I am not, by any sensible definition, a regular Strictly Come Dancing viewer. But after interviewing Lewis Cope, Amber Davies, and the fabulous Johannes Radebe, I have found myself becoming increasingly interested in the glittery world of ballroom. My mother, meanwhile, is a fully committed Strictly devotee, so taking her to see Burn the Floor presents Nikita Kuzmin : Supernova at New Wimbledon Theatre felt like excellent son behaviour!
It was also my first time reviewing a show devoted entirely to dance. There was no complicated narrative to decode, no poetry to ponder, and no need to pretend I understood the deeper symbolism of a chair. This was dancing for the sheer joy of it. And it was awesome.
The production looks spectacular. Henry Thomas’s futuristic set features two illuminated staircases rising towards a central bridge, with LED strips tracing almost every edge and three screens hidden among the architecture. Leo Flint’s video design and Richard G Jones’s lighting transform the stage constantly, taking it from icy Starlight Express blues to psychedelic explosions of colour. Patterns sweep across the floor, the screens transport us from place to place, and the whole thing feels far more lavish than you might expect from a touring production.
The opening erupts like a night in a particularly fabulous 1990s nightclub. Lights flash, bodies fly, and seven superb company dancers immediately establish that nobody here is planning to take it easy. Alongside Nikita are Idney De’Almeida, Deavion Brown, Nick Chan, Faye Huddleston, Anna Karelina, Tom Watson, and dance captain Sasha Woodward, with the powerhouse Lois Faith providing live vocals throughout the evening.
Nikita himself is an immensely likeable host. Before this, I knew him largely through the dances he performed with Amber Davies, but I had no real sense of his personality. He is charming, cheeky, sweet, and more than happy to make himself the punchline. When Karen Hauer asks how much he spent on the spectacular set, he replies, “Everything I have. That’s why I’m shirtless.”
He is, indeed, shirtless quite frequently. Judging by the audience reaction, including my own, nobody felt short-changed by this particular creative decision.
The show races through different periods and styles, from Old Hollywood elegance to full Carnaby Street colour. Vicky Gill’s costumes are exquisite throughout, packed with tassels, sequins, feathers, sharp tailoring, and an apparently endless supply of rapid changes. At one point, Nikita reappears looking distinctly Jamiroquai-like, although the stage mercifully remains stationary beneath him.
The sequence that really gets me is danced to Mika’s ‘Grace Kelly’. I absolutely love that song. It is one of those tracks that presses a secret button somewhere inside me and immediately makes everything feel more exciting. Combined with the bright colours, joyous choreography, and sheer exuberance of the company, the whole number is gorgeous. I could happily have watched it twice.
Loosely holding the start of the evening together is Nova, a disembodied artificial intelligence apparently installed somewhere inside the set. She supplies Nikita with facts, photographs, and opportunities to joke about his resemblance to Clare Balding, before largely disappearing. It feels like a running device the production begins developing and then forgets, but she is not particularly missed. Nikita is more than capable of connecting with the audience by himself.
Nikita has a special guest at each date on tour, and his special guest in Wimbledon is Karen Hauer, the former World Mambo Champion and, until her departure from Strictly, its longest-serving female professional dancer. The entire company is exceptional, but there is something particularly thrilling about watching Karen and Nikita together. Their speed, control, chemistry, and sheer confidence are on another level.
A fabulous Shakira medley, including ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, gives Karen the opportunity to remind everyone exactly why she became a world champion, while Lois Faith attacks the vocals in sensational style. Karen and Nikita also have enormous fun with One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’. There may be more technically demanding moments in the show, but few capture its playful spirit quite so well.
Act Two’s sequence inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet is among the evening’s strongest. Brilliant white costumes turn blood-red, the bridge becomes a balcony, and Nikita dances with Anna Karelina, whose name I repeatedly tried to turn into a Russian novel in my notes. She launches herself through the air into his arms with complete abandon, trusting him to catch her as though gravity is merely an optional inconvenience. It is fierce, passionate, and exactly the kind of cinematic dance spectacle I had hoped to see from Burn the Floor.
Less essential is the extended “Who Knows Nikita Best?” game, in which two audience members answer questions based on information revealed earlier. It is good-natured, and Nikita handles the volunteers with warmth and quick humour, but it does go on. Still, if it allows the dancers to breathe and change their trousers, I am prepared to allow it. I know, big of me, huh?
The most moving part of the evening comes when Nikita speaks about his grandfather, who died on the first day of rehearsals. Unable to return to Ukraine to say goodbye, he has turned to dance instead.
Set to Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’, the resulting performance is beautiful, personal, and devastatingly sincere. I am not the world’s greatest Coldplay enthusiast, but “tears stream down your face” is fairly lethal in this context. Nikita is visibly emotional by the end and apologises for bringing down the mood, prompting people across the theatre to assure him that he has done nothing of the sort. It reveals the sweetness and vulnerability beneath all the sequins, jokes, and glistening abdominal muscles.
A stylish ‘Vogue’ and joyful finale soon lift the mood again. Nikita may be the face on the poster, but he makes a point of celebrating the dancers, singer, creatives, and backstage team who have built the show around him. The fun they are having together is infectious, and those who can end up on their feet, dancing along with the finale.
If I have one reservation about the company, it is that while it is racially diverse, there is less diversity in the kinds of bodies represented. The dancers vary in height and build, but all fit within the lean, athletic world we tend to associate with professional dance. With so many young dancers watching, it would have been powerful to see someone outside that familiar mould showing that extraordinary dancing can come in a wider range of bodies.
But Supernova is, above all, a celebration. It is spectacular without taking itself too seriously, personal without becoming self-indulgent, and moving without forgetting that most of us came for a fabulous night out.
My mother adored every step, every costume, every glimpse of Karen, and presumably – not that I asked her – every moment Nikita neglected to wear a shirt. I had an excellent time too. Whether you are a committed Strictly fan or simply enjoy watching outrageously talented people throw themselves around a stage, Supernova shines very brightly indeed.
Nikita Kuzmin: Supernova tours the UK until 25 July 2026.
For remaining tour dates and tickets, visit nikitasupernova.uk
Words by Nick Barr
Photography by Make A Noise
