The producers of Broadway's dance sensation, BURN THE FLOOR, announced today that three new guest stars will join the company for the show's final extension on Broadway prior to an Australian, Asian and U.S. tour. On January 12, Mary Murphy of "So You Think You Can Dance," and Edyta Sliwinska and Alec Mazo of "Dancing with the Stars" will become part of BURN THE FLOOR's electrifying cast. The Broadway engagement will close on February 14, 2010. The show opens in Melbourne Australia the following week. Cities and dates for the U.S. tour will be announced shortly.
Mary, Edyta and Alec will join the dance juggernaut that has taken Broadway by storm, breaking box office records and extending its limited engagement three times. The show was originally announced for a 12 week engagement, and immediately broke box office records at The Longacre Theatre.
Mary Murphy will have made her Broadway debut in BURN THE FLOOR for one night only on December 22 and will return to join the company officially on January 12. She is best known for her enthusiastic and emotional judging style on "So You Think You Can Dance," gaining notoriety and earning fans as the "Queen of Scream." She is a US Ballroom Dance Champion and an Austrian National 10-dance and Ballroom Champion. In addition to owning Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego, Mary is a partner in the "Chance to Dance" program in the San Diego area school district, helping provide dance classes to children unable to afford lessons. She will be partnered with Vaidas Skimelis.
Alec Mazo has been dancing since he was five years old. He moved to America from Russia with his family when he was 12. His mother started a dance studio in San Francisco, and today Alec runs two ballroom dance schools-one in the San Francisco Bay Area and another in Los Angeles. Mazo and Edyta only turned professional in 2005, having been successful amateur Latin competitors for the previous five years. He appeared in the film Dance with Me with Vanessa Williams and has had roles in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and CSI: NY.
Edyta Sliwinska, who is known as much for her daring costumes as her dance moves, is the only professional dancer to appear on all eight seasons of Dancing With The Stars occasionally against her husband, Alec Mazo, winner of the first season of Dancing With The Stars. In 2000, Edyta left her native Poland to pursue her dream of becoming a world famous Latin dancer. She settled in San Francisco and partnered with Alec. Together, they won first place in the 2001 International Grand Ball and the 2001 Holiday Ball.After five years as dance partners, Edyta found herself competing against Alec on the first season of Dancing With The Stars.
BURN THE FLOOR is the electrifying Latin and Ballroom dance spectacular which opened this summer at Broadway's intimate Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). It is produced by Harley Medcalf, Joe Watson, Richard Levi, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Raise the Roof One, Toppall/Stevens/Mills, Benigno/Klein, Caldwell/Allen, Carrpailet/Danzansky, Bud Martin, The Production Studio, Schaffert/Schnuck, and Carrie Ann Inaba by special arrangement with Dance Partner Inc.
BURN THE FLOOR has thrilled audiences in over 30 countries and was the first show of the new Broadway season. It opened in August and quickly broke the Longacre Theatre box office record and announced an extension to January 3 2010.
BURN THE FLOOR is created, directed and choreographed by Jason Gilkison. Its cast is composed of award-winning international dancers from around the globe and include Australian Ballroom and World Latin American champions. They collectively hold more than 100 dance titles. They are Sharna Burgess, Henry Byalikov, Artem Chigvintsev, Kevin Clifton, Sasha Farber, Jeremy Garner, Patrick Helm, Sarah Hives, Melanie Hooper, Peta Murgatroyd, Giselle Peacock, Nuria Santalucia, Mirko Sciolan, Vaidas Skimelis, Emma Slater, Sarah Soriano, Katarina Stumpfova, Damon & Rebecca Sugden, Damian Whitewood, Robin Windsor, and Gary Wright. The dancers are supported by two vocalists, Ricky Rojas and Rebecca Tapia.
As previously announced, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Kym Johnson join the company from November 27 through January 10. Anya Garnis and Pasha Kovalev return to the company on January 15 to complete the star- studded line-up.
Playing Schedule: Tue at 7, Wed- Sat 8, Wed & Sat at 2, Sun at 3. Price Scale: $111.50, $89.50, $ 59.50. All prices include $1.50 facilities fee. The performance schedule for the final week will be: Tue Feb 9 at 7; Wed Feb 10 at 2 PM only (no perf at 8 PM); Thu Feb 11 at 8; Fri Feb 12 at 8; Sat Feb 13 at 2 & 8; Sun Feb 14 at 3 & additional perf at 7:30 PM.
Discounts are available on groups of 10 and more. Tickets are available at www.telecharge.com.
For a sneak peek, visit www.burnthefloor.com.
