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Stardust

Are we cancelled now?” James Jordan queries mischievously, eyes shining. He’s just made some chancy quips regarding recent Strictly Come Dancing controversies, alluding rather than directly addressing the issues. “We were the good boys on all of our series,” he insists.

Performance

“The Return of the Legends” by James Jordanv, Pasha Kovalev, Ian Waite, Vincent Simone, and Brendan Cole

Place

Perth Concert Hall, Perth, Scotland, October 1, 2025

Words

Lorna Irvine

James Jordan, Pasha Kovalev, Ian Waite, Vincent Simone, and Brendan Cole, in “The Return of the Legends.” Photograph by Ryan Howard

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There’s always the worry with celebrity dance performance that it will pander to the non-discerning elements of the audience and lean into empty spectacle: a series of divertissements, fluff without substance. But “The Return of the Legends” is cut from a different cloth altogether. It’s just incredibly cheeky. Jordan, alongside his four Strictly friends Pasha Kovalev, Ian Waite, Vincent Simone and Brendan Cole, are playing with public perceptions of each of them, as well as theatrical archetypes. In essence, they come on like a dysfunctional family of brothers at a wedding, determined to raise eyebrows, if not hell. 

It’s all about the group dynamics. The audience is, for once, actively encouraged to take photos on phones throughout, something that’s rarely witnessed at dance shows. We’re on first name terms here now. Pasha is a shy, boyish fawn; James the slightly domineering big brother, Brendan his willing accomplice in pranks, and Vincent the Italian lothario. And Ian endures jokes about homosexuality with grace and some zingers of his own. 

Unfortunately, the between-dance banter is both blessing and curse, slowing the show’s pace and flow a little bit. But when it does finally get into its stride, there’s a rock star energy. Particularly wonderful is the dance-off between Kovalev paying homage to John Travolta and Jordan referencing the late Patrick Swayze. There’s an ease and fluidity to the mash-up of styles, footwork like lightning. 

Cast of “The Return of the Legends.” Photograph by Ryan Howard

Of course, it goes without saying that the ballroom work is flawless. Jordan, clad in sparkly red shirt and kilt, gets the biggest laugh of the night due to a brief naughty flash of derriere in a thong, and then the four male dancers stride over his prone body after he collapses. The song? “I’m Still Standing!” The Hollywood homage-ing choreography is exceptional: the Viennese waltz between Waite and Lowri Beth is emotive and butter smooth; and Cole’s paso doble with Alexandra Busheva featuring impressive cloak work from Cole, sizzles Simone’s “Cell Block Tango (He Had It Coming)” from “Chicago” essays Bob Fosse’s timeless hip swinging with sass and sauciness. But it’s Jordan’s sexy rumba with Polina Mayer that has real emotional heft in the articulations, as well as sensuality. The female dancers are equally superb, but voiceless—I would like them to get some one-liners in too.

Only a clunky Wild West routine in the second half leaves me cold, all strutting machismo and an incoherent storytelling involving chairs being hurled around. Happily, it is the only real misstep of the evening, jarring amid the glamour on offer elsewhere. 

For all of the risqué humour and heated pairings, this is after all a family show. Even if some of the dad jokes don’t always land, the chemistry between the five stars is undeniable, proof that it takes more than an iconic BBC TV talent show to showcase the famous “flicks and kicks” of these dynamic fellas. There’s life after Strictly. It’s not epoch shattering or innovative, but the artistry and star power makes up for any flaws. These dancers have the versatility—from Latin to disco to Rat Pack and beyond—to sate an audience of all ages. Legends is not merely a hubristic term—they’ve more than earned their sequins.

Lorna Irvine


Based in Glasgow, Lorna was delightfully corrupted by the work of Michael Clark in her early teens, and has never looked back. Passionate about dance, music, and theatre she writes regularly for the List, Across the Arts and Exeunt. She also wrote on dance, drama and whatever particular obsession she had that week for the Shimmy, the Skinny and TLG and has contributed to Mslexia, TYCI and the Vile Blog.

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