know you did a small part on "True Blood" awhile ago.

Pasha Kovalev: At this point, dance is my focus but it would be interesting to branch out and try something else but at this point I think I'm focusing on dance and the opportunities like acting will come along. Of course, dancing is not just body movement, there is a story and you act anyway but you just don't use words; you use your body as the language and your tool. My goal is to make people who watch our performance believe that what is going on up on the stage is real whether it's a love relationship or hate relationship. That requires some acting skill.

EDGE: Henry, your role in the show is a little different than the dancers, right?

Henry Soriano: Right now, I'm playing drums but usually I'm playing percussion in the show. As far as my role, there's really not much to it but me playing drums. There's still interaction with the dancers and we all play off each other and have fun onstage. Not a lot of people realize it but playing percussion and playing drums is a very physical activity. For me, I try to go to the gym everyday and I focus a lot on strength and endurance.

EDGE: There are many parts of the show where all the guys are not wearing much at all. Does it take some work to get comfortable with that?

Gary Wright: To be honest, I don't really have that problem. That sounds so vain but I'm a confident person in what I do but I know some people when they first started doing these shows and they have to take their shirt off and they feel funny about it but it is something that you eventually get over.

"Burn The Floor" runs through June 12, 2011 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA. For more information about the show visit the show's website.