DIRTY Dancing, The Classic Story On Stage, gives a lift to the Grand Opera House autumn season when Karl Sydow's production returns to York on Tuesday, two years to the month since its last visit.

The story of Baby and Johnny, featuring the songs Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the climactic (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, is back on the road from September to next July, after two West End runs, three British tours and myriad international shows.

Week number three brings Kira Malou to York in the role of idealistic, 17-year-old Frances 'Baby' Houseman, who is about to learn major lessons in life and a thing or two about dancing in the summer of 1963.

"I was in the dance ensemble and was 'cover' for Baby when I joined the show for the last five months after the tour was extended last year," says Kira. "Playing Baby for the first time felt incredible. It was nerve-wracking, with a lot of pressure as it's such an iconic show that everyone knows, with a lot to take in with all the acting, singing and dancing. So it was amazing to be doing it, and now I'm having the time of my life on the new tour."

Baby, you will recall, is on holiday in New York’s Catskill Mountains, where she stumbles across an all-night dance party at the resort's staff quarters. Mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and pounding rhythms, Baby cannot wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of dance instructor Johnny Castle (played by professional debutant Michael O'Reilly).

York Press:

Lift-off: Kira Malou's Baby and Michael O'Reilly's Johnny in Dirty Dancing 

Her life will change forever when she is thrown in at the deep end as Johnny’s leading lady on stage and off, these two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds coming together in the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

Kira will be performing in York for the first time, not long since finishing filming her first television series, playing the lead role of Mimy in School Hacks for the Disney channel. She has danced since the age of four.

"I started with ballet and tap, in Southampton, then began doing more lessons and different dance styles, and at 16 I decided all I wanted to do was perform, so I began professional training at Tiffany Theatre College in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, where I did a course in musical theatre for three years that finished two years ago," she says. "Since then I've done pantomimes, the Dirty Dancing tour and now the film."

She was bolstered in her studies by receiving The Stage Scholarship. "I was very lucky to have the opportunity to audition at Tiffany, where they announced one male and one female winner. The £20,000 scholarship allowed me to attend the college – and I loved studying at Tiffany," says Kira.

She joined the "Dirty Dancing family" having never seen the stage show. "The first time I saw it was when I got the job; we started rehearsals and the company gave us tickets to the show. If I wasn't excited enough already, I was after that," she says. "I was already a fan of the film. My mum loved it! All her girlfriends loved it!

"I vividly remember watching it on videotape because my mum had it and I remember watching the dance scenes in the staff quarters and I was, like, ‘Oh my God!’. So I knew exactly how Baby feels when she goes to the resort. It was mesmerising."

York Press:

"Playing Baby for the first time felt incredible," says Kira Malou

Now, playing Baby for the nine months ahead, she has the chance to make the role her own. "I don’t want to stray too far from what Jennifer Grey did in the film because I personally feel the choices she makes are things I’d do as well," says Kira. "Although I’m being a bit bolder with the choices, so when she’s being sexy, I want people to be able to see that Baby can be really sexy, fiery and smart – to really show the depths to her."

How does Kira differ from Baby? "I’m not proud to say it, but I’m not like Baby in terms of education. She knows a lot about politics and what goes on in the world but I feel I’m not in touch with that side of myself as much. But I do feel quite similar to her in that I remember when I was 17 and the first time I fell in love and doing so much to be close to that person; things I’d never think to do on a regular basis just to be with someone," she says. "I also relate to the closeness she feels with her family."

As for the all-important lift at the height of the show, Kira says: "It’s a huge pressure because everyone is waiting for that lift. It’s so iconic to the film, isn’t it? But when it comes to recreating it, I trust Michael. I trust that even if I fall, he’ll have my back, but touch wood nothing’s gone wrong yet."

Kira's career is on the upward trajectory too, with the Disney channel broadcasting her lead role in School Hacks across Europe from this month. "Mimy is a girly girl, quite a ditzy blonde, who's into her fashion and social media, and she's a lot of fun to play," she says. "The show's based around a group of school friends facing the challenges that teenagers face, and we filmed it in Milan with a mixture of Italian and British actors – hopefully they want us to do a follow-up series."

Dirty Dancing, The Classic Story On Stage, runs at Grand Opera House, York, from October 9 to 13; 7.30pm, Tuesday to Thursday; 5pm and 8.30pm, Friday; 3pm and 7.30pm, Saturday. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york

Did you know?

Even before Kira Malou auditioned for Dirty Dancing, Hungry Eyes was her alarm call in the morning.