Dua Lipa’s Glastonbury dancer is a rising star from Penzance

A professional dancer from Cornwall is embarking on a world tour with award-winning Brit pop singer Dua Lipa, who headlines Glastonbury Festival tonight (Friday 28 June). Luca Rainbow has been booked to join the singer on stage as she embarks on a 23-date tour that includes Germany, Croatia, Spain, the US and Malaysia and Japan, as well as, of course, more dates in the UK .

The 20-year-old was working jobs including The Voice, Eurovision Song Contest and the Brits at just 18 when he was spotted by the singer and asked to join him on tour. Luca started dancing with The Big Dance Company in Penzance at the age of 11, where he trained in breakdancing with Kyle Richardson.

The studio’s founding director, Fiona Richardson, said she saw a special spark in him and encouraged him to study other dance styles. She said before he knew it, he was winning contests, being scouted for scholarships and then going straight to work at 18 after hours and hours of training.

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Fiona said: “Luca Rainbow is such a humble and kind human being and this, along with his super talent, catapulted him to success. It is such an incredible model. We are all extremely proud of him.”

Dua Lipa, is an Albanian English singer, songwriter and model with seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards under her belt. Time listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2024.

Speaking from Glastonbury earlier this week, where he was rehearsing his dance routine before Lipa’s show, Luca told CornwallLive: ‘I got the job through an audition but I also worked with the choreographer before this job. I am so grateful to work. with such a practical and talented artist/man.”

He added: “Being on stage with Dua is such an incredible feeling. She has such a powerful stage presence, so dancing with her in front of a massive audience really shows you the sheer level of her talents. Especially when the audience is so involved. with the performance and knowing all the lyrics, it just makes the energy that much stronger.”

The Big Dance Company is no stranger to producing champions and stars. Four of his dancers were selected to represent England at the World Dance Cup in Prague.

Fiona said: “Our girls Emily Osborne, 14, Annie Mae Fearn, 12, Skye Hollow, 11 and Erin Thirlby, 12 were scouted by Elite Acro associates when we were attending conventions. They will now travel to Prague next week in the World’s Biggest Dance Competition We are so proud of them. They will compete with the best groups from around the world in a dance category.

Dancers from the Penzance troupe also won gold at the Olympic Dance Games held at Blackpool’s prestigious winter gardens earlier this month.