Celebrating some of the most iconic women in entertainment history, Yada’s Divas promises to be one of the most spectacular shows of the year. Felix Busuttil tells Jo Caruana all about it.

Yada’s past shows have celebrated everything from Michael Jackson to the iconic film Dirty Dancing.

Yada has long been renowned for its extra-vagant, lavish and commercial dance productions. Every single one of their shows so far has stretched the boundaries of dance and combined them with that must-have wow-factor to stimulate the senses. This year’s offering promises to be no different.

“I start envisioning and building the show in my mind around nine months in advance and we get started on the logistics seven months before opening night,” says Yada’s founder and Diva’s producer Felix Busuttil. “As for the dancers and choreographers themselves, well, they kick-start the gruelling six-day-per-week schedule six months ahead of time and everyone is always eager to pull the same rope. It’s absolutely magical watching it all come together.”

Nevertheless, despite Busuttil’s incredible portfolio of successful shows, he still finds the process nerve-wracking, especially when it comes to the details of pulling it all together.

“There’s so much to think about,” he says. “The visuals, lights, staging, props, cars, dogs, band, drummers, tights, suspenders, make-up, hair and so much more. My whole team and I are living and breathing Divas 24/7 at the moment; it’s a huge responsibility, but a very rewarding one.”

While Yada’s past shows have celebrated everything from Michael Jackson to the iconic film Dirty Dancing, 2014’s offering will be all about women. The theme incorporates independent women, mothers, the diversity of life, sexual freedom and the heroines that battle through the desperate challenges of everyday life.

We’ve had 700 new costumes made for this show by top creatives

“Divas live among us and they are so strong,” continues Busuttil, who will also be paying homage to three female friends of his who passed away in 2013. “Divas don’t let life get them down, and they sing and dance until their last breath. That is exactly the spirit of what this show is all about.”

Also inspired by the divas of stage, screen and song, the show will include many of the greats, including the voices of Barbara Streisand, Diana Ross, Elton John (who Busuttil quips is the world’s only male diva), Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Cher, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Beyonce’ and Kate Perry – to name but a few.

“Each session in the show will reflect the genre and timbre of that particular singer – Celine for her drama, Mariah for romance, Lady Gaga for controversial subjects, Jennifer Lopez for Latin and Salsa, Beyonce’ for Bootylicious and so forth,” Busuttil continues. “In combination, it will be the sort of show that leaves you completely breathless.”

There will be live performances from three of Malta’s own divas – Mary Spiteri, Ira Losco and Chiara, all of whom will sing songs by their chosen star.

Keen to ensure the element of surprise, Busuttil is tight-lipped about details of the show, but he is open about the fact that the 400-strong cast – which includes the Yada Dance Company, as well as students from The College of Dance, The Yada Dance Academy in Gozo and GymStars in Tarxien – is already well into the rehearsal process.

“Our local talent will be accompanied on stage by 10 Italian dancers, managed by Mediaset’s Canale 5’s Amici. There will also be international circus acts from France and guest dancers from the Alegria Academy, Southville and Protouch. Not to mention the bodybuilders, models, drivers and drag queens,” Busuttil adds.

On top of all that, he also promises plenty of glamour, sequins, suspenders, tights and wigs… and that’s just the start of it. “I imagine Malta’s divas to be dressed to the nines!” he grins. “As a result, we’ve had 700 new costumes made for this show by top creatives, including Vaslas Petriski from Bulgaria, Marcella Panico from Italy, Doris, Delina and Simona from Malta and, of course, our team from Gozo too.

“There’s going to be so much to look at – Tina’s short skirts, Gaga’s outrageous pieces, Cher’s extravaganza, Elton’s over-the-top suits and so much more. Divas isn’t just a dance show, but an over-the-top extravaganza that will dazzle from start to finish.”

Busuttil, who has long pioneered the local dance scene, is as passionate about the future of dance in Malta as he is about its present.

“So much has already been achieved and we have so much to be proud of,” he says. “But there is also a lot more to be done. I would like to see the set-up of a National Dance Company, with a strong classic and contemporary-inclined repertoire. I would also like to see dance treated with more respect and more admiration – it should be part and parcel of our health and education, all the way from primary school, right up to university level.”

Beyond that, he’s excited about Yada’s future too, including the company’s 30th birthday, as well as his own personal triumphs. “I was recently accepted onto the University of Malta’s Masters programme in Dance Studies,” he says with a wide smile, adding that this had been a life-long dream.

“Then there’s my civil ceremony to plan with my partner Daron, the love of my life, in the months to come. It’s a very exciting time and I am so grateful to be able to share it with so many wonderful people.”

Divas runs at the Malta Fairs and Convenions Centre, Ta’ Qali, from Friday to March 31. Tickets are available online.

www.ticketline.com.mt