Brian Beacom

REMEMBER that massive cinematic moment from Dirty Dancing when muscle-taut Patrick Swayze lifted Jennifer Grey?

Audiences gasped in awe. Women wanted to be Grey, all dressed in white. Men wanted to be Swayze, all attitude and tight trousers.

And more than 30 years ago, couples still want to play out that iconic scene – on their wedding day.

Actor/dancer/choreographer Darren Brownlie once worked as a First Dance wedding choreographer.

However, he smiles as he recalls the legions of brides-to-be who wanted their partners to perform the Patrick lift, in wedding halls across the land.

“I loved the wedding dance period,” he says of his stint after achieving his Masters at the Conservatoire.

“The challenge was in hearing what the couples wanted to dance to. And with the original choreography.”

He breaks into a laugh; “I’d be thinking ‘You’re asking me get your man, who’s never danced before, to do lifts? That’s what trained dancers do after years of training.

“And the guy can be as strong as they come. But it’s all about how the girl runs at him and timing.

“Sometimes you find yourself working with a wee tumshie and if she doesn’t get it right she’ll go over him and headbutt the ground.

“But you couldn’t stop them from trying.”

We’re rewinding because Darren is now playing the role of Wedding Choreographer on stage.

He stars alongside Jo Freer and Daniel Cahill in The First Dance.

Martin McCormick’s new play tells of Rhona and Terry, and engaged couple whom Gavin has been hired to teach the impossible dance to the soundtrack I Had The Time of My Life.

But there are a couple of problems. Terry has at least two left feet.

“And Rhona and Terry are devout Christians. Rhona is very godly and very aware Gavin is a gay man. And she announces she’s not allowed to touch Terry until after their married, the first dance.

“Gavin, we learn, has to teach each of the pair separately.”

Will Gavin have the pair leaping like gazelles? Will heads be battered senseless onto the Oran Mor floor? Or worse?

Darren, apart from his stint as a wedding dance choreographer, brings as massive experience to the role.

He’s been a Tron Theatre panto favourite for ten years, playing a range of wicked queens.

More recently he appeared in Johnny McKnight’s new comedy, Bingo.

Does he miss the first dance days?

“Well, I never set out to do it in the first place,” he says, smiling.

“As a choreographer I was asked to help out one couple and then word of mouth kicked in.

“But it was great fun and always interesting. The girls were usually shy and the guys would either get carried away with enthusiasm or they would hug the wall.

“If that were the case, I’d do whatever I do with every straight man who thinks I’m a threat; I flirt with them.

“I’d just say, ‘Oh, look at you with your big arms.’ And that would work.”

He adds; “While it was great fun I had to go along to all these weddings, to be honest, I don’t think I could face eating another Balmoral chicken while waiting for the first dance to start.”

The First Dance, Oran Mor, until Saturday.