Strictly star Charles Venn joins Neil and Katya Jones in this summer's Somnium: A Dancer's Dream at Sadler's Wells

Posted on 8 May 2019

Casting has been announced for the upcoming Sadler's Wells show, Somnium: A Dancer's Dream, including Strictly Come Dancing star and British actor Charles Venn. The strictly limited, four-performance run opens on 20 June and closes on 22 June 2019. Tickets are on sale now.

The cast of Somnium: A Dancer's Dream

Charles Venn, who is perhaps best known for appearing as series regular Jacob Masters in BBC’s Casualty, is set to join the previously announced Neil and Katya Jones in Somnium: A Dancer's Dream this June. In addition to becoming a quarter-finalist contestant on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, Venn has also appeared on television in Dream Team (Sky), Eastenders (BBC), Holby City (BBC), Miranda (BBC), Moving On (LA Prods), The Bill (ITV), and The Musketeers (BBC). He is also highly prolific on the silver screen and has appeared in such films as Ghost Recon Alpha (RSA Films), Monochrome (Electric Flix), Return to the House on Haunted Hill (Warner Bros), The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal), The Dark Knight (Warner Bros), and Wrong Turn 3 (20th Century Fox).

In addition to Charles Venn and Neil and Katya Jones, a whole host of international dancers are set to take the stage, including break-dancer Chris Arias, Italian dancer Giada Lini, Australian dancer Jeremy Basile, Polish dancer Jowita Przystal, British dancer Kate Basile, British dancer Kerri-Anne Donaldson, British dancer Korina Travis, Polish dancer Michael Danilczuk, Portuguese dancer Renato Baros Nobres, and Italian dancer Simone Arena.

Simone Arena is best known for touring the world in the show, Burn The Floor. His TV credits include appearances on the Italian dance show Amici andStrictly Come Dancing in Blackpool.

Renato Baros Nobres was the 2018 winner of Hip Hop International and has performed on Dancing with the Stars, Eurovision Song Contest (2014 and 2019), Portuguese Idol, The Voice, The X Factor, the Golden Globes, and with the self-proclaimed Queen of Pop, Madonna.

Jeremy Basile has appeared on Dancing with the Stars Australia and has performed on international tours of Burn The Floor (2010-2016). He is also the current reigning champion of the British National Professional Latin Show Dance Champion. 

Jeremy Basile's wife, Kate Basile, also shares the title of British National Professional Latin Show Dance Champion. Basile is also the previous British Closed Ballroom world champion and has represented the UK in two World Championships. She is also a former performer in the international tours of Burn The Floor (2013- 2016). She is also Neil Jones' cousin, suggesting that dancing runs in the family blood.

Michael Danilczuk and his partner Jowita Przystal became Polish national champions in 2014. Danilczuk himself has appeared on Poland’s Got Talent and on Poland's So You Think You Can Dance (Poland). He is currently performing in the Burn The Floor show with his wife, Jowita.

Kerri-Anne Donaldson holds the most titles from the bunch, with seven National, five International and two British Open titles. In 2013, she reached the semi-final on Britain’s Got Talent with her troupe Kings and Queens and has worked as a choreographer for the French version of Strictly Come Dancing for many years. She now currently works on the UK version.

Giada Lini represented Italy in the World Championships in 2013 and is an Italian Show Dance champion. In 2014, she won the Show Dance World Cup and for 3 years, has both toured the world with Burn The Floor and performed on the Italian dance TV show Amici. She has danced on Strictly Come Dancing in both London and Blackpool and her partner is Strictly professional Graziano Di Prima.

Korina Travis has held numerous Ballroom and Latin titles including Amateur Latin South of England Champion, British Under 21 Latin champion, and Manhattan DanceSport Championships Under 21 Latin Champion. In 2004, she was the Junior Solo Cheerleading champion and in 2006, she was runner up on the BBC’s Dinky Dancing Competition.

Chris Arias completes the main cast alongside 8 dancers from The Vale School of Dance in Stockport.

Every performance will have 15 new dance students participating in one number who are from  All Stars Academy, Bird CollegeDance Connection, and Performers College, bringing the total number of cast members to 37.

What is Somnium: A Dancer's Dream about?

Somnium: A Dancer's Dream is a modern fairytale of a boy from Britain who falls in love with a girl from Russia. The two band together to defy all odds and become the greatest dancers on the planet. Starring real-life couple Katya and Neil Jones in a 37-strong cast, the dance show features extravagant Latin and ballroom choreography and compelling storytelling.

Born in Germany at a British Army base, Neil is an innovative and creative choreographer and dancer. Katya was born in St Petersburg Russia and has been dancing since the tender age of 6. In 2008, she partnered up with Neil and 5 years later, they were married right before being named World Champions.

Cheap Somnium: A Dancer's Dream Sadler's Wells tickets from just £22!

Don't miss Katya and Neil's epic dance show, Somnium: A Dancer's Dream, this summer at Sadler's Wells. Cheap tickets are on sale now starting at £22.

🎫 Book your affordable Somnium: A Dancer's Dream Sadler's Wells tickets from £22.

Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels

By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels

Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.