Photo Flash: Meet the New Dancers Moonwalking into West End's THRILLER LIVE

They're changing the cast at Thriller Live with eight new dancers joining the 15th Longest Running Musical in West End history - all making their West End stage debuts. The youngsters joining the cast this week are on 12-month contracts that will see them in the show when it starts its 10th anniversary West End celebrations at the Lyric Theatre in January 2018. Scroll down to meet the new stars!

- Peter Cleverley joins the West End cast as dancer and Assistant Dance Captain after touring the world with Thriller Live, performing in Germany, Sweden, Egypt, Israel, China and on the most recent UK tour.

- Brett Baxter is making his professional debut. He trained with hip hop dance company Elementz Entertainment run by Lindon Barr, a former Thriller Live cast member.

- Shakara Brown graduated in 2015 from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) with a first class BA Hons degree in Dance. She is a member of the all-female hip hop company Boadicea and In 2016 toured the UK with Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity.

- Joel Ekperigin started dancing at the age of 10 with street dance his first passion. He went on to join dance group Cerebro and he performed on the 2016 Brit Awards and on Britain's Got Talent.

- Jamie Mason was a founding member of The Entertainment Group PDK. He danced on The X Factor and Disney Channel.

- Ella Redhead recently graduated from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) with a degree in Dance.

- Emma Jane Smith studied at Performers College (Essex) where she graduated with a Trinity Diploma in Theatre Dance. Her previous credits include the UK/ Monte Carlo tour of New Jersey Nights.

- Jorgia Vaughan trained at Bird College where she recently graduated with a National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre.

Gary Lloyd, Thriller Live's award-winning director and choreographer, said: "Dancers are the beating heart of our production, and with over 30 iconic Michael Jackson songs and epic dance routines, Thriller Live is one of the most physically demanding productions ever seen in the West End. We work hard to maintain the highest of standards as we deliver routines based on iconic moves created by the greatest entertainer of all time, who himself always strived for excellence and pushed the physical limits of what his body could produce. I am thrilled and excited at the quality of our new dancers whose energy and committment to the memory of Michael Jackson is inspirational. This show is a gift to anyone that lives to dance and for anyone that loves to entertain or be entertained."

At the same time, one of our original young MJ's, Eshan Gopal, who went on to join Motown for its UK premiere, earning rave reviews from the national critics, has returned to the Thriller Live West End family.

Thriller Live is unlike other West End musicals. There is no script or story, it is instead an eye-popping spectacular concert celebration of Michael Jackson's music and dance legacy, bringing to life on stage his distinctive high-energy dancing and the pulsating sound of many of pop's greatest hits. The show changes each year with new numbers
added, and features specially created video footage and effects and dazzling choreography by the show's award-winning director, Gary Lloyd.

Thriller Live recently announced a new 12-month West End booking period to April 1, 2018. Thriller Live, which is currently the 9th longest running show - musical or play - in the West End, has now been seen by over 4.2 million people in 32 countries and played over 5,400 performances worldwide, never failing to get a standing ovation!

Thriller Live first Moonwalked into the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in January 2009 and on 14 March, 2017 at its 3,402nd West End performance, it became the 15th Longest Running West End musical in history. It holds the record as the longest ever run of a show since the theatre started entertaining the capital in December 1888.

Thriller Live is currently resident on a return visit to the People's Republic of China, in a brand new state-of-the-art 1,200-seat theatre at the new Parisian Hotel Macau, where in 2016 it was honoured to be chosen as the opening production.

A new tour lauches in the autumn, visiting: The Anvil, Basingstoke (October 20 & 21); The Hawth, Crawley (October 23- 28); Embassy, Skegness (October 31 - November 4); Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline (9 - 11 November); Grand Theatre, Blackpool (13 - 18 November); Theatre Royal, Bath (27 November - 2 December); and Guildhall, Portsmouth (27 - 31 December). There will be further UK dates in 2018 announced soon. The tour will also visit Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

The current Thriller Live West End company are: Angelica Allen, Dajiow, Haydon Eshun, Alex Ko, John Moabi, Stefan Sinclair, Reece Bahia, Cordell Mosteller, Ione Townsend, Aisling Duffy, Florivaldo Mossi, Ella Coghill, Jamal Crawford, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Sophie Usher, Aled Arhyel Charles, Andre Faulds, Remi Gooding, Eshan Gopal, Roshawn Hewitt, Marcellus Virgo Smith.

The band are: Musical Supervisor, Keyboard 2 & Guitar 2 John Maher, Assistant MD / Keys 1 Ryan Alex Farmery, Damien Cooper, Oliver Latka, Mike Bradley, Accy Yeats.

The Creative Team are: Director and Choreographer Gary Lloyd, Original concept and Executive Director AdrIan Grant, Musical Supervisor and Head Arranger John Maher, Set Designer Jonathan Park, Lighting Designer Nigel Catmur, Associate Lighting Designer Matt Lee, Video Content Designer Colin Rozee, Costume Stylists and Supervisors Shooting Flowers, Sound Designer Chris Whybrow, Casting Director Debbie O'Brien, Associate Choreographer Jo Dyce, Media Programmer Sam MacLaren. Producers: Paul Walden and Derek Nicol for Flying Music in association with AdrIan Grant for Key Concerts.

Thriller Live was originally conceived and created by AdrIan Grant, a long time associate of Michael Jackson, and author of Michael Jackson - The Visual Documentary.