The possibility of walking down Stockton High Street and bumping into a Strictly Come Dancing star is something that does not happen every day, though when Johannes Radabee is in town to bring his Freedom Unleashed tour to The Globe he showed that anything is possible.
The former Strictly star was walking from the venue back to his hotel after the sound check when fans recognised the dancer resulting in a photocall for Selfies with the unassuming and obliging dancer.
The Freedom Unleashed show
The dancing sensation certainly knew how to put on a show: joined by ten other dancers and two singers his Freedom Unleashed tour was a mix of African rhythms and party anthems.
The performance follows his school days from being bullied as a child for being gay in the South African township of Zamdela.
“Welcome to the show, Stockton” he announced at the start of the evening that included pantsula and kizomba via Afrobeats as well as Latin and Ballroom and of course a big celebration of Pride.
The first few sequences reminded me of Disney’s The Lion King, in the second half of the show unsurprisingly He Lives In You is sung accompanied by another brilliant dance routine with the lighting bringing to life the warmth and heat of the African savannah.
Add to that a routine when dressed as Michael Jackson, Radabe slipped into a segment that had influences from musicals such as Cabaret and West Side Story and you have a night to remember.
“ I am camper than a row of tents” he proclaimed as the party continued with a show of celebration with an uplifting medley of gay anthems as he and he dancers sung and danced to tracks such as Gala’s Freed From Desire, Madonna’s Vogue and Sylvester’s You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) amongst others.
The fans jumped out of their seats as the atmosphere reached a climax that was rightly reserved for a Saturday night out in Stockton.
“My agent said that I would never be able to sell out The Globe” he shared. Tonight Radabe had filled his fans hopes and dreams with a sold out show that indeed was mighty real, engaging and entertaining.
