UK: WAYNE SLEEP WANTS TO REPRISE HIS "UPTOWN GIRL" DANCE AS A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE PRINCESS OF WALES

Record ID: 387640

  • Title: UK: WAYNE SLEEP WANTS TO REPRISE HIS "UPTOWN GIRL" DANCE AS A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE PRINCESS OF WALES
  • Date: 3rd August 1998
  • Summary: WAYNE SLEEP AND CHILDREN DANCE TO UPTOWN GIRL, THEN SLEEP TAKES WHITE ROSE FROM THE WING, KISSES IT, THEN PLACES IT IN A SPOTLIGHT AND EXITS STAGE.
  • Embargoed: 18th August 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM.
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA77G31KDRL9ZRIMN9IESDIZSJZ
  • Story Text: British ballet dancer Wayne Sleep has decided to reprise his 'one-off' "Uptown Girl" dance that he first performed with the late Princess of Wales in 1985 - as a tribute to her, as the first anniversary of her tragic death approaches.

    The late Princess of Wales' favourite ballet dancer, Englishman Wayne Sleep, is staging what he describes as a gut-wrenching tribute to her in London, as he reprises his famous "Uptown Girl" dance - which he first performed with the Princess in 1985.

    Performing at the London Coliseum in his review, entitled, "Dash," Sleep explained, "I wanted to do a tribute to her.

    "I tried something to classical music - but it just didn't work.

    "So the I hit on the idea of reprising "Uptown Girl," which I danced with HER.

    "This time I dance the same steps I did with her - and at the end I lay a white rose to her memory in a spotlight.

    "I can't look at that moment - I've just got to get on with the show." Sleep first met the Princess in 1981.

    Four years later they BOTH danced on stage at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in the heart of London's theatre land as a surprise birthday present to her husband Prince Charles, having carefully rehearsed the routine.

    The audience - including Prince Charles, gasped in amazement as the Princess made her surprise entry.

    As a girl Diana had always wanted to be a ballet dancer - before she got too tall! In "Dash," Sleep performs a stunning array of dances - from classical ballet to the Tango, to music from Tchaikovsky to Gilbert & Sullivan.

    There's humour too, as Wayne impersonates Chaplin.

    During his tribute to the Princess of Wales, Sleep dances joyously to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," accompanied this time by children.

    From the wings he then takes a single White Rose, which is then carefully placed in a spotlight centre-stage - as Sleep departs.

    "It's a gut-wrenching moment for me," Sleep explains."I dance joyously as a tribute to her spirit - then lay the rose." Also performing with the diminutive dancer, who was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in this year's Queen's birthday honours list, is the stunning American Melissa Wishinksi, and acclaimed classical dancers Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur.

    "Dash" is on at the London Collisum from the 3rd August to the 8th.
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