Strictly Fabulous
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rural, deeply traditional Italian village goes on to play a key role in the cultural and sexual revolutions of the last century. It is a winning affirmation of that much-used phrase “the power of dance”; in this case, to change REVIEWS someone’s life and the world around them in equal measure. All the latest dance releases Bruno took inspiration from Simon Cowell in exaggerating one facet of his personality to Strictly fabulous create a talent show persona (in Simon’s case, the ruthless Marianka Swain enjoys the wild ride record producer; in Bruno’s the passionate, verbose Italian), but that is Bruno Tonioli’s autobiography this book gives us a window into “the real Bruno”: struggling with here are few volumes his sexual identity; working a that contain anecdotes punishing schedule to make up T as varied as navigating for his lack of early dance training cutlery at a Franco Zefferelli (he only took his first formal luncheon, partying with Jerry Hall ballet class aged 18); and skilfully and Grace Jones, cross-dressing navigating an evolving showbiz as a geisha for the Rolling Stones, world, from backing dancer on jiving with Saffron Burrows in a Nigel Lythgoe’s variety shows to 1940s dance hall, marshalling choreographing sketch comedy, 280 tap-dancing commuters and adverts, music videos and drama, getting a full-frontal view of “Big working with big names along the Len”, but Bruno Tonioli’s gloriously way – Freddie Mercury, Duran frank, funny and flamboyant Duran, Bananarama, Goldie Hawn, autobiography is one of them. Jane Horrocks, Anne Hathaway. My Story is a briskly paced, This Bruno does revel in his delightfully gossipy read, the painted-on trousers and the book equivalent of a girls’ night adrenaline rush of live TV (Strictly in with rosé and Celebrations is “part panto, part soap opera, on tap, soundtracked by Gaga. part Broadway musical”), but So determined is the garrulous he and Len, “The Godfather of judge to keep us glued to the might sometimes wish we Ballroom”, bonded over their page that the decades fly by in a could linger a while longer no-nonsense approach, working- heady (occasionally drug-fuelled) on an iconic Elton John video class backgrounds and “ability whirl, jumping from Italy to Paris shoot or fraught Strictly pilot; to spot bulls**t”. The little boy to London, from experimental fans of the latter should be from northern Italy who glimpsed drag shows and hedonistic warned that it makes a late and another world at his local cinema counter-culture to the birth of relatively brief appearance. may have entered the inner MTV and reality television. However, this is a wonderfully sanctum, but he’s no luvvy – his While the book is almost enjoyable modern fairytale favourite thing about Strictly is as addictive as some of the of sorts – the artistically that it opens up the art form substances referenced, we frustrated boy growing up in a to a whole new audience. l 54 / WWW.DANCE-TODAY.CO.UK 56_Review_Oct12.indd 54 19/9/12 14:00:24.