Hollywood heartthrob Channing Tatum selected South African dancer Kalon Badenhorst for the lead role in his Magic Mike live shows.
Berlin, Germany (27 January 2022) – Kalon Badenhorst dreamed of being a dancer since he saw Channing Tatum in the movie Step Up; little did he know that Tatum would end up hiring him for a lead role in his Magic Mike Live Show.
We first featured Kalon in 2016 when he and his dance partner Micaela Todd won the International Dance Organisation (IDO) Gala World title for 2016 in Graz, Austria. From there, Kalon pursued his dream of performance in London.
As many dream-chasers do, he struggled at the start, but he made his break by landing a dancing role for The Bodyguard Musical. The musical was based in Cologne, Germany. His career blossomed from there, and Kalon performed in shows throughout Europe.
Kalon’s girlfriend Lucy had the opportunity to travel to Paris to audition for a female role in Magic Mike Live. Kalon joined her in the city of love and ended up auditioning for a role in the live show too! Kalon landed the lead role of Mike, selected by Channing Tatum and the team.
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“It’s the live show developed by Channing Tatum and some big names in international choreography and music. Each of the males in the show must have exceptional talent, (dance, musical, acting). While it’s a provocative show, it’s ultimately based on the incredible talent being showcased by mostly guys – mostly without shirts on (obviously) playing music and singing. Kalon’s role of Mike involves acting too (in German!).” – Sean Badenhorst, Kalon’s proud dad.
The show was set to go live in Berlin, but before taking to the stage, Tatum invited Kalon to Los Angeles where they could discuss the role and prep for the shows.
Sadly, Covid-19 put the show on hold, but it started again in October 2021. The show is now one of Germany’s most popular, drawing in audiences looking for an exciting night out.
Take a look at the trailer for the show from the pre-Covid days.