Begins Tuesday, February 8 at 7.30pm
Hosted by Daryl Somers
with co-host Sonia Kruger
Directed by Ted Emery
with musical director Chong Lim
and featuring
celebrity dancers:
Holly Brisley Steven Bradbury
Sara-Marie Fedele Derryn Hinch
Shane Gould Ian Roberts
Nikki Webster Jason Smith
Suzie Wilks Tom Williams
Are today’s celebrities fleet of foot or do they have two left feet?
That’s the question host Daryl Somers and co-host Sonia Kruger will be finding the answer to when they host the second series of the hit variety show DANCING WITH THE STARS, beginning Tuesday February 8 at 7.30pm on Seven.
Our celebrities are all household names, famous for their roles as singers, actors, presenters, broadcasters and sporting greats. They may be high achievers in their chosen field but do they have the toe tapping rhythm that separates the groovers from the losers?
These 10 daring celebrities will pair up with Australia’s slickest professional dancers in the second series of Seven’s live ballroom dancing competition to find out, as each week one couple is voted off by the public and a panel of judges.
Watch the stars in rehearsals as they learn how to waltz, tango, rumba and jive. Admire the skill, style – and patience – of the professional dancers as they train our novices. You’ll be surprised who’s light on their feet, and who has two left feet. Prepare for tears, blisters and plenty of sequins!
DANCING WITH THE STARS – the most popular new program on television last year - is based on the popular BBC format and produced by Granada Productions.
Host: Daryl Somers
Hosting Dancing with the Stars in 2004 on Seven marked his return to television after a five year absence.
Co-host: Sonia Kruger
Sonia Kruger is the entertainment reporter for Seven's current affairs program Today Tonight, a regular on Sunrise and also an accomplished actress, dancer and entertainer.
She has been entertaining people from the age of four, when she began dancing lessons in Brisbane. Specialising in Ballroom and Latin American dancing, Sonia represented Australia at the Amateur British Ballroom Championships and was the Australian Ballroom, Latin and New Vogue Professional Champion.
Her incredible talent helped to land her the acting role of the bitchy Tina Sparkle in the 1992 smash hit Australian movie Strictly Ballroom. Her best memory is of the final scene, dancing the Paso Doble. “We shot it live at the Victorian Championships so the atmosphere was electric.” On set, Sonia actually taught other cast members how to dance. Her skill as an instructor has also been utilised by Sydney’s acting school NIDA where Sonia taught dance for more than four years.
Following the Strictly Ballroom hype, she became a reporter on Channel Nine’s revamped kids show Wonder World and made several appearances in the ABC-TV’s Three Men and a Baby Grand.
After completing an Arts degree at Sydney’s University of Technology, she joined the long running current affairs program 11AM in 1997 as its entertainment reporter. Highlights of her job over the following two years included interviews with Garbage, Matchbox 20, Gerri Halliwell and Vonda Shepard. She also got to dance with Irish Riverdance sensation Michael Flatley and the Flamenco troupe in Paco Pena.
Two years later she moved to the prime time program Today Tonight where she has interviewed many famous names from Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis and Mike Myers to Glenn Close, Sandra Bullock, Jodie Foster, Kate Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Kylie Minogue. She has also hosted several prime time specials including Surprise Wedding and John Farnham – The Last Time.
Sonia still fuels her love of dancing with the annual DanceSport Championships held in Melbourne each December. The three day competition comprises a TV special, hosted by Sonia, screened by the Seven Network on Christmas Day. Her favourite dance is the Samba. “I love the music and the feeling of celebration it conveys.”
In January 2003 she married partner James, whom she’s still trying to teach to dance.
“Let’s just say he has got his own special style!”. They enjoy seeing movies at the cinema, going to theatrical productions and dining-out with friends. She’s a huge football and tennis fan and is fast becoming the Wallaby’s most vocal supporter.
HOLLY BRISLEY – actress
At 16, Holly Brisley burst onto our TV screens in 1995 as the cute blonde host of Agro’s Cartoon Connection. The Catholic school girl, who’d already appeared in two USA TV movies filmed at Warner Brothers on the Gold Coast, became a teen favourite. She was 19 when Agro moved from Brisbane to Sydney and Holly followed. Other roles came in; Home and Away, BeastMaster, the movie Nowhere to Land, and a Human Nature film clip. She later appeared in All Saints, Mermaids, White Collar Blue and Pizza, as well as films Scooby Doo and Garage Days. In March 2004, she posed topless for B&W magazine, and in May was on the cover of Inside Sport’s 150th edition in skimpy white bikini pants and tank top. Her first lead role came in the feature film, The Crop, released in August. Holly will soon appear in the US telemovie Behind the Scenes of Dynasty, playing both actress Heather Locklear and her TV character Sammy Jo. She currently hosts World’s Craziest Videos on Seven and is taking singing lessons. Last year, she and pal Tiffani Wood set up a stall at the Kirribilli markets to sell their unwanted clothes. Her web site is www.holly-brisley.com.
SARA-MARIE FEDELE – contestant Big Brother #1
The Charlie Angel’s bum dance, performed by a svelte Cameron Diaz, found a whole new legion of fans when Sara-Marie Fedele wiggled her size 16 touché in the first Big Brother household in 2001. Funnily, she’d never seen the movie but had made up the groovy dance with her sister. Back then, she was a buxom blonde in cute bunny ears and flannelette pyjamas. Teenage girls identified with her bubbly personality, getting her through to the final three housemates. Despite not winning the $250,000 prize money, she became a household name and went on to write an agony aunt newspaper column, record the song I’m So Excited with the Sirens, select music for her own bum dance CD, produce a line of PJs for Holeproof and write the book Sara-Marie’s Guide to Life. In the past six months, Sara-Marie, originally from Perth, was the face of a national advertising campaign for Nicabate, has shed 20kg on the Betalife program, now has long dark wavy hair and works in child care in Sydney.
SHANE GOULD – Triple Olympic Gold Medallist; swimming
The 1972 Munich Olympic Games saw the birth of an Australian icon, who was just 16. Shane Gould qualified for seven individual events but entered just five. She won three gold meals; 200m individual medley, 200m freestyle and the 400m freestyle – all in world record times – and a silver in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle. It was a short but dramatic swimming career, spanning just four years from 1969-1972, but included 11 world records. The limelight after her Olympic success proved too much and she fled to a farm in WA’s Margaret River to live a fundamentalist Christian existence with her new husband. Shane trained horses and surfed but didn’t swim for nearly 25 years – unless chasing her stray surfboard. She had four children in five years from 1978 to 1983. Shane rediscovered swimming following her divorce in the late 1990s and went on to compete in the Masters Games in Perth in 2003 – swimming the 200m individual medley just 15.06 seconds slower than her world record set 31 years earlier. She names her most memorable swimming moment as setting the 100m freestyle world record in 58.5 seconds before a home crowd in Sydney in January 1972. At 48, she still swims three to five times a week, about 4kms each session. Her favourite music includes Bach and The Beatles. Her web site is www.shanegould.com.au.
NIKKI WEBSTER – singer
Time stood still as Nikki Webster flew through the air in a deep sea dream sequence at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The 14-year-old’s single of the songs she performed at the opening and closing ceremonies; Under Southern Skies and We’ll be One, shot to gold in Australia. Since then, Nikki has released seven more singles and four albums. The first album, Follow Your Heart, went platinum. She went on to play the lead of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in 2001 and 2002, and released a clothing range through the K-Mart chain. She has a long history of performing, from her first TV ad at six for Twisties. As a child, Nikki also had guest roles in Home and Away, G.P. and the movie Priscilla; Queen of the Desert. At 10, she was in the Sydney production of Les Miserables, and sang a duet on stage with Michael Jackson in his History tour. At 12 she played Brigitta in The Sound of Music. Now 17, Nikki is a spokesperson for The ******* Centre of NSW and a youth ambassador for Kids Help Line. A pair of her jeans, painted by artist David Boyd, sold for $22,500 in a 2001 charity auction for Jeans for Genes Day. Her web site is www.nikkiwebster.com.au. Last year she completed secondary school and spent January, 2005, performing at venues across NSW.
SUZIE WILKS – TV presenter
Best known for wearing “those shorts”, Suzie Wilks made TV renovating glamorous. The busty brunette model turned TV presenter joined the DIY show Our House in February 1998, although she was already an old hat at home renovating. By 22, Suzie had transformed her first house, a Victorian weatherboard in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. By the time she was named as the host of the new TV show Changing Rooms, she was onto her own second major project – this time adding a second storey to a dilapidated house in Hawthorn. She has also hosted TV shows Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Body Work. Suzie has always had a strong social conscience, supporting Red Cross, Landcare, the Salvation Army, the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation and is strongly opposed to intensive piggeries. A pair of her shorts was auctioned over the internet to raise money for charity. She has driven in the celebrity Grand Prix race, losing control and skidding out in 2002. In 2004, Melbourne’s Age newspaper named her as one of Melbourne’s Top 25 sexiest people, with her trademark ponytail getting a special mention. In January 2005, she was an Australia Day ambassador. She lives in Melbourne with her two dogs Joseph and Junior.
Gentlemen
DERRYN HINCH – journalist and author
His opinionated and controversial antics saw Derryn Hinch dubbed The Human Headline. The bearded 3AW drive-time host is, in fact, a seasoned international journalist, author of eight books, former TV current affairs and Midday host, and convicted criminal. “Legally wrong – morally right” is an edict that has seen him sacked 14 times; by phone, e-mail and live on radio. In 1985, broadcasting the prior convictions of a man before the courts on sex charges saw him jailed for 12 days. He was sacked live on air at 3AW in 1989 for ignoring the 48 hour election media blackout laws, which were subsequently changed. A millionaire in the 1980s - driving a Rolls Royce, owning a vineyard, a farm and two houses in Hawaii - he went broke in the nineties with just $6.49 to his name. Born in New Zealand in 1944, Derryn’s infamous catch phrase “That’s Life” is one he applies to his own life as well as others. Now 60, he is infamous for remaining close friends with all three of his ex wives, among them glamorous actor Jacki Weaver. He doesn’t believe in heaven, loathes baths, adores good red wine and fine dining, especially at Flower Drum. His web site is www.hinch.net.
STEVEN BRADBURY – Olympic Gold Medallist; speed skating
Gliding over the finish line at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games saw Steven Bradbury’s name etched into history books. His four rivals had all fallen on the ice, leaving the path clear for him to finish first – winning Australia’s first gold medal at a Winter Olympics. For the speed skater, with eye-catching bleached blonde hair, it was a fitting end to his athletic career. The son of champion speed skater John Bradbury, Steven first glided across ice as a three-year-old at a Sydney rink. He made his first junior national team at 13 and at 15 held nearly every national record he’d competed in. Then tragedy struck when the teenager hit a wall head on during training and fell into a coma for three days. He’d fractured his skull and broken the collar bone, and would take 12 months to recover. It was the first of three serious accidents to plague his career – any one of which could have killed him. In Montreal, Canada in 1994, Steven lost 3.8 litres of blood and required 111 stitches after becoming impaled on a skate. Then in Sept 2000, he broke his neck in another training mishap and spent six weeks in a halo brace. Now retired from competition, he runs the Revolutionary Boot Company, making the world’s most innovative skating boots for other Olympic champions.
IAN ROBERTS – retired Rugby League champion
For years Ian Roberts was simply a champion footballer, playing rugby league first for South Sydney, then Manly. Then, in 1995, he outed himself as being homosexual. The public revelation made headlines worldwide. In 1997, he moved into the Superleague, captaining the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, Qld – become the first openly gay man to captain a rugby league team. The same year his biography, Ian Roberts; Finding Out, revealed much of his personal anguish living with the secret. Known as an aggressive, uncompromising forward, he played 13 tests for Australia before retiring in 1997. At one stage of his career, Ian was the highest paid rugby league player in the world. In 200o, he enrolled in a three year acting course at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art. Ian made his professional acting debut last year in the Sydney play The Pitchfork Disney. At 38, he now sits on NRL judiciary.
JASON SMITH – actor
Jason Smith grew up watching Home and Away before joining the cast as eccentric teen Robbie Hunter in November 2003. Born and raised in Sydney, he has always had an interest in drama, and knew from a young age he wanted to pursue acting. During secondary school, Jason completed courses at the Australian Theatre for Young People. He also did various radio work from age 13, as well as scoring a guest role in the TV cop show Water Rats while still studying. Jason completed high school in 2001 and has been a working actor ever since. In 2002, he appeared on All Saints and the kid’s show Ocean Star, and more recently in the US telemovie The Mystery of Natalie Wood, as well as various commercials. Jason, 19, cites John Cusack and Dustin Hoffman as his favourite actors.
TOM WILLIAMS – TV presenter
A snowboarding instructor, competitive surf life saver and keen surfer, it’s no wonder Tom Williams gets all the adventure stories as a presenter on The Great Outdoors. Channel Seven’s resident thrill seeker has paraglided over Switzerland’s Matterhorn, trekked through Guatemala’s dense jungle and explored an unpredictable volcano in Costa Rica. His passport also boasts stamps from; Holland, Vietnam, Fiji and Japan. Tom’s TV career began strangely following a talkback phone call to Sydney’s Triple J radio station in July 2000. As the story goes, Tom The Chippy from Manly struck up a great rapport with Merrick and Rosso and soon became a regular reporting about life on a building site. When the boys launched NOVA radio station in April 2001, Tom went with them and had his own segment The Chippy’s Driver Reviver every Friday morning. The Seven Network snapped him up as resident builder on its DIY show Room For Improvement.
Dancing with the Ladies
MARK HODGE - dancing with Holly Brisley
Mark’s father was one of TV’s first variety show choreographers so naturally he began dancing early, becoming the SA state title holder in Juvenile (under 13), Junior (13-16yrs) and later Senior with various partners. After school, he enrolled at the Adelaide Centre for the Performing Arts, incorporating acting. He fell into modelling, moved to Melbourne and wound up in the hit stage show Cats. He then joined the Australian Ballet Company for two years before modelling overseas in Milan, Vienna, Toronto and Tokyo. Mark came home to perform with the Australian Opera as a soloist in The Merry Widow and rediscovered his passion for performing. He went on to appear in productions; West Side Story, Hello Dolly, Chicago, and Singin' in the Rain. Mark has also made more than 40 TV ads here and overseas, and appeared in TV shows; Chuck Finn, Crash Palace, Love Bytes, House Rules and Ocean Girl, as well as the movie Moulin Rouge.
TRENT WHIDDON - dancing with Sara-Marie Fedele
Trent Whiddon started dancing lessons after seeing a troupe do a Grease number and thought it was cool. He was seven-years-old. He learnt ballroom, Latin, jazz and tap, although his favourite dance is now the samba. In 2000, Trent was a British junior finalist, and in 2001, was ranked Australia’s No 1 Youth Latin American dancer. He has represented Australia in world Latin, ballroom and Ten dance. He took part in the centenary celebrations at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay, India, and the Sydney Olympic Games’ closing ceremony. Trent, 20, also performed at the opening of Fox Studios, has been on MTV in Canada, and filmed a New Zealand TV ad. He’s been touring the USA, Canada and Japan with Burn The Floor since 2002. He also danced at the 2003 Miss USA pageant.
CSABA SZIRMAI - dancing with Shane Gould
Born in Hungary, Csaba discovered dancesport at the age of 11 and at 16, in 1994, was his country’s Youth Ballroom and Latin American Champion. He also trained in hip hop and danced as a support act for Back Street Boys and N’sync. He modelled in Hungary’s national campaigns for Levi’s, G-star and Diesel. Csaba first appeared on the international stage in 1997– winning fourth place at the European Championships dancing the Salsa. He migrated to Australia in 1998, where he has taught at Sydney Dance Company, choreographed and learnt English! In 2002, he toured America with Burn The Floor for six months and was also the Australian Salsa Champion, and came fourth at the World Championships. In 2003, he became the Australian Hip Hop Champion. In 2004, Csaba, 26, won the Strictly Dancing national TV dance competition. His professional dance partner, Luda Kroitor – appearing on series two of Dancing with the Stars - is also his girlfriend. They feature together in a NSW Tourism ad campaign as salsa dancers.
SASHA FARBER – dancing with Nikki Webster
Born in Russia in 1983, Sasha Farber started dancing at 13, five years after migrating to Australia. Drawn by the bevy of beauties leaving a local dance studio, he decided to take classes. The impulse paid off with Sasha winning many junior titles – including the Australian Youth Latin Championship several times, at 15 and 17. Another highlight was coming third in the samba at England’s Blackpool One Dance competition at just 15. As an 18-year-old, Sasha was also Australia’s representative at the World Latin Championships in Latvia Riga where he was placed eighth. He featured as a ballroom dancer in the lavish closing ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. From 2001-2003, Sasha, 21, danced professionally with the Burn The Floor production, performing across America and Australia. He loves teaching the art of dance, always thrilled to see his student’s interpretation of the movements.
JONATHAN DOONE – dancing with Suzie Wilks
Jonathan Doone started dancing at four and began competing at seven. He has studied all forms of dance including jazz, tap and ballet with some of Australia’s top choreographers. He is a 14 times Australian Ballroom champion. In 2001-2002, Jonathan was the principal dancer on the world tour of Burn the Floor. While in Los Angeles he studied acting at the Meissner Institute, before being asked back to Burn the Floor as principal dancer and dance liaison for the USA, Australia and Asia Tour. Jonathan has performed for the Taiwanese Government by special invitation, was selected to represent Australia in the world youth championships and performed in the World’s Greatest Dance Spectacular. He has also appeared in several TV commercials and was in the ABC production Three Men and a Baby Grand.
Dancing with the Gents
SARAH WEST – dancing with Steven Bradbury
After studying ballet, tap and jazz for 10 years, Sarah ventured into ballroom dancing, competing nationally and internationally. In 1998 – at her third consecutive British Open Championship in the Youth Latin American - Sarah and her partner were placed eighth out of 300 couples worldwide. From 1999 to early 2001, Sarah put her career on hold to fight breast cancer. After regaining control of her health, she returned to dancing, teaching at the Sydney salsa school Latin Motion in 2001. She later joined the international Latin American/ballroom dance show Burn the Floor and has spent the last three years touring the world with the show.
PATRICE SMITH – dancing with Derryn Hinch
Patrice began ballet and tap lessons at three, taught by her mother’s best friend who ran a dance school. At 16, she started social ballroom and Latin dancing – and competing. Her favourite Latin dance is the rumba for its sensuality and romantic music. In ballroom, she loves the foxtrot, especially danced to Frank Sinatra. Patrice is a qualified hairdresser but spends more time training and working as a choreographer. With 22 years training in jazz, tap, and classical, and 11 years training in latin/ballroom, she has competed in the UK, Asia and America - where she made the finals at comps in Washington, New York and Virginia. In 1995, she won the Australian B grade Latin Championship as an amateur and was the Korean Cup Ballroom Champion in 2000.
NATALIE LOWE - dancing with Ian Roberts
Four-year-old Natalie watched her older brother and sister Glen and Kylie dancing at their local RSL hall for two hears before being allowed to join in classes. By age 11, she had won many juvenile ballroom competitions and began travelling the world to compete. She danced with brother Glen for four years, training five nights a week. Natalie has competed at Australian Open Championships in all three styles; Modern, Latin American and New Vogue, and in Norway, Japan, England, India, Singapore, Spain, Hong Kong and Malaysia. She recorded some of her best results with partner Glenn Hulkes. They came second in the Amateur Ballroom at the 2003 and the 2004 National Capital Championships in Canberra and at the 2004 Crown International Dancesport Championships in Melbourne. She manages a day spa in Sydney and lives by the motto “be the best you possibly can”.
LUDA KROITOR - dancing with Jason Smith
Of Russian origin, Luda came to Australia at 10 and discovered a passion for ballroom, salsa and Brazilian dance. At 11, she began studying Latin and Dancesport and by 16, was teaching street Latin at Sydney Dance Company. In 2000, aged 18, she won the Australian Youth Latin Championships and was selected to represent Australia at the Youth World Championships, in Latvia. She came eighth. The same year, she also danced centre stage with John Paul Young at the Sydney Olympic Games’ closing ceremony. In 2001, Luda achieved her dream of becoming the IDO World Salsa Champion. It was the first time Australia was represented at the world championships, and every judge gave her a first place. Luda toured America with the international show Burn the Floor in 2002. At the beginning of 2003 she started her second career as a Human Recourse Manager at the University of NSW. Luda, 22, continues to dance, in 2004 winning the Strictly Dancing national TV competition. She and professional partner Csaba Szirmai – also appearing on Dancing with the Stars - are also real life partners and appear together on a NSW Tourism ad as salsa dancers.
KYM JOHNSON – dancing with Tom Williams
Kym originally trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance, as well as acrobatics, before specialising in ballroom. In December 1998, she and then partner Tomas Atkocevicius came second at the Australian Dancesport Championships in the Open Amateur Modern ballroom. Kym studied further dance and acting here and overseas, breaking into stage with the world tour of Burn The Floor, and then travelled American and Japan with Sydney’s New Generation. She has appeared in TV ads for Coke, Pepsi and Kirin Beer, and modelled for Bloch, hairdresser Joh Bailey and designer Terry Biviano. Other highlights include dancing at the Blade Runner launch, Elton John’s 50th birthday party and appearing in the hit movie Strictly Ballroom.
The Judges:
Paul Mercurio
Todd McKenney
Helen Richey
Mark Wilson
Paul Mercurio is fondly remembered for his lead role as Scott Hastings in the hit movie Strictly Ballroom. He is also an accomplished dramatic actor, appearing in popular local shows; Blue Heelers, All Saints, Murder Call, Medivac, Water Rats and The Day of the Roses. Born in Swan Hill in country Victoria, in 1963, Paul began ballet at nine. By the age of 19, in 1982, he was Principal Dancer with the Sydney Dance Company – a position he held for 10 years. During this time, he was commissioned to choreograph six works performed by the company. He left to join the Australian Choreographic Ensemble, where he was the Director, Principal Dancer and Principal Choreographer. Paul made his film debut in Strictly Ballroom, receiving an AFI Award nomination in 1993. His film credits since include; Exit To Eden, Back Of Beyond, Cosi, Red Ribbon Blues, Welcome To Woop Woop, The Dark Planet, The First 9 1/2 Weeks, Kick and Sydney - Story Of A City. He starred, wrote, choreographed, produced and directed the short film Spilt Milk. Paul made his TV debut in a documentary on his life called Life's Burning Desire in 1992. He starred in the lead role of Joseph in the Emmy award-winning US TV mini-series The Bible: Joseph, in 1995. The late 90s saw him working as a labourer on building sites and later selling computers to support his dancer wife, Andrea, and their three daughters. Today, Paul, 41, continues to dance and choreograph. He was a movement consultant on the Will Smith movie I Robot, and has choreographed a US TV campaign for Coca Cola, the Harry M Miller production of Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie Get Your Gun. In January 2004, he appeared on stage in The Full Monty.
A former world champion in ballroom and latin, singer/dancer Todd McKenney competed internationally for more than 10 years before breaking into theatre. Todd began dancing at three at his mother's dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom. He was cast in his first professional musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance in 1983. Many stage shows followed including; Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story and Crazy For You. He was cast as Nathan Starkey in Strictly Ballroom, alongside Paul Mercurio and Sonia Kruger. A career highlight, Todd did 766 performances as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz – winning two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glugg Award, the Green Room Award, the Australian Dance Award and the Helpmann Award. He recreated Gene Kelley’s original famous tap dance on stage in Singin’ In The Rain - a performance that won him another Australian Dance Award. In 2002, Todd performed his one-man show around Australia and in 2003 he had sell out performances of his show at Taronga Zoo, then went home to Perth to appear in Cabaret. In March 2004, Todd starred in his own production - Todd McKenney live – in Sydney for a week of sell out shows. In August, he and Rachael Beck performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Tommy Tycho. He sang with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra and in September, presented his 'Todd McKenney Song And Dance Spectacular' on the Gold Coast. His website is www.toddmckenney.com.au.
A competitive dancer for more than two decades, Helen Richey retired to coach and adjudicate, and has since judged at most major world events. Australian born, she travelled to the UK with her husband Robert for dance training and international competition experience – and ended up living there for 27 years. Career highlights include coming second at the UK Professional Latin Championship, and third at three events; the World, the International and the British Professional Latin Championships. For seven consecutive years she and Robert were finalists in the British Professional Latin Championship. They returned to Australia in June 2000, where Helen is a highly sought-after coach and judge. Some of her protégés have won British and World Championships, and others Australian titles.
Mark Wilson was Australian Dancesport Champion five times – four in new vogue and one in modern. He has competed throughout the UK, Europe and Japan. On two occasions he came 15th in the world Dancesport Championship finals, once at Blackpool, England in 1989 and again in Tokyo, Japan, in 1990. Mark also appeared in That’s Dancin’, winning the professional series. He went on to adjudicate at the Australian Dancesport Championships every year since become an judge, and at other competitions in Asia. He now also coaches new judges and is a junior development officer for Dancesport Victoria promoting school dance programs. Mark teaches about 35 Dancesport couples at a Jamm Dance centre.
Hosted by Daryl Somers
with co-host Sonia Kruger
Directed by Ted Emery
with musical director Chong Lim
and featuring
celebrity dancers:
Holly Brisley Steven Bradbury
Sara-Marie Fedele Derryn Hinch
Shane Gould Ian Roberts
Nikki Webster Jason Smith
Suzie Wilks Tom Williams
Are today’s celebrities fleet of foot or do they have two left feet?
That’s the question host Daryl Somers and co-host Sonia Kruger will be finding the answer to when they host the second series of the hit variety show DANCING WITH THE STARS, beginning Tuesday February 8 at 7.30pm on Seven.
Our celebrities are all household names, famous for their roles as singers, actors, presenters, broadcasters and sporting greats. They may be high achievers in their chosen field but do they have the toe tapping rhythm that separates the groovers from the losers?
These 10 daring celebrities will pair up with Australia’s slickest professional dancers in the second series of Seven’s live ballroom dancing competition to find out, as each week one couple is voted off by the public and a panel of judges.
Watch the stars in rehearsals as they learn how to waltz, tango, rumba and jive. Admire the skill, style – and patience – of the professional dancers as they train our novices. You’ll be surprised who’s light on their feet, and who has two left feet. Prepare for tears, blisters and plenty of sequins!
DANCING WITH THE STARS – the most popular new program on television last year - is based on the popular BBC format and produced by Granada Productions.
Host: Daryl Somers
Hosting Dancing with the Stars in 2004 on Seven marked his return to television after a five year absence.
Co-host: Sonia Kruger
Sonia Kruger is the entertainment reporter for Seven's current affairs program Today Tonight, a regular on Sunrise and also an accomplished actress, dancer and entertainer.
She has been entertaining people from the age of four, when she began dancing lessons in Brisbane. Specialising in Ballroom and Latin American dancing, Sonia represented Australia at the Amateur British Ballroom Championships and was the Australian Ballroom, Latin and New Vogue Professional Champion.
Her incredible talent helped to land her the acting role of the bitchy Tina Sparkle in the 1992 smash hit Australian movie Strictly Ballroom. Her best memory is of the final scene, dancing the Paso Doble. “We shot it live at the Victorian Championships so the atmosphere was electric.” On set, Sonia actually taught other cast members how to dance. Her skill as an instructor has also been utilised by Sydney’s acting school NIDA where Sonia taught dance for more than four years.
Following the Strictly Ballroom hype, she became a reporter on Channel Nine’s revamped kids show Wonder World and made several appearances in the ABC-TV’s Three Men and a Baby Grand.
After completing an Arts degree at Sydney’s University of Technology, she joined the long running current affairs program 11AM in 1997 as its entertainment reporter. Highlights of her job over the following two years included interviews with Garbage, Matchbox 20, Gerri Halliwell and Vonda Shepard. She also got to dance with Irish Riverdance sensation Michael Flatley and the Flamenco troupe in Paco Pena.
Two years later she moved to the prime time program Today Tonight where she has interviewed many famous names from Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis and Mike Myers to Glenn Close, Sandra Bullock, Jodie Foster, Kate Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Kylie Minogue. She has also hosted several prime time specials including Surprise Wedding and John Farnham – The Last Time.
Sonia still fuels her love of dancing with the annual DanceSport Championships held in Melbourne each December. The three day competition comprises a TV special, hosted by Sonia, screened by the Seven Network on Christmas Day. Her favourite dance is the Samba. “I love the music and the feeling of celebration it conveys.”
In January 2003 she married partner James, whom she’s still trying to teach to dance.
“Let’s just say he has got his own special style!”. They enjoy seeing movies at the cinema, going to theatrical productions and dining-out with friends. She’s a huge football and tennis fan and is fast becoming the Wallaby’s most vocal supporter.
HOLLY BRISLEY – actress
At 16, Holly Brisley burst onto our TV screens in 1995 as the cute blonde host of Agro’s Cartoon Connection. The Catholic school girl, who’d already appeared in two USA TV movies filmed at Warner Brothers on the Gold Coast, became a teen favourite. She was 19 when Agro moved from Brisbane to Sydney and Holly followed. Other roles came in; Home and Away, BeastMaster, the movie Nowhere to Land, and a Human Nature film clip. She later appeared in All Saints, Mermaids, White Collar Blue and Pizza, as well as films Scooby Doo and Garage Days. In March 2004, she posed topless for B&W magazine, and in May was on the cover of Inside Sport’s 150th edition in skimpy white bikini pants and tank top. Her first lead role came in the feature film, The Crop, released in August. Holly will soon appear in the US telemovie Behind the Scenes of Dynasty, playing both actress Heather Locklear and her TV character Sammy Jo. She currently hosts World’s Craziest Videos on Seven and is taking singing lessons. Last year, she and pal Tiffani Wood set up a stall at the Kirribilli markets to sell their unwanted clothes. Her web site is www.holly-brisley.com.
SARA-MARIE FEDELE – contestant Big Brother #1
The Charlie Angel’s bum dance, performed by a svelte Cameron Diaz, found a whole new legion of fans when Sara-Marie Fedele wiggled her size 16 touché in the first Big Brother household in 2001. Funnily, she’d never seen the movie but had made up the groovy dance with her sister. Back then, she was a buxom blonde in cute bunny ears and flannelette pyjamas. Teenage girls identified with her bubbly personality, getting her through to the final three housemates. Despite not winning the $250,000 prize money, she became a household name and went on to write an agony aunt newspaper column, record the song I’m So Excited with the Sirens, select music for her own bum dance CD, produce a line of PJs for Holeproof and write the book Sara-Marie’s Guide to Life. In the past six months, Sara-Marie, originally from Perth, was the face of a national advertising campaign for Nicabate, has shed 20kg on the Betalife program, now has long dark wavy hair and works in child care in Sydney.
SHANE GOULD – Triple Olympic Gold Medallist; swimming
The 1972 Munich Olympic Games saw the birth of an Australian icon, who was just 16. Shane Gould qualified for seven individual events but entered just five. She won three gold meals; 200m individual medley, 200m freestyle and the 400m freestyle – all in world record times – and a silver in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle. It was a short but dramatic swimming career, spanning just four years from 1969-1972, but included 11 world records. The limelight after her Olympic success proved too much and she fled to a farm in WA’s Margaret River to live a fundamentalist Christian existence with her new husband. Shane trained horses and surfed but didn’t swim for nearly 25 years – unless chasing her stray surfboard. She had four children in five years from 1978 to 1983. Shane rediscovered swimming following her divorce in the late 1990s and went on to compete in the Masters Games in Perth in 2003 – swimming the 200m individual medley just 15.06 seconds slower than her world record set 31 years earlier. She names her most memorable swimming moment as setting the 100m freestyle world record in 58.5 seconds before a home crowd in Sydney in January 1972. At 48, she still swims three to five times a week, about 4kms each session. Her favourite music includes Bach and The Beatles. Her web site is www.shanegould.com.au.
NIKKI WEBSTER – singer
Time stood still as Nikki Webster flew through the air in a deep sea dream sequence at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The 14-year-old’s single of the songs she performed at the opening and closing ceremonies; Under Southern Skies and We’ll be One, shot to gold in Australia. Since then, Nikki has released seven more singles and four albums. The first album, Follow Your Heart, went platinum. She went on to play the lead of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in 2001 and 2002, and released a clothing range through the K-Mart chain. She has a long history of performing, from her first TV ad at six for Twisties. As a child, Nikki also had guest roles in Home and Away, G.P. and the movie Priscilla; Queen of the Desert. At 10, she was in the Sydney production of Les Miserables, and sang a duet on stage with Michael Jackson in his History tour. At 12 she played Brigitta in The Sound of Music. Now 17, Nikki is a spokesperson for The ******* Centre of NSW and a youth ambassador for Kids Help Line. A pair of her jeans, painted by artist David Boyd, sold for $22,500 in a 2001 charity auction for Jeans for Genes Day. Her web site is www.nikkiwebster.com.au. Last year she completed secondary school and spent January, 2005, performing at venues across NSW.
SUZIE WILKS – TV presenter
Best known for wearing “those shorts”, Suzie Wilks made TV renovating glamorous. The busty brunette model turned TV presenter joined the DIY show Our House in February 1998, although she was already an old hat at home renovating. By 22, Suzie had transformed her first house, a Victorian weatherboard in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. By the time she was named as the host of the new TV show Changing Rooms, she was onto her own second major project – this time adding a second storey to a dilapidated house in Hawthorn. She has also hosted TV shows Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Body Work. Suzie has always had a strong social conscience, supporting Red Cross, Landcare, the Salvation Army, the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation and is strongly opposed to intensive piggeries. A pair of her shorts was auctioned over the internet to raise money for charity. She has driven in the celebrity Grand Prix race, losing control and skidding out in 2002. In 2004, Melbourne’s Age newspaper named her as one of Melbourne’s Top 25 sexiest people, with her trademark ponytail getting a special mention. In January 2005, she was an Australia Day ambassador. She lives in Melbourne with her two dogs Joseph and Junior.
Gentlemen
DERRYN HINCH – journalist and author
His opinionated and controversial antics saw Derryn Hinch dubbed The Human Headline. The bearded 3AW drive-time host is, in fact, a seasoned international journalist, author of eight books, former TV current affairs and Midday host, and convicted criminal. “Legally wrong – morally right” is an edict that has seen him sacked 14 times; by phone, e-mail and live on radio. In 1985, broadcasting the prior convictions of a man before the courts on sex charges saw him jailed for 12 days. He was sacked live on air at 3AW in 1989 for ignoring the 48 hour election media blackout laws, which were subsequently changed. A millionaire in the 1980s - driving a Rolls Royce, owning a vineyard, a farm and two houses in Hawaii - he went broke in the nineties with just $6.49 to his name. Born in New Zealand in 1944, Derryn’s infamous catch phrase “That’s Life” is one he applies to his own life as well as others. Now 60, he is infamous for remaining close friends with all three of his ex wives, among them glamorous actor Jacki Weaver. He doesn’t believe in heaven, loathes baths, adores good red wine and fine dining, especially at Flower Drum. His web site is www.hinch.net.
STEVEN BRADBURY – Olympic Gold Medallist; speed skating
Gliding over the finish line at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games saw Steven Bradbury’s name etched into history books. His four rivals had all fallen on the ice, leaving the path clear for him to finish first – winning Australia’s first gold medal at a Winter Olympics. For the speed skater, with eye-catching bleached blonde hair, it was a fitting end to his athletic career. The son of champion speed skater John Bradbury, Steven first glided across ice as a three-year-old at a Sydney rink. He made his first junior national team at 13 and at 15 held nearly every national record he’d competed in. Then tragedy struck when the teenager hit a wall head on during training and fell into a coma for three days. He’d fractured his skull and broken the collar bone, and would take 12 months to recover. It was the first of three serious accidents to plague his career – any one of which could have killed him. In Montreal, Canada in 1994, Steven lost 3.8 litres of blood and required 111 stitches after becoming impaled on a skate. Then in Sept 2000, he broke his neck in another training mishap and spent six weeks in a halo brace. Now retired from competition, he runs the Revolutionary Boot Company, making the world’s most innovative skating boots for other Olympic champions.
IAN ROBERTS – retired Rugby League champion
For years Ian Roberts was simply a champion footballer, playing rugby league first for South Sydney, then Manly. Then, in 1995, he outed himself as being homosexual. The public revelation made headlines worldwide. In 1997, he moved into the Superleague, captaining the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, Qld – become the first openly gay man to captain a rugby league team. The same year his biography, Ian Roberts; Finding Out, revealed much of his personal anguish living with the secret. Known as an aggressive, uncompromising forward, he played 13 tests for Australia before retiring in 1997. At one stage of his career, Ian was the highest paid rugby league player in the world. In 200o, he enrolled in a three year acting course at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art. Ian made his professional acting debut last year in the Sydney play The Pitchfork Disney. At 38, he now sits on NRL judiciary.
JASON SMITH – actor
Jason Smith grew up watching Home and Away before joining the cast as eccentric teen Robbie Hunter in November 2003. Born and raised in Sydney, he has always had an interest in drama, and knew from a young age he wanted to pursue acting. During secondary school, Jason completed courses at the Australian Theatre for Young People. He also did various radio work from age 13, as well as scoring a guest role in the TV cop show Water Rats while still studying. Jason completed high school in 2001 and has been a working actor ever since. In 2002, he appeared on All Saints and the kid’s show Ocean Star, and more recently in the US telemovie The Mystery of Natalie Wood, as well as various commercials. Jason, 19, cites John Cusack and Dustin Hoffman as his favourite actors.
TOM WILLIAMS – TV presenter
A snowboarding instructor, competitive surf life saver and keen surfer, it’s no wonder Tom Williams gets all the adventure stories as a presenter on The Great Outdoors. Channel Seven’s resident thrill seeker has paraglided over Switzerland’s Matterhorn, trekked through Guatemala’s dense jungle and explored an unpredictable volcano in Costa Rica. His passport also boasts stamps from; Holland, Vietnam, Fiji and Japan. Tom’s TV career began strangely following a talkback phone call to Sydney’s Triple J radio station in July 2000. As the story goes, Tom The Chippy from Manly struck up a great rapport with Merrick and Rosso and soon became a regular reporting about life on a building site. When the boys launched NOVA radio station in April 2001, Tom went with them and had his own segment The Chippy’s Driver Reviver every Friday morning. The Seven Network snapped him up as resident builder on its DIY show Room For Improvement.
Dancing with the Ladies
MARK HODGE - dancing with Holly Brisley
Mark’s father was one of TV’s first variety show choreographers so naturally he began dancing early, becoming the SA state title holder in Juvenile (under 13), Junior (13-16yrs) and later Senior with various partners. After school, he enrolled at the Adelaide Centre for the Performing Arts, incorporating acting. He fell into modelling, moved to Melbourne and wound up in the hit stage show Cats. He then joined the Australian Ballet Company for two years before modelling overseas in Milan, Vienna, Toronto and Tokyo. Mark came home to perform with the Australian Opera as a soloist in The Merry Widow and rediscovered his passion for performing. He went on to appear in productions; West Side Story, Hello Dolly, Chicago, and Singin' in the Rain. Mark has also made more than 40 TV ads here and overseas, and appeared in TV shows; Chuck Finn, Crash Palace, Love Bytes, House Rules and Ocean Girl, as well as the movie Moulin Rouge.
TRENT WHIDDON - dancing with Sara-Marie Fedele
Trent Whiddon started dancing lessons after seeing a troupe do a Grease number and thought it was cool. He was seven-years-old. He learnt ballroom, Latin, jazz and tap, although his favourite dance is now the samba. In 2000, Trent was a British junior finalist, and in 2001, was ranked Australia’s No 1 Youth Latin American dancer. He has represented Australia in world Latin, ballroom and Ten dance. He took part in the centenary celebrations at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay, India, and the Sydney Olympic Games’ closing ceremony. Trent, 20, also performed at the opening of Fox Studios, has been on MTV in Canada, and filmed a New Zealand TV ad. He’s been touring the USA, Canada and Japan with Burn The Floor since 2002. He also danced at the 2003 Miss USA pageant.
CSABA SZIRMAI - dancing with Shane Gould
Born in Hungary, Csaba discovered dancesport at the age of 11 and at 16, in 1994, was his country’s Youth Ballroom and Latin American Champion. He also trained in hip hop and danced as a support act for Back Street Boys and N’sync. He modelled in Hungary’s national campaigns for Levi’s, G-star and Diesel. Csaba first appeared on the international stage in 1997– winning fourth place at the European Championships dancing the Salsa. He migrated to Australia in 1998, where he has taught at Sydney Dance Company, choreographed and learnt English! In 2002, he toured America with Burn The Floor for six months and was also the Australian Salsa Champion, and came fourth at the World Championships. In 2003, he became the Australian Hip Hop Champion. In 2004, Csaba, 26, won the Strictly Dancing national TV dance competition. His professional dance partner, Luda Kroitor – appearing on series two of Dancing with the Stars - is also his girlfriend. They feature together in a NSW Tourism ad campaign as salsa dancers.
SASHA FARBER – dancing with Nikki Webster
Born in Russia in 1983, Sasha Farber started dancing at 13, five years after migrating to Australia. Drawn by the bevy of beauties leaving a local dance studio, he decided to take classes. The impulse paid off with Sasha winning many junior titles – including the Australian Youth Latin Championship several times, at 15 and 17. Another highlight was coming third in the samba at England’s Blackpool One Dance competition at just 15. As an 18-year-old, Sasha was also Australia’s representative at the World Latin Championships in Latvia Riga where he was placed eighth. He featured as a ballroom dancer in the lavish closing ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. From 2001-2003, Sasha, 21, danced professionally with the Burn The Floor production, performing across America and Australia. He loves teaching the art of dance, always thrilled to see his student’s interpretation of the movements.
JONATHAN DOONE – dancing with Suzie Wilks
Jonathan Doone started dancing at four and began competing at seven. He has studied all forms of dance including jazz, tap and ballet with some of Australia’s top choreographers. He is a 14 times Australian Ballroom champion. In 2001-2002, Jonathan was the principal dancer on the world tour of Burn the Floor. While in Los Angeles he studied acting at the Meissner Institute, before being asked back to Burn the Floor as principal dancer and dance liaison for the USA, Australia and Asia Tour. Jonathan has performed for the Taiwanese Government by special invitation, was selected to represent Australia in the world youth championships and performed in the World’s Greatest Dance Spectacular. He has also appeared in several TV commercials and was in the ABC production Three Men and a Baby Grand.
Dancing with the Gents
SARAH WEST – dancing with Steven Bradbury
After studying ballet, tap and jazz for 10 years, Sarah ventured into ballroom dancing, competing nationally and internationally. In 1998 – at her third consecutive British Open Championship in the Youth Latin American - Sarah and her partner were placed eighth out of 300 couples worldwide. From 1999 to early 2001, Sarah put her career on hold to fight breast cancer. After regaining control of her health, she returned to dancing, teaching at the Sydney salsa school Latin Motion in 2001. She later joined the international Latin American/ballroom dance show Burn the Floor and has spent the last three years touring the world with the show.
PATRICE SMITH – dancing with Derryn Hinch
Patrice began ballet and tap lessons at three, taught by her mother’s best friend who ran a dance school. At 16, she started social ballroom and Latin dancing – and competing. Her favourite Latin dance is the rumba for its sensuality and romantic music. In ballroom, she loves the foxtrot, especially danced to Frank Sinatra. Patrice is a qualified hairdresser but spends more time training and working as a choreographer. With 22 years training in jazz, tap, and classical, and 11 years training in latin/ballroom, she has competed in the UK, Asia and America - where she made the finals at comps in Washington, New York and Virginia. In 1995, she won the Australian B grade Latin Championship as an amateur and was the Korean Cup Ballroom Champion in 2000.
NATALIE LOWE - dancing with Ian Roberts
Four-year-old Natalie watched her older brother and sister Glen and Kylie dancing at their local RSL hall for two hears before being allowed to join in classes. By age 11, she had won many juvenile ballroom competitions and began travelling the world to compete. She danced with brother Glen for four years, training five nights a week. Natalie has competed at Australian Open Championships in all three styles; Modern, Latin American and New Vogue, and in Norway, Japan, England, India, Singapore, Spain, Hong Kong and Malaysia. She recorded some of her best results with partner Glenn Hulkes. They came second in the Amateur Ballroom at the 2003 and the 2004 National Capital Championships in Canberra and at the 2004 Crown International Dancesport Championships in Melbourne. She manages a day spa in Sydney and lives by the motto “be the best you possibly can”.
LUDA KROITOR - dancing with Jason Smith
Of Russian origin, Luda came to Australia at 10 and discovered a passion for ballroom, salsa and Brazilian dance. At 11, she began studying Latin and Dancesport and by 16, was teaching street Latin at Sydney Dance Company. In 2000, aged 18, she won the Australian Youth Latin Championships and was selected to represent Australia at the Youth World Championships, in Latvia. She came eighth. The same year, she also danced centre stage with John Paul Young at the Sydney Olympic Games’ closing ceremony. In 2001, Luda achieved her dream of becoming the IDO World Salsa Champion. It was the first time Australia was represented at the world championships, and every judge gave her a first place. Luda toured America with the international show Burn the Floor in 2002. At the beginning of 2003 she started her second career as a Human Recourse Manager at the University of NSW. Luda, 22, continues to dance, in 2004 winning the Strictly Dancing national TV competition. She and professional partner Csaba Szirmai – also appearing on Dancing with the Stars - are also real life partners and appear together on a NSW Tourism ad as salsa dancers.
KYM JOHNSON – dancing with Tom Williams
Kym originally trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance, as well as acrobatics, before specialising in ballroom. In December 1998, she and then partner Tomas Atkocevicius came second at the Australian Dancesport Championships in the Open Amateur Modern ballroom. Kym studied further dance and acting here and overseas, breaking into stage with the world tour of Burn The Floor, and then travelled American and Japan with Sydney’s New Generation. She has appeared in TV ads for Coke, Pepsi and Kirin Beer, and modelled for Bloch, hairdresser Joh Bailey and designer Terry Biviano. Other highlights include dancing at the Blade Runner launch, Elton John’s 50th birthday party and appearing in the hit movie Strictly Ballroom.
The Judges:
Paul Mercurio
Todd McKenney
Helen Richey
Mark Wilson
Paul Mercurio is fondly remembered for his lead role as Scott Hastings in the hit movie Strictly Ballroom. He is also an accomplished dramatic actor, appearing in popular local shows; Blue Heelers, All Saints, Murder Call, Medivac, Water Rats and The Day of the Roses. Born in Swan Hill in country Victoria, in 1963, Paul began ballet at nine. By the age of 19, in 1982, he was Principal Dancer with the Sydney Dance Company – a position he held for 10 years. During this time, he was commissioned to choreograph six works performed by the company. He left to join the Australian Choreographic Ensemble, where he was the Director, Principal Dancer and Principal Choreographer. Paul made his film debut in Strictly Ballroom, receiving an AFI Award nomination in 1993. His film credits since include; Exit To Eden, Back Of Beyond, Cosi, Red Ribbon Blues, Welcome To Woop Woop, The Dark Planet, The First 9 1/2 Weeks, Kick and Sydney - Story Of A City. He starred, wrote, choreographed, produced and directed the short film Spilt Milk. Paul made his TV debut in a documentary on his life called Life's Burning Desire in 1992. He starred in the lead role of Joseph in the Emmy award-winning US TV mini-series The Bible: Joseph, in 1995. The late 90s saw him working as a labourer on building sites and later selling computers to support his dancer wife, Andrea, and their three daughters. Today, Paul, 41, continues to dance and choreograph. He was a movement consultant on the Will Smith movie I Robot, and has choreographed a US TV campaign for Coca Cola, the Harry M Miller production of Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie Get Your Gun. In January 2004, he appeared on stage in The Full Monty.
A former world champion in ballroom and latin, singer/dancer Todd McKenney competed internationally for more than 10 years before breaking into theatre. Todd began dancing at three at his mother's dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom. He was cast in his first professional musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance in 1983. Many stage shows followed including; Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story and Crazy For You. He was cast as Nathan Starkey in Strictly Ballroom, alongside Paul Mercurio and Sonia Kruger. A career highlight, Todd did 766 performances as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz – winning two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glugg Award, the Green Room Award, the Australian Dance Award and the Helpmann Award. He recreated Gene Kelley’s original famous tap dance on stage in Singin’ In The Rain - a performance that won him another Australian Dance Award. In 2002, Todd performed his one-man show around Australia and in 2003 he had sell out performances of his show at Taronga Zoo, then went home to Perth to appear in Cabaret. In March 2004, Todd starred in his own production - Todd McKenney live – in Sydney for a week of sell out shows. In August, he and Rachael Beck performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Tommy Tycho. He sang with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra and in September, presented his 'Todd McKenney Song And Dance Spectacular' on the Gold Coast. His website is www.toddmckenney.com.au.
A competitive dancer for more than two decades, Helen Richey retired to coach and adjudicate, and has since judged at most major world events. Australian born, she travelled to the UK with her husband Robert for dance training and international competition experience – and ended up living there for 27 years. Career highlights include coming second at the UK Professional Latin Championship, and third at three events; the World, the International and the British Professional Latin Championships. For seven consecutive years she and Robert were finalists in the British Professional Latin Championship. They returned to Australia in June 2000, where Helen is a highly sought-after coach and judge. Some of her protégés have won British and World Championships, and others Australian titles.
Mark Wilson was Australian Dancesport Champion five times – four in new vogue and one in modern. He has competed throughout the UK, Europe and Japan. On two occasions he came 15th in the world Dancesport Championship finals, once at Blackpool, England in 1989 and again in Tokyo, Japan, in 1990. Mark also appeared in That’s Dancin’, winning the professional series. He went on to adjudicate at the Australian Dancesport Championships every year since become an judge, and at other competitions in Asia. He now also coaches new judges and is a junior development officer for Dancesport Victoria promoting school dance programs. Mark teaches about 35 Dancesport couples at a Jamm Dance centre.
