EXCLUSIVE: Anton Du Beke – The Triple Threat

Laid back, charismatic, chatty…Anton Du Beke is someone you can really enjoy having a conversation with. As a dancer, singer and TV presenter, he is an incredibly talented guy that has a sparkling personality – one that matches his glittering showbiz career.
Anton has been working hard on various projects, particularly over the past few years, and this has certainly paid off -2018 has only just started and Anton has already got his ‘From Broadway to Hollywood’ show up-and-running.
Rewind back to the early days and Anton was a promising star-in-the-making with a clear talent for ballroom. “I started out as a competitive ballroom dancer; learning how to dance and getting involved in competitions, and then Strictly Come Dancing started,” he divulged. “Afterwards I began doing my own show on tour, which I’ve just opened another run of.”
Although famed for featuring on one of the nation’s favourite talent shows as a professional dancer, Anton has recently revealed one of his other main skills – singing. He even took to the Strictly floor to show off his vocal talents – and fans have since gone crazy about his bluesy voice.
“The thing is, with all these different strands to the industry it can be sometimes difficult to cross over,” Anton commented when asked about making the transition. “One doesn’t really follow the other too closely, so you have to sort of get things going.
“I have been singing for many years, but that doesn’t sort of go towards making an album. Singing on Strictly enabled me to enter the conversations with record companies and get into their line of sight.”
So, how did he feel when he entered the limelight on Strictly to perform his music for the first time? “I was nervous – the only time I ever really get nervous is when I’m about to sing,” Anton confessed. “You’re never quite sure what’s going to come out!
“It’s all very well in rehearsals, but they call it the ‘Red Light Syndrome’; when the red light goes on and you suddenly forget all the words and your voice stops working! I do get a bit nervous about that, but as soon as you start, you’re away!”
Regardless of his pre-performance anxiety, Anton has certainly pulled it out of the bag with his album, which contains a range of classic numbers which have unique arrangements, slickly executed with Anton’s individual swing style. It is a truly varied compilation – the new release even contains the Arctic Monkey’s hit song ‘I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor’, which has been well received by the public.
The selection process was quite a challenging one, as Anton detailed: “I had so many songs to choose from because there is such a great library of songs from that era.
“It was a case of whittling down big band tracks and trying to get the balance right, although saying that, I think if it had ‘Moon’ in the title it would have a pretty good chance of going in the album! (laughs). I wanted to stay away from really iconic numbers, ones like ‘New York New York’, but they do have a similar sort of vibe.”
Anton’s album, ‘From The Top’, can certainly be classed as infectiously upbeat; which was his intention. “I wanted it to have a sense of fun,” he said. “I envision people playing it in the kitchen and dancing about! It’s the sort of music I’ve danced to over the years, so I hope people get that joy from it.”
Partnering with Erin Boag, his long-time dancing companion, Anton participating in his big orchestra show will be a real treat for his loyal fanbase, who have followed his movements since the early Strictly days. Visitors can expect musical theatre style dancers accompanying the pair on stage, as well as a 26 ft orchestra and lots of dancing, singing and chat.
This year marks a special milestone for Anton and Erin: “We’ve been dancing together for over 25 years and this is our 10th anniversary of doing tours,” Anton continued. “There’s that sense of familiarity of performing with Erin, and that’s what stood us in good stead over the years.
“It’s a real privilege being able to keep doing shows. With dance partners then as long as you’ve got the same sort of mindset then you’ll be alright!”
The success of Strictly is immense and the show seems to be getting bigger and better every year. What exactly makes it such a hit? Anton believes its popularity is down to its tradition: “People love the basic values of the show; the entertainment: great dancing, great singing, great music, great costumes, great fun…we love being involved with it as we can vote, and we like the controversy when somebody you think is quite good gets voted off, and all that goes into the melting pot really.
“What I personally love about the show is its history – the fact that it’s been going for 15 series. Getting a new partner every year is my favourite bit – partnering up with a new celebrity to start the journey all over again.
“It’s enjoyable creating dance numbers for Saturday night; it’s a wonderful process and because it’s a shared experience, it makes it even more unique – its an incredible show to be a part of.”
The future seems bright for Anton, who will certainly keep on dancing despite his recent shift into the singing sphere. He finds performing a real thrill, whether on telly or in a theatre, and is keen to continue holding our attention with his effortless moves and classical voice.
“Thank you very much to everyone who is coming to see the show and anyone who has picked up the album,” he concluded. “Here’s to (hopefully) many more years together!”
> Hannah Montgomery