Nikita Kuzmin: Supernova Review

Reviewed by Beth at De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review

For fans of Strictly or anyone looking for a night of unadulterated joy, Nikita Kumzin’s new tour Supernova brings a whole rainbow of dance experience from ballroom and Latin to street dance and contemporary, offering the perfect evening with something for everyone. It is billed as an ‘explosive, high-octane’ night of dance and whilst this is absolutely true, it also brings total honesty and vulnerability as Nikita celebrates his multi-faceted life and career in glorious technicolour. 

Photo by Beth.

Following an outstanding opening number featuring Kumzin’s stellar cast, Nikita instantly commands the audience with his warm and charming personality. The set is immediately explosive, using a glorious array of lighting and electronic effects that spark the evening’s celebratory tone. With the help of his virtual assistant, Nova, Kuzmin explains that through his show he will take us on a journey through the many aspects of his personality, celebrating early influences on his career as well as his life through living in five countries and private moments of familial love. 

This show is a total celebration of being true to yourself, highlighting Kumzin’s journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance with the help of influential figures in his life, whether that be Strictly dance partner Layton Williams, his dear girlfriend, or his beloved grandfather. We also had the delight in Leicester of the incredible talents of special guest and Strictly legend, Karen Hauer. The love these friends have for each other was apparent throughout the show, and Karen’s guest appearance only added to the excitement and skill on stage. 

In Act One, the show began with an ode to Old Hollywood dance, bringing more traditional ballroom styles together with featured dancing from Sasha Woodward. Striking costuming and clever use of electronic set design instantly transported you into the golden era of film, with interesting combinations of music and styles that worked seamlessly together. The next section of dances was then a total contrast, bringing modern rainbow design in a section inspired by being ‘free to be me’, as Nikita grows on his journey of acceptance into his more well-known ‘brand’ and style. This section was particularly uplifting; I particularly enjoyed the dance to Mika’s Grace Kelly. Between musical interludes, Nikita delights audience members with stories from his life and interactions with special guest Karen Hauer, with the audience clearly hanging onto every word and in love with both his skill and personality. With Hauer, Act One concludes with a vibrant Mambo/Latin section which brought infectious energy and had audience members shaking their hips along to the music! 

Act Two of our show began with yet another shift in tone, bringing a more dramatic Paso/Tango medley inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with some incredible lifts and moments of real power and drama. This was followed by a sweet and hilarious segment of audience interaction through a game of Who Knows Nikita Best featuring two volunteers. The way this show was constantly shifting in tone and atmosphere made it so incredibly gripping and pacey at all times; the night flew away in a joyous instant! This was then followed by a gorgeous duet by Kumzin and Hauer to One Direction’s That’s What Makes You Beautiful, showcasing the pair’s talent and chemistry. In a particularly poignant moment of the show, Nikita then took some time to commemorate the life of his late Grandfather, totally leaving his heart on the dance floor in a moment of vulnerability and love. Nikita clearly trusts and respects his audience, giving a real piece of himself in this moment in the most touching way to Coldplay’s Fix You. Our show then concludes with a celebration of life itself, where Nikita exudes honesty, pride and joy alongside his incredibly talented team of dancers: Idney De Almeida, Deavion Brown, Sasha Woodward, Nick Chan, Faye Huddleston, Tom Watson and Anna Karelina. Each dancer brings their own unique style to the show, once again showcasing and celebrating diversity and all that life has to offer! Also performing was the incredible singer Lois Faith, who juxtaposed moments of drama and sincerity whilst also totally bringing the party! This show is a reminder of why the Arts are integral to life, through celebration, reflection and self-expression and Nikita is the ideal frontman for such an explosive and joyous night of entertainment! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nikita and his cast continue on their tour of the UK with dates and tickets are available from https://nikitasupernova.uk

Photo by Beth.