Live dance show “Burn the Floor” will take to the Shenzhen Grand Theater stage in late December.

    It has performed all around the world, including on Broadway in New York City in 2009 and the West End in London in 2010. Since 1997, “Burn the Floor” has performed in over 130 countries worldwide. The show has also featured several alumni of various international versions of “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

    In 1997, Elton John’s 50th birthday party included a 10-minute performance from a group of ballroom dancers. The birthday party is credited with starting the idea for “Burn the Floor.” Following the party, Australian producer Harley Medcalf spent two years developing the idea. Medcalf brought a ballroom dancing showcase to an Elton John Aids fundraiser two years later. Among the talent Medcalf recruited for his stage show were choreographer Anthony Van Laast and Australian ballroom dancers Jason Gilkison and Peta Roby.

    In 2000, the show played a two-night stint at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The New York Times said of the production, “Look past the show’s brassy facade, with its rock-show production values and attitude (mock ecstasy is the usual facial expression), and there is some complex footwork in what is essentially a suite of deliberately souped-up social dances.”

    A new production, “Burn the Floor — Fire in the Ballroom,” choreographed and directed by Peta Roby, debuted in 2016 at the Regal Theater in Perth, Australia. In contrast to previous productions, “Fire in the Ballroom” incorporated more rock and roll with the intention of appealing to male audiences.

    Time: 8 p.m., Dec. 21-22

    Tickets: 180-880 yuan

    Venue: Shenzhen Grand Theater, 5018 Shennan Road East, Luohu District (罗湖区深南东路5018号深圳大剧院)

    Metro: Line 1 or 2, Grand Theater Station (大剧院站), Exit B(SD News)