Legends are spoken of on the daily - we see them on the news, on magazines and even on our feeds - but it’s not often that we get to experience them, live and in action, on a grand stage performing to a crowd-pleasing number. Here I’m referring to the genius art form that Alison White introduced to Malta in the '70s, a dance interpretation that until today, still finds extravagant ways to entertain its viewers.

Dancing for the Maltese public must have been quite the adventure at the time. Being one of Malta’s first dance companies, the Alison White Dancers have been "blessed with a splendid career on this little island," Alison shares. She takes a trip down memory lane and lets us in on some of her most astounding moments, recalling, "one particular moment that really stands out to me is being asked to choreograph Gensna, Malta's very first national Rock Opera in 1981. It was definitely a moment in history that I am very proud to have been part of."

Choreographing and dancing to Malta’s first rock opera is quite the feat, but Alison’s top moments don't stop there. "Over the years, my company has had the privilege to work for some major international companies and events such as Jensen, Ford Cars, IBM Computers, VO5, the Eurovision. One of my greatest achievements was performing in Enna (Sicily) as principal dancer in Aida, while also choreographing and staging the opera with my own company," she continues.

Along with all the high moments, as ever, come the lows, and given the entertainment climate in the '70s and '80s, Alison’s cabaret sometimes stirred up quite the commotion. Alison comments,"when I first launched my company, one could say that the Maltese entertainment industry was still sort of finding its feet. My cabaret shows brought glamour, energy and a new flavour to the Maltese entertainment scene, and before I knew it the company was working six nights a week (sometimes multiple shows in one night!) in some of Malta's top hotels and casinos."

She goes on to explain locals’ perception of the art form of dance, both in the '70s and now. "Though I believe most people enjoyed our work, I did cause a stir with my high cut leotards in the '70s and '80s! Most of the time, the conditions the company had to work in were very poor too - no proper dressing rooms or stages, and a lack of proper facilities in general. Unfortunately this has not changed much over the years; many clients still do not understand the basic requirements needed to deliver high quality entertainment."

Much like the '70s and '80s, there is often quite the confusion on what ‘cabaret’ actually is - many of us don’t understand the elegance and sophistication that’s tied with such an art form, Alison says. "Cabaret is a style of entertainment that includes a collection of musical theatre numbers, show songs, and dance strung together over the course of a performance," she explains. "It can be casual, but those who know me will tell you that is definitely not my style! With my shows I go for spectacular costumes; the more sparkles and feathers, the better!"

"In the early days, cabaret referred to a kind of restaurant or bar that served alcohol with meals, and occasionally included short musical performances, dance and magic. Many have misconceptions about ‘cabaret’, simply because they have probably never witnessed it in its proper form. Many people see it as a 'cheap' or lesser art form simply because the concept for a cabaret show is normally not based on intellect or abstract emotion, and the audience does not leave the performance contemplating social issues or politics. The raison d'être behind my show is the celebration of fun, light heartedness and glamour, of course!"

This year is a huge one for Alison and her dance squad, as they celebrate 40 years of excellence in the industry with a ‘metaphorical facelift’ for the company, through which a re-branding exercise will give the Alison White Dancers a new image: soon to be known as White Heat. "This year I will be having a spectacular celebration of my 40 year milestone, and this will be a collaboration with many artists and friends I've worked with over the years, so I'm very excited to be working on this," Alison continues.

Alison closes off our chat with an inspiring message showing dedication and love for her art: "Ultimately my goal is to keep working and building my legacy, and to keep belting out show tunes in diamond covered costumes for as long as I possibly can!"