Arlene Phillips
Laurence Olivier Award Carl Alan Award | |
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Website | arlenephillips |
Dame Arlene Phillips
For many years, she was most noted as the choreographer of numerous West End and Broadway musicals, films, and television shows, but she later achieved mainstream fame as a judge on television talent shows including
Early life
Phillips was born on 22 May 1943 in
Phillips originally wanted to be a ballet dancer and began dance classes at the age of three, studying ballet and tap dance at the Muriel Tweedy School in Manchester after leaving school at 16.[3] Her mother had always expressed a desire to dance, which inspired Phillips into pursuing dance professionally.[3]
Professional career
Phillips is internationally renowned as a choreographer and director of West End and Broadway musicals, but has many other professional credits.
Phillips was assistant choreographer on the 1982 film
Internationally, Phillips is most noted as a jazz and musical theatre choreographer, having worked on some of the biggest-selling musicals in West End and Broadway theatre, and a number of successful films.
Phillips choreographed the 2002 Commonwealth Games opening and closing ceremonies [4] alongside fellow Mancunian, David Zolkwer.[6]
From 2004 to 2008, she was a judge on the
Following Phillips's appearance on Your Country Needs You, she choreographed the performance of the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.[7] She went on to choreograph Engelbert Humperdinck's performance of the UK entry in the 2012 contest in Baku.[8]
In March 2013, Arlene appeared on
Hot Gossip
In Britain, Phillips first became a household name as the director and choreographer of Hot Gossip, a British dance troupe which she formed in 1974,[3] using students she was teaching at the time. Hot Gossip spent two years performing in a London night club where Phillips and her manager developed the group's dance act.[3]
Strictly Come Dancing
Phillips was a member of the inaugural judging panel between 2004 and 2008 for the BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing, alongside fellow judges Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, and Bruno Tonioli.[4][10]
In 2005 and 2006, Phillips was a judge for the spin-off series Strictly Dance Fever, which was also created by the BBC to seek dancers wishing to join the chorus of a West End musical.[4] Later in 2007, she created and judged another BBC dance series, DanceX, a show formed to find a new commercial dance act. After the initial audition process, the competitors were split into two troupes of dancers, with Phillips mentoring one troupe and the other being mentored by her fellow Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli. The two troupes competed live on television each week, with Tonioli's troupe being the eventual winners.[4]
Departure from Strictly Come Dancing
After the close of the 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC announced that several changes would be made to refresh the show in 2009.[11] This led to a great deal of speculation in the media that Phillips might be dropped from the judging panel, but the BBC refused to respond to reports. They finally confirmed the news at the launch of their autumn schedule on 9 July 2009:[11] she was replaced by former Strictly winner Alesha Dixon.[11] The news led to much criticism being directed towards the BBC for its apparent discrimination against older women on television; the BBC, however, strongly denied this.[11][12]
The replacement of Phillips led to an unprecedented intervention from the then
Later activities
In October 2009, Phillips appeared on the first episode of the 38th series of the satirical show Have I Got News for You.[10] Between April and July 2010, she made nine guest panellist appearances on ITV's flagship show Loose Women.[10]
Britannia High
In 2007, Phillips became the Executive Producer and Creative Director for the ITV television series
So You Think You Can Dance?
Phillips has also been a judge on the UK version of
Gala for Grenfell
In July 2017, Phillips announced a dance gala to raise funds for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.[13] The Gala for Grenfell took place on 30 July 2017 at the Adelphi Theatre, London and included stars from Strictly Come Dancing, The Royal Ballet and Sir Matthew Bourne's New Adventures company. Phillips said of the dancers taking part "They’re just doing it as themselves because each of the dancers is giving a gift and I want you to see them, and that they’re doing it for the love".[14] The proceeds from the event went to the Kensington & Chelsea Foundation, the charity running the Grenfell Tower Fund.[14]
Spoken word tour
In 2017, Phillips embarked on a UK-wide spoken word tour, in conversation with Jacquie Storey.[15]
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
In November 2021, Phillips at the age of 78 became the oldest ever contestant to appear on
Dancing on Ice
On 20 February 2022, Phillips joined ITV's Dancing on Ice as a guest Judge for Musicals week.
Honours
Phillips was appointed
Phillips was made
Personal life
Phillips has been in a relationship with Angus Ion, a set builder, since 1985. The couple first met on the set of the music video for the Freddie Mercury song "I Was Born to Love You".[10]
Alana Dancing Star books
In 2010, Phillips wrote a series of children's fiction books. Alana Dancing Star is a series of six books, in which the title character explores different genres of dance. The series covers
Discography
Year | Title | UK Chart Position
|
---|---|---|
1982 | Keep in Shape System with Arlene Phillips | No. 41 [22] |
1984 | Keep in Shape System Volume 2 | No. 100[22] |
Theatre choreography
- The Wizard of Oz, 2011 London production [4][10]
- Flashdance[23]
- The Sound of Music, 2006 London revival and 2008 Canadian production [4]
- Starlight Express [10]
- Grease [10]
- Saturday Night Fever [4]
- We Will Rock You [4]
- Fire Angel
- Matador [5]
- Time [5]
- A Clockwork Orange, for the Royal Shakespeare Company[4]
- Allelujah!, Bridge Theatre
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bridge Theatre
- What's New Pussycat?, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
- The Cher Show, UK & Ireland Tour 2022 (director)
- Guys and Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Film credits
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life – Dir. Terry Jones[5]
- Legend – Dir. Ridley Scott[5]
- It Couldn't Happen Here – Dir. Jack Bond – Choreographer
- Annie – Dir. John Huston
- White Hunter Black Heart – Dir. Clint Eastwood[5]
- Salome's Last Dance – Dir. Ken Russell[5]
- Can't Stop the Music – Dir. Nancy Walker
- The Wind in the Willows – Dir. Terry Jones
- Escape to Athena – Director George P. Cosmatos, 1979
- The Fan – Starring Lauren Bacall
- Private Dancer music video for Tina Turner – Choreographer [5]
Awards and nominations
She is a three-time
She won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Choreography in 2023 for Grease at the Dominion Theatre.[25]
She won her first Oliver Award for her work on Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre in 2023, for which she received a standing ovation during the ceremony.
See also
References
- ^ Mark Shenton (15 August 2017). "Arlene Phillips: 'I now want to do things that are totally out of my comfort zone'". The Stage Media Company Limited.
- ^ "I'm A Celebrity 2021: Prestwich's Dame Arlene Phillips to be show's oldest contestant at 78". itv.com. 16 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Arlene Phillips, choreographer and creator of Hot Gossip". independent.co.uk. 24 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Malcolm, Pheby (22 August 2018). "Hall of Fame - Arlene Phillips". iNostalgia. inostalgia.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Arlene Phillips". thespeakersagency.com. 2021.
- ^ "Beckham in Commonwealth Games logo row". The Guardian. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
- ^ "Eurovision Day 7: Russia, Germany, UK, Spain". Archived from the original on 11 May 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ Plunkett, John (19 March 2012). "Eurovision 2012: Engelbert Humperdinck 'very proud of song'". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Lets Dance for Comic Relief – Series 5 – Episode 3". www.radiotimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h "Who is Arlene Phillips? Former Strictly judge axed by BBC set for ITV's Dancing on Ice". mirror.co.uk. 8 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d "BBC drops Strictly judge Arlene Phillips for a younger model Alesha Dixon". The Times. 10 July 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d Singh, Anita (16 July 2009). "Strictly Come Dancing's Arlene Phillips is a victim of ageism, says Harriet Harman". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
- ^ "Arlene Phillips plans Grenfell gala". BBC News. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Gala for Grenfell: 'Each dancer is giving a gift — they're doing it for the love'". The Evening Standard. 25 July 2017.
- ^ "Arlene! The Glitz. The Glamour. The Gossip". arlenephillips.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ^ a b "I'm A Celebrity signs Strictly's Arlene Phillips as oldest ever contestant". mirror.co.uk. 30 September 2021.
- ^ "I'm A Celebrity's Arlene Phillips is first star eliminated from ITV show - and fans are furious". mirror.co.uk. 5 December 2021.
- ^ The Theatre Carl Awards: The Oscars of The World of Dance The Theatre Dance Council International. Retrieved 26 January 2023
- ^ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 8.
- ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B8.
- ^ "Birthday Honours 2021: Covid vaccine heroes recognised by Queen". BBC News. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ "Flashdance". Playbill. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "The 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards – full list of winners | WhatsOnStage". 12 February 2023.