A West End theatrical company is being sued by a Strictly Come Dancing choreographer who instructed celebrities on the program. The choreographer suffered a serious injury after falling off stage.
After getting injured during rehearsals for a UK production of the iconic Broadway musical 42nd Street, 41-year-old Kylie Hayes, who choreographed routines on the BBC hit for 12 seasons, says she had to give up dancing.
She was exiting a stage in the “pitch black,” according to the dancer and instructor, when she tumbled after moving her temporary steps and tore a muscle in her left leg.
Mrs. Hayes claims that her injuries put an end to her career as an assistant choreographer for Strictly and the West End, where she spent more than ten years working on the BBC primetime program.
She assisted in teaching candidates how to perform the Charleston, including Alan Titchmarsh, Jeremy Vine, Kimberley Walsh, Stacey Dooley, Pixie Lott, Emma Barton, and the late glitterball winner Caroline Flack.
Despite her injuries, she watched the concert that evening from the sidelines.
However, she later found that she had severely “torn” her musculotendinous junction, which is the joint between her calf muscle and Achilles tendon. As a result, she had to miss up to a year of work.
And after a 20-year career, she quickly understood that her acute exhaustion would prevent her from dancing competitively again, so she filed a lawsuit against theatre owners.
After being injured during rehearsals for the West End production of 42nd Street, 41-year-old Kylie Hayes, who had assisted with choreography on Strictly for 12 seasons, says she had to give up dancing.
The late Caroline Flack was one of the Strictly participants she collaborated with.
“It was absolutely devastating,” said Mrs. Hayes, who has worked on popular West End productions such as Evita, Follies, Cats, Oklahoma, Saturday Night Fever, Sound of Music, and Top Hat. In a matter of seconds, everything I had ever known was taken from me. “People say break a leg on stage, but I never dreamed I would be the one to fall and it cost me my career.”
Dancing is more than simply a profession; it’s my identity, my spirit, and all I’ve known since I was two years old.
“I am grieving a career I once had, and not dancing is like having an amputation and losing a limb because I can’t use my feet for what I was born to do.” When I tumbled off the platform, everything that I had been looking forward to—the audience, the energy, and the excitement—was snatched from me.
Anton Du Beke, a judge on Strictly, had previously learned how to tap dance from Mrs. Hayes of South Molton, Devon.
Along with choreographer and business partner Bill Deamer, she also assisted in teaching group professional dance routines for Strictly’s musicals week for twelve seasons.
Before her career collapsed, she was touring with the 42nd Street cast in May 2023, helping to choreograph routines for preview evenings at the Curve Theatre in Leicester as they readied the musical for its full West End premiere.
Additionally, Kylie Hayes has contributed to popular West End shows as Top Hat, Evita, Follies, Cats, Oklahoma, Saturday Night Fever, and Sound of Music.
However, she said that the lighting, clearly designated steps for dancers to enter and exit the stage were changed after opening night.
Mrs. Hayes, who has been dancing since she was two years old, continued: “I still don’t understand why this was done.” However, it cost me everything. “We were testing out the lighting, stage exits, routines, locations, costume changes, and sets; it was supposed to be a standard rehearsal run.”
She stated that there were no lights or markers on the stage platform exit when she sought to leave the stage in the dark after performing a dance routine during an afternoon practice and fell into “space.”
Mrs. Hayes, who also contributed to the choreography of the Olivier-winning West End tap dance production Top Hat, fell awkwardly with a loud “massive thud” that halted rehearsals.
“All the dancers stopped dead,” she continued. My leg was outstretched as I fell flat on my face. I was so ashamed that I attempted to shrug it off by acting like a British person and said I was alright.
However, her left leg gave way beneath her as she stood up.
Mrs. Hayes, who worked as a West End dancer for four years before turning to choreography, continued: “It felt like a dead weight or a heavy bag of marbles, and my entire leg was numb like jelly.”
Kylie Hayes, who spent more than ten years working on the BBC primetime show Strictly, claims that her injuries put an end to her sparkling career as a West End and assistant choreographer.
The extremely athletic dancer instructor claimed that while working on 42nd Street, she was exiting the stage in the “pitch black” when she fell and tore a muscle in her left thigh.
Temporary steps next to the stage were moved, according to her legal claim. “I thought I would be okay in five minutes, not knowing my life had just changed forever.”
With the aid of some potent painkillers, she was able to see the show later that evening. However, as her leg swelled, she attended a private physiotherapist, who told her right away, “You’ve lost your Achilles.”
“I knew then I was in serious trouble and was out for at least a year – but I didn’t dream my career was over,” she continued.
She had to wear a boot “24-7 even in bed and the shower” for three months after doctors at the neighbouring Leicester Royal Infirmary discovered a tear right above her Achilles tendon.
“I had just moved to Devon from south west London with my husband Simon, and he had to hold me up emotionally, physically, and financially,” she continued. “I didn’t know anyone and suddenly went from 100 miles an hour to standstill and was on my own for the first time.” “I couldn’t walk, shop, drive, or even walk my dog Nellie.” Although I consider myself to be a very optimistic person, I will admit that I have had some extremely bad days. I had trouble climbing the stairs. It was devastating. I’ve only ever experienced dance and buzz, and now it’s all gone.
For weeks, she also had to inject anti-DVT blood clot medications into her stomach every day.
She later found out that she had severely “torn” her musculotendinous junction, which is the joint between her calf muscle and Achilles tendon. As a result, she had to miss up to a year of work.
After joining choreographer Bill Deamer straight out of the esteemed Arts Ed Performing Arts Drama School in London, Mrs. Hayes worked as his assistant choreographer for nearly two decades. She travelled the world creating dance routines for West End productions and television.
“We were just like a married couple,” she continued. He would come over and do some routines while I was in music college, and he noticed how talented I was at tap and choreography.In order to begin my job with him, I ultimately left college a term early. I would bring his dance routines to life on stage or screen because I was schooled in musical theatre and had a lot of creativity. “We were magic together and a great team.” He would think of something, and I would make it happen.
However, she discovered that he had taken her place for forthcoming productions such as Hello Dolly, Evita, a Cunard Cruise, and their yearly BBC1 Strictly stint choreographing musicals week with the show’s professional dancers as the months passed while she recovered.
She had to have a special lift heel put into her shoes once her boot was taken off before she could run five km.
However, she discovered that she could only dance for 30 minutes at a time before becoming fatigued when she attempted to perform at the same level as before the injury.
“The feeling was indescribable,” she continued. I began to cry and tremble. I had completely lost faith in my physical appearance.
Strictly judge Anton Du Beke learned how to tap dance from Kylie Hayes of South Molton, Devon. “It was a huge realisation that I would not be able to dance at a high level in the West End again and would now need a new career outside dance.” I had to store my tap shoes in the loft.
She subsequently made the decision to file a lawsuit against 42nd Street 2023 Ltd., the theatre company staging the show, which has officially acknowledged responsibility for her accident, albeit the exact amount of damages has not yet been determined.
“Kylie was one of the fittest dancers in the West End,” stated Emma Mazurkiewicz, an accident specialist at Express Solicitors who is managing her claim.She was a veteran of Strictly and has worked on the biggest shows. However, she was forced to give up the glitter ball and her love of dancing and change occupations after her entire career collapsed after she fell off stage. More needs to be done by theatres and production companies to ensure the safety of everyone on their property.
Currently, Mrs. Hayes works as a massage therapist and receptionist at the Mole spa resort, which is close to her Devon home.
“I really enjoyed doing massages, so it clicked,” she continued. I adore this place.I still miss the West End excitement and the sparkle and glamour of Strictly.
Currently employed as a receptionist and massage therapist at the Mole spa resort close to her Devon home, Kylie Hayes (pictured) says, “But I have a completely different life now and I have come to terms with that.” The show must go on, as they say.
“There is no glitter, sequins, or band in what I do now, which is the exact antithesis of Strictly. However, genuine friendships, stress-free walks on the beach with my husband and dog Nellie are more valuable.
“Something I never thought I could have.”
Growing up in Portsmouth, Mrs. Hayes continues to be a passionate watcher of Strictly.
“I can pick out any routine my old partner has worked on,” she continued. However, I have come to terms with that aspect of my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way; my next chapter will be calmer and more easygoing.
Requests for comment have not received a response from the theatre group.
