Where Marilyn Monroe demurely blew a kiss when singing to her President, Trinidad Rolando, star of Lady Salsa, gave hers a full-on smacker when performing live on Cuban television.
Such is the energetic passion of the heroine of Lady Salsa, an exuberant Cuban dance show which whirled into The Alex on Monday, embedding the Lady's chequered history within that of revolutionary Cuba.
Trinidad, described by creator Toby Gough as the 'heart' of the show, provides the visual focal point - a warm and radiant figure in a blood-red dress.
It is astonishing to believe that she is approaching her eighties.
Ten dancers - six girls, a blur of sequins, flounces and tassels, killer heels and glossy lips and four men, complete with perfect rippled torsos, which they proudly show off - tirelessly dance their way through Cuba's vibrant, often painful history.
The music from the 12 piece Salsa band seamlessly metamorphoses between earthly slave beats, elegant jazz and triumphant salsa as the decades of Cuban history and Lady Salsa's life roll onwards.
At times, the narration outlining Cuba's past was a little like being on a children's history tour on a Disneyworld ride, but nevertheless it did make clearer Cuba's journey through slavery, revolution and emancipation.
One of the best things about Lady Salsa was the clear enthusiasm of the cast throughout their performances.
Their exuberance created an exhilarating atmosphere and by the end of the show most of the audience - a real mixture of young and old - were on their feet dancing too.
For two hours the audience is transported to Cuba but it's back to Birmingham with a bang when the curtain falls with the cast still dancing their hearts out.
Lady Salsa counts Kylie amongst its fans and really is a must-see for music lovers, dance lovers or simply those who just enjoy being entertained.
Roz Golds
