Twisting the Night Away at Wick Theatre

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Dancing for Christmas at Wick Theatre

By Skip Sheffield

Have Yourself a Merry Little “Twist-Mas.”

The holiday show, playing through Dec. 27 at the Wick Theatre, 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, has very little to do with Christmas. It is very merry however, and it is a good mood-lifter.

“Ballroom with a Twist-Mas” is the first Wick Theatre show not produced in-house. Los Angeles Producer Scott Stander is a Boca Raton native however, who got his start in show biz as Jan McArt’s assistant at Royal Palm Dinner Theatre. “Twist-Mas” features a cast of performers from “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol.”

Lacey Schwimmer and Jonathan Roberts were hosts for our opening night. Both are veterans of “Dancing With The Stars,’ as is most of the rotating cast.

The dancing, directed and choreographed by Jaymz Tuaileva, is nothing short of spectacular. The real show-stopper is “American Idol” finalist Vonzell Solomon. That girl, aka Baby V,  has some fine pipes.

“Twist-Mas” features a live onstage band, with players who double as singers. My favorite is Chantil Dukart, who spent most of her time wearing headphones, hunched over her keyboards. But when she took off the headphones and hit center stage, that girl was on.

While “Twist-Mas” features favorite Christmas themed-songs both sacred (“Silent Night”) and secular (“Jingle Bells Rock”), the main attraction is the dancing, executed by first-class professionals. You even get a question-and-answer session with the headliners.

It’s been a longtime since I took ballroom dancing lessons from the late Miss Betty D’Avray. While the illusion is to look effortless, ballroom dance is deceptively difficult and a lot of work. If you can appreciate that, you will love this show. I know I did.

Tickets are $85 and $95. Call 561-955-2333 or go to www.thewick.org.