Arlene Phillips - as she accepted her Oldie dancing queen of the year award – said, 'I've just turned 80. For the first time, the morning after, my hand shook. And then my invitation to receive the Oldie award came.
'You're as young as you feel, they say. Well, I know I'm not. This award makes me realise – I know I'm old. But it's a delight to receive it.
Arlene Phillips - Oldie dancing queen of the year. By Charlotte Metcalf
No oldie is likely to forget The Kenny Everett Video Show when Arlene Phillips burst into our consciousness with her 1970s dance troupe Hot Gossip, in which skimpily-clad white girls with teased hair danced sinuously and provocatively alongside bare-chested black boys.
Five decades later, Arlene is a household name as the ‘Queen of Mean’ judge on Strictly Come Dancing and one of the world’s most fêted choreographers. Numerous awards and honours include a special Olivier Award for inspiring work in dance and choreography (received in April 2023) and a DBE bestowed in the 2021 Honours List for services to dance and charity. This year has also seen her update Starlight Express in Germany, choreograph Grease at the Dominion and win rave reviews for choreographing Guys & Dolls at the Bridge.
Arlene was born in Prestwich 80 years ago and raised in Manchester. After her mother died of leukaemia when Arlene was 15, she left school to study ballet and tap at Manchester’s Muriel Tweedy School. She soon moved to London to teach her own style of American-inspired jazz dance at Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden and the Italia Conti theatre arts school.
Arlene cemented her reputation as a distinctive adventurous force in musical theatre with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s roller-
skating extravaganza Starlight Express.
She worked on Duran Duran’s video for The Wild Boys, winner of Best British Video at the 1985 Brit Awards; choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester; and in 2007 was Creative Director and Executive Producer for ITV series Britannia High, set in a performing-
arts school, with music by Gary Barlow.
Arlene became a judge on So You Think You Can Dance? after the BBC removed her from Strictly after four years in 2009. Even Harriet Harman became involved in the furore that followed, suggesting Arlene had been replaced by Alesha Dixon as a result of age discrimination.
Since then, Arlene has choreographed more theatrical hits, written a series of children’s books and created a charitable gala for Grenfell Tower.
And in 2021 she was the oldest-ever contestant to appear on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
By Charlotte Metcalf
