Siblings in step (From Thisisdorset)

Siblings in step

4:10pm Friday 14th November 2008

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TWO musical theatre performers from Poole have the world at their feet – having become the first brother and sister to appear in the West End production of Dirty Dancing.

Stage-struck siblings Stephanie and Callum Powell have hardly had time to draw breath since graduating from the Doreen Bird College.

In fact, while Callum is wowing audiences in the West End each night he is also delighting TV audiences on Sundays in the ITV series Britannia High (6.15pm) as Garth.

Stephanie, 24, has been swing/head girl with Dirty Dancing since July 2007 – her West End debut – and 20-year-old Callum joined the show at the Aldwych Theatre last month.

They are certainly an inspiration for local aspiring performers, having trained at the Dianne Gulliford School of Dancing in Poole before joining the Doreen Bird College.

Stephanie graduated in July 2005 with a BA Hons in Dance and Theatre Performance, and Callum graduated in June 2008 with a National Diploma in Dance and Theatre Performance.

In an over-subscribed industry where most stage school graduates struggle to get their first professional break, Callum and Stephanie haven’t stopped working.

Stephanie went straight from college into an autumn and spring UK tour of the production Simply Ballroom, which she followed up with an eight-month stint in Las Vegas as the Dance Captain on a US version of the show.

She told me:”It’s been a whirlwind. I’ve been very fortunate. After touring the UK with Simply Ballroom I was dance captain with the show in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget Casino.

“I came back to the UK last June. Five days later I got the audition for Dirty Dancing and started two weeks later. I’ve been extremely lucky.”

But luck is only part of it. Stephanie revealed they had both danced, along with their middle sibling, sister Robyn, from as young as four and virtually every day.

“The family never went abroad on holiday because our parents sacrificed a lot for us and our dancing cost a bomb – but it was worthwhile!”

Along with the standard ballet, tap and modern dance lessons, they trained in Latin American and ballroom.

Indeed, Stephanie competed on the open circuit at both junior and amateur levels and has represented her country in France on the British team.

She trained with Simon and Heidy Cruwys at Bournemouth’s Dance Crazy school and also trained with dance partners in Southampton and Reading.

“I danced every day as a child but it was never a chore because I loved it. As a family we all did it so no one felt left out.”

Performing in Las Vegas for nine months with Simply Ballroom had been like “another world”.

“It was everything that is depicted in the movies. After nine months I was ready to come home.

“It felt very surreal but such an amazing experience. It really is a 24-hour city. I’d go to bed at 4 or 5am and get up at 2pm.

“It is easy to get caught up in the party atmosphere in this profession. But I have responsibilities in this show as dance captain and I lead by example.”

Her brother Callum also found himself such a hot ticket that he had to graduate from college a month early in order to join the cast of the TV series Britannia High.

Indeed, he was still involved in filming the eight-part series in Manchester when he joined the West End cast of Dirty Dancing.

Set in a fictional performing arts school, Britannia High features music by Gary Barlow and choreography by Arlene Phillips.

It merges real life with drama, ending with a live finale as the cast performs in a big show.

There is also a documentary that follows the drama behind the scenes.

Callum told me he had been able to relate to storylines and characters in Britannia High very easily, having literally come to it fresh from performing arts college.

Some people might try and compare it to Fame or High School Musical but he said it was much grittier and true to life.

“Based at a musical theatre college, it touches on a lot of subjects in a much more earthy way than Fame.

“High School Musical also makes life at these colleges look very glamorous – and it’s not. It’s tough.”

Strangely enough, going into a West End show like Dirty Dancing has been harder than filming the TV series for Callum.

“For me, Dirty Dancing has been a massive learning curve.”

But he adds: “It definitely helps having my sister there.”

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