There are movements, and then there are movements. Most of us don’t stretch ourselves beyond walking, or maybe running, down the street. But for South African dancer Johannes Radebe and his fellow performers in the breathtaking ballroom show, Burn the Floor: Fire in the Ballroom, putting one foot in front of the other could never do.

We chatted to Radebe about his passion for dancing, his dedication to his craft and the racy, exciting production currently showing at the Baxter Theatre.

How did you become involved in dance?
I started dancing when I was seven. They were looking for dancers at a nearby recreation hall and all my friends went there on that day. There was a demonstration – a ballroom couple came onto the floor and they did a waltz. I was just captivated by the beauty and elegance of ballroom dance. It was love at first sight.

You’ve had a lot of success as a dancer – South African National Champion, Strictly Come Dancing runner-up and now performing in Burn the Floor. How often do you train and what does it take to do this with your life?
I train everyday, all day – dance is a lifestyle. With ballroom and Latin you need discipline; that’s why I’m where I am today. Flexibility and balance come with time and practise. But dedication is essential. You need to eat right, for example; you can’t live like everyone else. And you need rest because doing this – training and performing – is like running a marathon. It’s very demanding.

Your day ranges from eight in the morning until five or six in the evening when putting together a show like Burn the Floor, which runs for a couple of weeks. And then every night that the show is on, you come in for a rehearsal four hours before, and then you do a two-hour show.

How did you get involved in Burn the Floor?
When I first heard of the show I thought it would be fantastic to be involved. There was doubt on my part at first because you recognise that the standard required for this show is very high. But eventually I just sent them my show reel and it was incredible when I was hired.

The dancers in this show cOme from different countries – Italy, England, Poland, and, of course, South Africa. Were there any cultural barriers?
There are… but dance is a universal language, so that binds us. Despite coming from different places, we have this thing we were passionate about that unites us.

What, in relation to ballroom and Latin dance, is distinctive about this show?
This show is a burst of colour and energy. It’s sexy, rebellious and daring. The traditions of ballroom and Latin are still very prominent in the show and so are other genres of dance. Our choreographer fused ballroom dance, Latin, lyrical, jazz and contemporary, so that’s distinctive and really exciting. Another thing that’s distinctive about this show is we dance to commercial music.

You’re a dance trainer with the show, Strictly Come Dancing. What does that involve and how would you describe the transition from dancer to trainer?
It involves teaching, coming up with concepts and choreography. The best dancers are the best teachers. I believe that. And I believe it makes you a better dancer. So I think it’s a very natural transition, and it’s helped me a lot.

How did you find the audience?
The audience was great. Dance is the heartbeat of Cape Town, and [there are] amazing dancers here. Actually I had high expectations of the Cape Town audience and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Performing in Cape Town is a great experience.

Burn the Floor will be on show at the Baxter Theatre until June 5. Tickets are available at www.computicket.com or at any Checkers, Shoprite or CheckersHyper store.