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Erin Boag Born in New Zealand, Erin started dancing at the tender age of 3 learning ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom and latin. At 15 she visited Australia to watch a big ballroom competition and the dye was cast – three years later she became New Zealand Ballroom and Latin 10 Dance Amateur Champion. In 1994 Erin decided to move to Australia to progress her career moving to London 18 months later. Erin became nationally famous when she appeared on the phenomenally successful BBC TV series “Strictly Come Dancing” along with her professional dance partner Anton Du Beke. She met Anton in 1997 and within a year of dancing together they were winning international competitions, both as amateurs and professionals, including titles in the UK, New Zealand and Canada and taking them way up in the world rankings before they retired from competing. Strictly Come Dancing swiftly made Erin a household name. In the first series she partnered rugby player Martin Offiah. In the second series, with her partner Julian Clary, Erin reached the finals for the first time – this was a partnership that really grabbed the public’s attention and lead to them fronting a campaign to launch a washing powder for Surf. For the third series she was partnered with Olympic gold medallist Colin Jackson and came second. Her TV relationship with Colin earned Erin the nickname ‘Miss Whiplash’ and Colin ‘Snakehips’ and they went on to win the 2006 Christmas Day special. The fourth series in 2006 her partner with the hugely popular ex Manchester United goal keeper Peter Schmeichel. Her partner for 2007 was the former champion snooker player Willie Thorne. In the 2008 series she is dancing with Austin Healey with whom she also presented the award for best comedy at the 2008 National Television Awards. Other TV appearances include Erin appearing as a regular guest, dancer and coach on “Strictly Dance Fever”, fronting the ballroom dancing team on “Celebrity Star Spell, Test the Nation” with Anton, guesting in Million Dollar Mansion on ‘The National Lottery’, dancing in Trafalgar Square in the BBC’s ‘Dancing in the Streets Ballroom Blitz’ project, talking about the psychology of dance with Colin Jackson on the BBC science programme ‘Truth about You’ and having the great honour of performing for the Prince of Wales in the 2004 Royal Variety Performance. Dancing in live shows with Anton Du Beke is a big love. Erin and Anton will be starring in their own UK tour called ‘Anton and Erin Cheek to Cheek’ produced Raymond Gubbay and opening at the Barbican in January 2009. It features a 26 piece orchestra, fabulous tenor and dance guest artists Chris Marques and Jaclyn Spencer. The show will also be seen at the world famous London Coliseum as part of the Sadlers Wells Spring Dance Season. They danced in the 10th Anniversary of Sadlers Wells Theatre ensuring that the dance audiende would get a little taste of what is to come. As well as the stage shows, Erin and Anton are in great demand for dance weekends at 5* hotels around the country, which are always a complete sell out. They also appear in countless charity, corporate shows and team building events for clients as diverse as BT, Nestle, Coutts Merchant Bank, Lloyds TSB, Coca Cola, Dubai can Dance and the EEIBA. Having danced in the 2006 event, Erin was thrilled to be asked to be the anchor and host of ‘The Big Dance’ live on stage in Trafalgar Square this summer. She has also successfully ventured into public speaking where she is in great demand with her witty and forthright views on dancing with Anton and of course her celebrity partners on Strictly Come Dancing. Erin has also now branched into working on the production side of stage shows, choreographing the hit touring show “Simply Ballroom” with Anton Du Beke and collaborating with director Alan Harding. She has also designed many of the 150 ballroom dresses in the show and is Production Associate. This show has been an enormous success in the UK and the show has now been presented in South Africa, Las Vegas and Dubai. Erin and Anton also made special guest appearance with the show at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, much to the crowd’s great delight. A fabulous Simply Ballroom DVD was released for Christmas 2007 which Erin co-hosts and dances with both Anton and Julian Clary. Erin has revamped the show for 2008 for its tours of both the USA and the UK. The 2007/8 DVD produced by 2Entertain that Erin co-presented and devised with Karen Hardy ‘Simply Come Dancersize’ reached no 1 in the fitness DVD lists this year outselling all its rivals by 10s of thousands. And if all of this weren’t enough, Erin still manages to spend some of her time helping others to dance teaching class regularly near her home in Kingston on Thames and lecturing at schools around the country. Last updated: 12th Nov 2008 |
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