dance

The United States’ head of homeland security said he “danced a happy dance” when Iran were eliminated from the World Cup.

Iran missed out on qualifying from the group stage on goal difference after having a stoppage-time winner against Egypt disallowed for a marginal offside.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team were the “most oppressed” at the tournament amid the backdrop of the country’s conflict with the US and Israel.

Iran’s training base was switched from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico before the World Cup began and they faced travel restrictions throughout.

Despite Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Egypt, Iran still had a chance of qualifying as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

But their elimination was confirmed when Algeria and Austria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said: “I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back.

“I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the US soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.”

He added: “There wasn’t a single team that we had to spend more time dealing with than Iran.”

Iran were only permitted to enter the US the day before their first two matches and had to leave on the same day as the game, under the terms of their visas.

Those restrictions were eased for their final group game in Seattle, allowing them to arrive two days early, but they again had to return to Tijuana after Saturday’s match.

Iran coach Ghalenoei said that the US, co-hosts of the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, had “treated us very unfairly” and that his squad had been given “less than half” the training window it needed to prepare.

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi added: “This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup. I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived.”

There’s a sense of quiet mystery in tarot. That’s why during my reading last week, it was more peculiar than disruptive when a dancer hopped on a table to lay at a 90-degree angle and jet her feet in the air.

Despite said activity, the tone was contemplative, and moments later, as I was being asked to describe the colors and mood of a Ten of Swords card, I was tapped on the shoulder. After a gesture to follow, I was handed a lantern.

The way I swayed the light would now dictate the performer’s movements. We may not have been dancing, but it was close. Melancholic and intimate, the performer (Haylee Nichele) silently guided me to become comfortable in my discomfort, to sit with the evening’s themes of longing, loss, confusion and impending grief.

Sam Alper’s Bill, foreground, and Haylee Nichele’s Constance in Koryn Wicks’ “You Must Be Here for the Reading,” an immersive tarot show.

(Daniel Kleen)

“You Must Be Here for the Reading,” running through June 20 at North Hollywood’s After Hours Theatre, is part theatrical and dance performance, part tarot reading and part cocktail hour. It’s also personal, led by two actors who encourage the attendees to open up, to complete poems and to generally tune into their vulnerability.

The 60-minute show, partly scripted and partly improvised, comes from the mind of Koryn Wicks. Trained in dance and choreography, Wicks’ day job is in themed entertainment while her personal projects explore the immersive space. They’re theatrical works that experiment with audience interaction. “You Must Be Here for the Reading” is no different.

The setup: Collectively, our group of eight has arrived at a tarot reading, only the famed reader we are there to work with, Constance, performed by Nichele on the night I saw, never arrives for her assigned role. We know her fate, but her partner, Sam Alper’s Bill, who nervously attempts to carry on with the performance in her absence, does not.

From there, “You Must be Here for the Reading” becomes a show heavy on audience participation. There are scripted, story-specific beats, but the cards pulled — and the tales they tell — is, of course, randomized.

Sam Alper as Bill, an unsuspecting tarot card reader in Koryn Wicks’ “You Must Be Here for the Reading.”

(Daniel Kleen)

“I knew that I wanted the audience to be the primary drivers of the tarot reading,” Wicks says. “I knew that I wanted the host to not be a tarot reader and there to be some sort of event that made it so the audience would have to take the reins and read the tarot.”

In turn, “You Must Be Here for the Reading” works for both those who are novices to the space as well as those who are more experienced. During the pre-show, guests can explore tarot books and uncover slips of paper hidden in them that prompt us to answer questions or complete poems — the latter will figure into the performance. A worksheet given to us asks us to interpret some core tenets, as well as to enter the reading with a question we would like to explore.

The show then focuses on how each attendee’s desires, concerns or lived experiences shape the perception of the reading.

“What’s drawn me to tarot is the way it’s built on symbolism and the way that symbolism is embedded in the collective unconscious,” Wicks says. “I think it’s really fascinating that we have this artifact that has this ability to give us insight into a lot of shared experiences. When I’ve read different books about tarot, or had my cards read by different people, there is an openness to interpenetration.

“The assignment I gave myself for this piece,” Wicks continues, “was to create an experience in which you had a group of people coming together and going through the process of defining the symbolism and meaning of the cards in real time.”

And yet the show also pulls from Wicks’ background in dance. While Constance never shows for the reading, her presence is still felt, often hovering or circling around the table with movements designed to interpret the tone of the reading. She’s a ghostly presence, the gracefulness heightening the somber emotions of the night. Though she and Bill never interact directly, much of the dance seeks to explore their unseen bond. At times, Constance may call on various audience members to act as a dance partner.

Koryn Wicks, creator of “You Must Be Here for the Reading,” an immersive tarot performance in which audiences are tasked with deciphering their own cards while a melancholic story unfolds around them.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“I really believe that one of the most beautiful things art does for us is remind us that we are not alone,” Wicks says.

Immersive art allows for a sense of participation, which Wicks hopes will increase one’s appreciation of dance.

“Dance is an embodied art form,” Wicks says. “There is science that shows that some of the enjoyment from watching dance comes from imagining yourself moving. In North America, a lot of people haven’t had an experience or education with dance, especially not concert dance. Then we ask them to sit in a dark auditorium in a small chair and not move to enjoy it. I found through my research, both practical and academic, there is something to inviting audiences to participate in dance that allows them to derive meaning from it.”

While there isn’t enough time in the show for everyone to have a one-on-one experience with the dancer, watching an audience and cast member attempt to get in sync with each other underlines the night’s themes of connecting. Ultimately, that’s the space where the show resides. “You Must Be Here for the Reading” uses tarot as a means to bring some structure to our often disconnected lives.

“It stands in contradiction to our current historical moment,” Wicks says of the show. “It’s very anti-AI. It’s asking people to sit with books and to find little seeds and not necessarily pursue solutions or puzzles. It’s asking us to connect, sometimes with strangers.”

I kept my question that I brought to the reading secret, but I found the show provided a hopeful answer. Not because the cards offered a solution. Instead, they provided a community.

MOST people go on a cruise to relax, lie on a sun lounger and enjoy some pina coladas as they sail from one destination to the next.

But my cruise has a legend on board who is intent on putting guests through their paces.

Enter Shirley Ballas, head judge of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, who has been invited to run a masterclass on the jive.

At a diminutive 5ft 2in, Shirley’s stature might be small, but she takes no prisoners as she issues loud, stern instructions: “STEP, TWIST, SWIVEL, KICK, AGAIN!”.

This is day two of a seven-night Norwegian fjords voyage round-trip from Southampton on MSC Cruises’ 19-deck, 6,300- passenger ship, the MSC Virtuosa.

Shirley is scheduled to host several activities during the sailing, but for now the focus is on the jive, which is taking place somewhere in the North Sea.

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More than a hundred of us have turned up and it’s proving tricky. As if the shimmies, chasses and spins weren’t enough, the music then speeds up. I’m as coordinated as a two-legged spider.

Think right foot instead of left; arms up instead of down. I’m confident with the kick, but then a fellow passenger whispers in my ear: “If you point your toes it will look more elegant!”

Far more certain is that the jive will leave you out of breath and sweaty. “Forget the gym,” says Shirley. “This is a much ­better workout.” Agreed!

And it’s also a lot of fun. Who cares if you’re any good — it’s about having a go.

And Shirley never lets on — despite being asked endlessly — that Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will be the hit BBC dance ­contest’s new presenters.

Before we finish, Shirley sets a challenge: To practice and film ourselves dancing the jive and she’ll post the best performances on social media.

MSC is an Italian line with an Italian vibe and if you’re looking for La Dolce Vita, you’ll find it on Virtuosa.

Deck 15’s Via Dei Cappellari points guests towards the swimming pools.

Deck 5’s Galleria Virtuosa is a replica Italian shopping arcade. Were it not topped by an LED Dome — which has mesmerising light shows projected onto it nightly — you’d think you were in Italy.

As for the buffet, it offers superb pizzas and pastas, though if you’d prefer a roast, that’s available too. And elsewhere there’s lots of glitter and glitz, from the champagne bar to the three-storey Swarovski crystal staircase in the atrium.

There’s no Deck 17, a number considered unlucky by Italians. There is, however, a Deck 13 and my balcony cabin is on it.

It’s stylish, roomy and, because the ship is sailing from Southampton for the summer, it has welcome British touches, like a kettle and Yorkshire tea bags.

My fellow passengers are an international bunch, most of whom are European. They’re also younger than normal (the average age is 42) and like to dance.

Wherever you go, whatever the time of day, you’ll find dance classes and much hip-swivelling. The sessions are all free and feature pop, bachata, samba and rock.

I try salsa, hoping it will improve my jive. It doesn’t!

And much of the action happens in the Galleria. You can be walking along, window-shopping, when suddenly you’ll be swept up in a silent disco or flash mob.

That’s how I find myself performing Village People’s YMCA alongside hundreds of others.

It’s all rather joyous, a word used by Shirley multiple times during a Q&A session held later in the week in the ship’s theatre. She uses it to describe the experiences she seeks in life.

Of course, there’s plenty of en­ter­tainment that can be watched rather than participated in.

Such as the ship’s ABBA show, in which hits such as Mamma Mia and Waterloo are performed by a cast in flared trousers and tasselled costumes.

Then there’s Ajedrez, a Cirque du Soleil-style show whose acrobatics are so staggering it’s a struggle not to gasp in amazement or cover your eyes.

Even Shirley (who’s sat in the row behind me) thinks its fab!

I get off the ship in Edinburgh and Norway — where the cobbled backstreets of Stavanger are lined by white clapboard houses so cutesy it’s as if they’ve been built for Instagram.

Yet for many guests, the ship itself is the destination and they can’t wait to get back on board.

MSC Virtuosa will be offering another Strictly-themed sailing in August when former pro-dancer Kristina Rihanoff will be on board to host masterclasses and dish up show gossip.

Meanwhile, I try to perfect the jive —  and at one point a fellow passenger even praises my leg extension. But I’m not happy enough with it to dare send a clip to Shirley.

I am inspired though, and will keep dancing. As for the cruise, it’s a 10 from me!

GK Barry was yelled out by a celebrity teammate during Soccer Aid after she ignored a pass to instead dance with the crowd just seconds into her time on the pitch

GK Barry appeared to leave a Soccer Aid teammate frustrated just moments into her time on the pitch. The Loose Women star was yelled at by Tom Grennan after she was too busy dancing with the crowd to see him pass her the ball.

The 26-year-old influencer, whose real name is Grace Keeling, was on England’s team at this year’s charity match and came on after replacing Tom Hiddleston in the 41st minute of the game. She quickly got the ball and passed it to Grennan, then turned to the crowd to celebrate, but missed Grennan’s return pass.

As Keeling celebrated, Grennan kicked the ball back to her and it rolled out of play. He appeared to yell something at her, gesturing to where the ball had rolled out of bounds, before turning his back.

Fans thought Keeling’s antics were “hilarious”. One said: “GK Barry in soccer aid is absolutely sending me”. Another added: “Literally love GK Barry so much”. A third said: “GK Barry is hilarious”. One called it an “all time soccer aid moment”.

Prior to the match, GK Barry sat down with Mirror to talk about Soccer Aid, particularly what her footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford thought of it. “She’s really excited,” Keeling revealed. “I’ve never been one to understand football; I’ve never had the chance, but I feel like she’s loving telling me about it. She’s like ‘This is a corner’, and I’m like ‘OK’.”

Keeling joked that she and Rutherford were “swapping roles” and she was going to be “signing up to Portsmouth”. She also revealed how her girlfriend was helping her prepare for the match.

“I’m learning how to dribble,” she laughed, adding: “Learning what goal is ours that we have to shoot in. Ella’s got me on a high protein diet, which is hell – I’ve been doing a lot of that, a lot of eggs, a lot of mince, it’s disgusting but I’m hoping that will make me automatically become a footballer.”

As for advice on how to be on the pitch, Keeling says she’s noticed Rutherford is “very good at stopping people getting the ball”. But Barry is a “wuss”. “Her main thing is, you need to control the ball,” she explained, adding: “I get scared – if I’ve got a six-foot man coming towards me trying to get the ball, he might have to have it.”

Despite her excitement for Soccer Aid, Keeling joked it wasn’t her “bag”. She said: “Because I’ve watched Ella do it i sort of maybe kind of know what to expect a little bit, that’s what I’m telling myself.” But, the thought of 60,000 people attending is giving Grace the fear.

“I have a thing, I forget how to walk if I think someone behind me is looking at me,” she said, adding: “I do fear that I may skip onto the pitch or something like that. But it should be exciting, it’s the biggest thing I’ve done.” And despite being terrified she may embarrass herself, that doesn’t matter for Keeling as she’s taking part in an “amazing” event.

And Keeling admits that aligning herself with such a positive cause is “nice” for her due to the ages of her audience. “I think it’s amazing to tie in with that,” she said, adding: “Our team, there are so many types of people in different bits of the industry, so the amount of people we’ll be able to bring in and donate to the charity is amazing.”

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WE’VE all gone a little K-razy – with Brits obsessed with K-pop, K-drama and K-beauty.

So it’s no wonder Virgin Atlantic chose to launch new direct flights to South Korea’s cool capital Seoul.

From the music legends BTS and Netflix hits KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game to the latest in advanced skin treatments, would my first trip live up to the hype?

After a whistlestop three days, I can ­definitely say yes — it was all I thought it would be and so much more.

The journey from Incheon International Airport to the city centre was eye-opening as we rattled along a highway next to the great expanse of the Han River that splits the city into its historic northern half and glitzy southern districts.

In the shadows of the countless skyscraper apartment blocks, locals gather on the riverfront’s parks, walking trails and cycling paths.

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And this high-tech capital of endless high rises and neon-lit streets is also home to ancient palaces and surprisingly tranquil green spaces.

Locals and tourists alike flock to the five grand Joseon-era palaces and if you wear a Hanbok — the traditional Korean clothing — admission to them all is free.

While it may seem a little odd to us, embracing the traditional garb is actively encouraged and there are plenty of boutique rental shops surrounding the palace district that will, for a small fee, dress you head to toe in the brightly coloured garments and even braid your hair.

With little time to waste, we went straight from the plane to the palaces.

Top tip: plan your days carefully.

The ­magnificent main palace, Gyeongbokgung, is closed on Tuesdays, while the nearby ­Changdeokgung shuts its gates on Mondays.

We spent time wandering Changdeokgung’s ancient courtyards — just make sure to book ahead if you want to see its famous, tranquil Secret Garden.

Next morning, it was time to shake off the jetlag and embrace modern Seoul with a K-Pop dance class in the city’s university ­district.

Our incredibly patient instructor walked us through a routine to the Saja Boys’ hit Soda Pop, from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters.

The 90-minute session was an absolute blast, and even someone with two left feet like me could just about pick up the moves — albeit I was a few beats behind the music!

More modern-day Korean fun came next with a visit to one of the flagship Olive Young K-beauty stores in the Myeong-dong shopping district.

You’ll find smaller stores on almost every street corner here, packed with Korean beauty products from floor to ceiling.

The trick is to do your research before you go — it can be overwhelming looking at the overflowing aisles but you can score amazing bargains, with some products just a third of the price you’d pay in the UK.

Next up was another Korean trend that has taken social media by storm — colour analysis.

Stepping into a deliberately all-white room, your personal stylist will assess the colours that suit your skin tone best.

While I am sure the colours picked for me suited the Korean aesthetic — you’ll rarely see very bright tones on locals strolling streets by day or night — I felt they missed the mark.

After my colour analysis, we stumbled across the Roof Cat Me cafe which, as a feline fan, was a must.

The £10 entry fee included unlimited drinks for the humans — and the chance to chill next to some of the most beautiful pedigrees, all of whom appeared extremely happy with their spotlessly clean, custom-built hangout.

What surprised me the most was the great value — and warm welcome — we got everywhere we went.

While the efficient metro system costs just 80p per journey, it was also very easy to grab an Uber — and journeys were a fraction of the price we’d pay in the UK.

Download the Naver app to get around though, as Google and Apple maps are limited to public transport routes.

Food and drink was also very reasonable.

Local beers cost just £2.50 and you can even enjoy unlimited beef Korean barbecue for around £15.

And what’s more important, even at night I felt completely safe on the buzzing streets of bars, clubs and restaurants.

There is none of the edgier atmosphere you can get in big cities.

We ticked one last thing off the bucket list with a trip to the Gangnam southern district — known for its upscale shopping and nightlife made famous by the original smash-hit song from Psy.

There was just time to pose under the giant Psy hands statue outside the COEX mall before it was back to the airport and I was boarding my Virgin Atlantic flight home to London.

My feet were tired but my skin was glowing.

Seoul is a dizzying, delightful mix of old and new — and it more than lives up to the hype.