Strictly's Arlene Phillips stages exclusive Q&A event in Colchester

Arlene Phillips has been a choreographer and director for more than 40 years. Since creating the provocative dance group Hot Gossip in the Seventies, Arlene has been a household name.

Neil D’Arcy-Jones talked to her in the run up to her appearance at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, on November 8, and got some gossip of his own.

How would you sum up the show?

It’s like a tea party with Arlene Phillips where you can ask me any question you like because you’ll hear about everything. It’s a Q & A format, with lots of footage from things I’ve worked on with loads of famous faces and also many photos from my personal archive. I’m working with Jacquie Storey, who is someone I used to teach at Arts Educational school.

What prompted you and Jacquie to team up?

When I created my dance group Hot Gossip in 1974 we had a few years of phenomenal un-success because we only had a one-night-a-week gig at a club in the West End. I kept thinking, ‘We’re going to be famous’ but every time I brought a producer in to see the show I was told, ‘It’s too sexy for television’. We were getting nowhere so after three years I told the group: ‘Look, go off and audition and see whatever work you can get. I’m gonna put Hot Gossip on hold’.

Within a week or two of delivering that message I had a call that television director David Mallet had seen a photograph of Hot Gossip. Just from seeing the photograph he said, ‘I want Arlene Phillips and Hot Gossip on The Kenney Everett Show’ but some of my dancers had gone out and gotten other jobs.

So I turned to some of my students at arts educational school to ask them to be in the show and I was very lucky because three of them said yes, but the fourth one said, ‘Oh no, I’m going to do a summer season and I won’t be able to do it because I’m the lead singer,’ and that was Jacquie Storey. I caught up with Jacquie recently and she said, ‘We have to do a show’. It all started from there.

Glamourous pairing Arlene and Jacquie Story

What’s the glitziest thing you’ve ever done?

The Elton John video for I’m Still Standing. We planned to shoot it in the South of France with a big opening scene showing Elton driving in an open-top car down the mountains onto the promenade in Cannes. When he arrived in Cannes he was going to swerve into a plate glass window, which would shatter and then three dancers would step out of it, with the dancers being brought over from England.

However, when we arrived early in the morning and were about to begin filming, health and safety stepped in and said, ‘No, no, no, we can’t insure Elton driving down the mountains into a plate glass window!’ So, I had to think on my feet. My friend owned a dance group and school in the South of France, so I called and asked, ‘Can I get your dancers?’ She said yes so we told them to bring swimwear, then we body-painted them and suddenly it was like the South of France opened its doors to us.

Nice gave us the promenade to dance on, and we were given the beaches and ballroom and staircases of the Negresco Hotel. I taught the dancers the choreography and we immediately filmed it, so it was like instant choreography. It took us two days to film and after we finished on the last night Elton took people to dinner.

You’ve worked with so many big names over the years. Who have been your favourites?

I loved working with Elton John and of course, I’ve had a very long association with Andrew Lloyd Webber. He is one of the most exciting creative people I know, no question. And I’ve worked with so many female divas – from Whitney Houston to Aretha Franklin to Tina Turner to Donna Summer.

My collection of female divas were stunning and all very different, some demanding and some not, all asking for different things and you just have to be there for them. A choreographer often exposes what you can and can’t do so you need to keep the choreographer on your side and make sure they show you at your best.

Internationally-acclaimed artist Whitney Houston. Ian West/ PA Photos

What have been your subsequent career highlights?

Starlight Express – trying to get triple threats and having them rollerskate or teaching skaters what a bar of music is and getting them all to stop at the same time on a count of eight. For me that was so thrilling and the show goes on and on, celebrating its 30th birthday in Germany next year.

What did you most enjoy about your time on Strictly Come Dancing?

I loved doing Strictly. I’ll never forget it, especially the excitement in the beginning. I remember being there for the pilot with Len Goodman where we really didn’t know what the show was going to be about. It seemed like it hadn’t quite formed, then gradually it found its feet.

What significance does the Mercury Theatre, Colchester have for you?

Many years ago, when I first arrived in London, I did a pantomime in Colchester. Christopher Cazenove was in it and I think it was Cinderella with him playing the Prince. I remember it was so snowy and I didn’t have winter boots. I haven’t been back since but I’ll make sure I have sensible footwear this time.

For tickets, priced £26 and £12 for children, call 01206 573948 or go online here.