West End star starts Dance Fitness classes in Bedford area

Colin Charles, 63 – who has starred in hit shows including Cats, We Will Rock You, Joseph, and Miss Saigon – is inviting you to keep fit and have fun in Great Denham Community Hall.

The classes will be held every Monday at 6.15pm – promising to bring pazzazz, panache and a sprinkle of Dirty Dancing prowess to Bedfordshire.

Colin said: "There's this need to express myself and move to music and I'm fortunate that my career has given me so much.

"I'd like to give a little bit back to people – the love that I have for dance and let them feel it, too.

"It will be a mixture of everything: jazz, salsa, hip hop, rhumba. I will make it accessible for everybody, warming up the body and getting fit to move."

Colin's passion for dance began when he was a youngster, going to social gatherings as part of a Caribbean community in London.

"But Caribbean families weren't the type to take you to performing arts school, " explained Colin. "It wasn't until I was 16 and working on building sites that I discovered going to discos and enjoying dancing and freedom of expression – a release from humdrum life."

But it would be a decision to attend a friend's dance class in Covent Garden – at which the teacher said Colin had a "natural rhythm and aptitude" that would persuade him to down tools from City and Guilds training.

After receiving the blessing from his mother – "I know if you put your mind to something you will do it" – Colin was accepted into Madame Messerer's London dance school.

From there followed appearances with Ballet Rambert and the English National Opera, before Colin got his claws into Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Cats.

He said: "I remember being swept up, rushing with rehearsals – fittings, costumes, make up. It was tough. There were leaps and jumps and turns in the air and at the same time you had to sing."

Colin's highlights include performing in Cats, as well as belting out the "absolute anthem" Bui-Doi as John in Miss Saigon – and even meeting Princess Diana after she watched him in a Wayne Sleep production – at the time considered raunchy and controversial.

"She wondered what they were 'making a fuss’ about and said I did ‘a good job'," smiled Colin.

After a long spell as an agent, Colin was asked to tread the boards in We Will Rock You, as the production were struggling to cast ‘Britney’ - and the brave actor auditioned in front of none other than Brian May, Roger Taylor, Ben Elton and Arlene Phillips.

"Fortunately, they liked what they saw, and [after the show] I remember drinking in the applause, thinking, ‘I've missed this’," said Colin.

But his biggest seal of approval is no doubt from his four-year-old son, who watched him in a recent production of Dirty Dancing.

"He had a big grin and was totally captivated," smiled Colin.

The family recently swopped the hustle and bustle of Canary Wharf for leafy Bedfordshire – and Colin can't wait to see you at 'Dance Fitness'. Email: [email protected] to find out more.