Interview: Romain Rachline Borgeaud, RB Dance Company

Interview conducted by Danai.

RB Dance Company is set to bring its award-winning production Stories – The Tap Dance Sensation to the UK for the first time this October. Ahead of this modern tap extravaganza, we caught up with artistic director Romain Rachline Borgeuad to learn more about the show and what audiences can expect.

Romain Rachline Borgeuad headshot.

What initially drew you to dance, and more specifically, what fascinated you about tap dance?

I fell in love with Gene Kelly when I was a kid. He’s the reason why I started dancing. There was something magical about sound and movement coming together, especially the way he did it. Effortlessly and deeply powerful at the same time.

What is the original vision and approach of RB Dance Company? How has the company evolved since then, and what influences are shaping its direction today?

I created RB Dance Company to bring tap dance to a darker, more grounded, heavier place than what I had seen of it. I’ve always loved musicals but it seemed to me that tap dance could be more brutal and I wanted to experiment that.

Can you walk us through the process of creating and choreographing Stories – The Tap Sensation? What was it like collaborating with your team to bring this project to life?

The first step was to write the show, then the staging and the music and finally the choreography. I was surrounded by amazing partners to create that show. Especially the dancers who committed to it a 100%, they still do, every night. I could never be grateful enough.

How do you approach storytelling through movement, particularly in a project like Stories – The Tap Sensation? How do you connect the themes of the show with the physicality of the body and dance?

Movement comes when the issues the characters face actually bring them to an emotional place. The deeper the emotion, the more intense the movement. My intention to show tap dance in a raw, brutal way, was supported by the main character’s journey which is extremely intense.

Taking the performance outside of France exposes it to new audiences. What impact are you hoping this work will have on viewers from different cultural backgrounds?
It is an honour and a great challenge for us to perform in front of a UK audience as they are used to seeing dance shows and musicals. The show pays tribute to traditional musical theatre. I am very excited and nervous to see how it will be received here in London.

How does it feel to work on characters like Icarus or his director, while being a creative yourself? Did you draw from your own life or experiences in shaping these characters through choreography?

I didn’t feel so much like a creative at that time since it was the first show I created. I actually became a director while writing and directing the show. But I had experience as a performer which helped me create Icarus’ character.

What does it mean to bring tap dance into a modern context? What’s unique about your approach, and what new perspectives will audiences experience when watching Stories – The Tap Sensation?

I think what’s unique about the company is the fact that everything is created as a whole. Since I write the story, the music, the staging and the choreography, everything works together differently that it would if it came from different creatives.

How important is it for you to bridge the gap between the past and the present in your work? What inspires you to rediscover and reimagine dance mediums like tap dance, and does this interest extend beyond dance? Do you approach the themes in your work with a similar perspective?

It was important for me to pay tribute to traditional musical theater but on the other hand, I want to bring that tradition to younger generations in a way that makes sense to them. One of my goals is to get kids to realize that tap dance is great and that it does not belong to the past. This allows generations to come together and appreciate the show from very different perspectives.

What comes next after Stories? What are the future plans for RB Dance Company?

Stories isn’t over since we’re touring across Europe for another 2 years. I am also working on a new show which will premiere in the fall of 2025 in Paris.

Stories - The Tap Dance Sensation will play at the Peacock Theatre from 23 October - 2 November 2024.