Charlottetown Mamma Mia production puts dancers in flippers

Dancers in the Charlottetown producing of Mamma Mia are faced with a unique challenge in one number — they wear flippers on their feet.

The choreography for Lay All Your Love on Me usually puts male dancers in scuba gear, but choreographer for this production Kerry Gage said the dancers don't usually do high kicks, spins and dives in flippers.

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"This is entirely different and entirely unique to the festival," she said.

'Six men in flippers'

Gage was inspired by Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and Hollywood choreographer Busby Berkeley.

She also threw in a Rockette-style kick line because, "I thought six guys in flippers kicking their legs would be hilarious."

So far, she said, the scene has been a crowd pleaser.

"I think the audience instantly reacts to it and says, 'Oh my goodness, I can't believe what I'm seeing. I can't believe I see six men in flippers turning, jumping, falling on the floor, kicking,'" she said. "It's quite a spectacle."

Dance requires leg strength, adaptability

There were a few challenges for the dancers to get their feet around.

"You can't point your feet in flippers … you have to keep your feet flexed," said Adam Sergison, who plays Eddie in the show.

"There was a lot of difficulty with learning how to become a dancer and use flippers at the same time. They don't go well together easily."

"It's a lot on the legs. That's just something you get used to. Every show it gets easier," said dancer Robbie Graham-Kuntz.

"Once you get the adrenaline going and you're in front of an audience it pretty much just goes away and you're just having fun in flippers."

'Something magical'

All that hard work does pay off.

"I think it gives something magical [to the show]," said Sergison. "It adds a sense of comedy that really lifts act one and carries it forward."

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