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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 10 Dance Amateur Champion. In 1994 Erin decided to move to Australia to progress her career and 18 months later to London.One year after moving to London, in 1997, she met Anton Du Beke and within a year of dancing together they won the 1998 New Zealand Championships, which they followed by winning again in 1999. In 1998 they also made it to the prestigious International Dance Championships at the Royal Albert Hall and went right up the Amateur rankings before turning professional in 2002. In their first professional competition in Blackpool they came 3rd in the UK. Other prestigious competition achievements include IDTA Classic Champions 2003 and 2004, BDF Star Ball finalist 2003, British National finalist 2002, 2003 and 2004, UK and International Rising Star finalist 2003 and UBC Canadian champion 2002 Erin became nationally famous when she appeared on the phenomenally successful BBC TV series “Strictly Come Dancing”. In the first series she partnered rugby player Martin Offiah. With her partner in the second series 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 saw her partnered with the hugely popular ex Manchester United goal keeper Peter Schmeichel. Her partner for 2007 is the former champion snooker player Willie Thorne. 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’ with Colin Jackson and having the great thrill to perform for the Prince of Wales in the 2004 Royal Variety Performance. July 2006 saw Erin in Trafalgar Square in the BBC’s ‘Dancing in the Streets Ballroom Blitz’ project. Erin is has now branched into 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 DVD has now been made of the show for release for Christmas 2007 which Erin hosts as well as dancing with Anton. The DVD also features two of Erin and Anton’s former partners from Strictly Come Dancing – Julian Clary and Lesley Garrett. Having been hugely successful in 2006 and 2007 Erin will be working on new numbers for the show for 2008 tour. 2007 had proved a great year for Erin – she was thrilled to be asked to present the ‘Strictly Come Dancersize’ DVD with her fellow Strictly colleague Karen Hardy which has been made by 2entertain in conjunction with the BBC which is also due for release for Christmas, she has made 2 DVD’s as part of a series of Learn to Dance DVD’s to be given away by The Daily Express and taken part in special DVD to that is part of a book written by Anton. Alongside all of this Erin has been developing her solo presenting skills hosting shows for both Warners Hotels and Haven holiday centres during the summer. As well as the stage shows, Erin in great demand for dance weekends at 5* hotels around the country, which are always a complete sell out. Erin and Anton also appear in countless charity, corporate shows and team building events for clients as diverse as BT, Coutts Bank and the EEIBA. Last updated: 2nd Oct 2007 |
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