A TOUCH of the flamenco came to the Tapas Bar this week when the Spirit of the Dance cast gave customers a taste of what they were missing.

Dancers from the show's Spanish routine donned traditional dress at the Queen Street restaurant to promote the Grand Theatre show's move to six nights a week.

And despite the extra work, the cast are looking forward to settling in Blackpool for the rest of the season after touring to places such as Scarborough and the Isle of Man during the beginning of each week.

Dancer Antony Winmill took time out from the promotion to tell the Citizen: "The show is really going down well and we are all enjoying each other's company I will be sorry to leave in November."

However, he admitted it wasn't an easy show to star in, all the routines are hard and it's almost as if we are in constant rehearsals.

"We have to be so aware of the spacings between us and what the other dancers are doing around us.

"I, myself, am learning a lot from it and Alan Harding is one of the best choreographers I have worked with being a friend to us and very genuine."

Fellow dancer Elise added: "It is hard work but the audience helps a lot. If you are flagging a bit they build you up and help you get through it.

"The audiences are actually getting bigger and better as the season goes on, the Illuminations might have something to do with it, and we are getting a lot of good feedback from them.

"Some have said we can hold our head up next to the likes of Riverdance which really gave us a boost." Spirit of the Dance now runs nightly from Monday to Saturday and the cast will be performing at the Lord Delfont gala at the Opera House next Sunday (September 14).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.