Supernova: Nikita Kuzmin
Burn the Floor Supernova © Make a Noise
Not to show bias off the bat, but Nikita Kuzmin is hands down one of my favourite Strictly pros.
His work with celeb partner Layton Williams was inspired and showed off his fantastic imagination as a choreographer.
So when, halfway through his latest show, Supernova, Nikita discussed the impact Layton’s friendship had had on him, I sat up a little straighter in anticipation of him hopefully reviving some of their best numbers on stage. Alas, this didn’t happen. What followed was a smashing display of dance from himself, seven backup dancers and special guest Karen Hauer, but it had little to do with the story he’d just told.
This shouldn’t have surprised me; this was an ongoing theme of night.
Burn the Floor Supernova © Make a Noise
Supernova is Nikita’s collaboration with dance sensation Burn the Floor, a touring dance show which has promised to be the ‘ultimate high-voltage theatrical dance experience’ of Latin and Ballroom dance for over 20 years. Although this show is not in the same realm of the original, they do share a choreographer in Jason Gilkinson, the man behind your favourite pro-dances on Strictly. It should be no surprise therefore, that the dancing itself was of the highest standard. An Argentine section saw legs flick with incredible speed and precision, group numbers showed off Gilkinson’s adept ability to choreograph multiple dancers in ever interesting ways, while during a Paso Doble Nikita held tension and release in his body in a way I spend so much time willing other dancers to do. The night showed off a range of dance styles, including a significant amount of cha as well as moments of hip-hop and voguing, all set to eighties classics through to up-to-date numbers (including a deep cut from Raye’s latest album).
I mention Raye especially because the piece, Overcome, tells of Raye's struggles since breaking into the industry. It’s a gorgeous number, with a nod to ongoing comparisons between herself and the late Amy Winehouse. However, please tell me what it had to do with Nikita’s love for old Hollywood? In his preceding monologue, he’d talked about how he was inspired by those such as Fred and Ginger, so surely the ensuing dance, in which a woman takes her first steps as an actress, would be set to music from the Golden Age? Like Layton’s dedication earlier, the dancing struggled to relate to the stories Nikita told us about his life. This storytelling was practically abandoned in the second half (much of which was dedicated to a chaotic quiz between two audience members) which added to the confusion of what the show’s purpose was.
Burn the Floor Supernova © Make a Noise
It’s a shame really, because Nikita, as a storyteller, showed himself to be quite the showman. He knowingly flirted with the audience (which felt a tad uncomfortable when his long-term girlfriend was in attendance), shared jokes with Karen and interacted with Nova, his show’s answer to Siri. If this show is an extension of Strictly’s well-honed mix of camp, cruise ship entertainment, hen do in Blackpool and Radio 2, then it certainly hit that brief. The show was joyous fun, and my friend and I had a fab time bopping to One Direction in our seats and we itched to go out dancing ourselves as the curtain closed. However, the lack of consistent structure, and maybe a case of one too many ideas, meant the show felt a little all over the place. Personally, I would have opted for more dancing.
★★★
Supernova: Nikita Kuzmin
Produced by Burn the Floor. Choreographed by Jason Gilkinson
New Wimbledon Theatre, London / 19 June 2026
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