Fiona Falkiner - Reality contestant
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1 Cha Cha 20
2 Quickstep 20
Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info
Fiona Falkiner - Reality contestant - Biography
She won the hearts of Australians as we watched Fiona battle to
loose weight on reality series The Biggest Loser. Fiona's
transformation from an insecure, overweight young woman to a
glamorous blonde bombshell caught the attention of the nation. An
audible gasp accompanied her appearance on stage at the final show
when an Australian audience was overwhelmed by Fiona's amazing new
svelte figure she had worked so hard to achieve. She may not have
won the reality program but she is the girl that everyone has been
talking about after dropping an impressive 30kgs from her 180cm
frame.
Fiona now spends hours a day working out to maintain that figure and
will now include dance rehearsals to her already hectic exercise
schedule.
Fiona is about to face another battle when she hits the dance floor
with partner Sergei Bolgarskiy for the next series of Dancing with
the Stars.
"It's actually taken me quite a while longer to pick up dance steps,
but Serghei's great. He's really patient with me. When it's really
frustrating and I can't learn something, he can have a laugh and
have a joke and bring the tension down."
Since her departure from The Biggest Loser, Fiona has balanced her
work out schedule with a thriving career in publicity and
television. A sought after face on the A-list party circuit, she has
made it her personal mission to educate other young people about the
virtues of stir-fries rather than french fries!
Fiona now has the world at her feet and has her sights set on the
dance floor.
"Every girl dreams of being on a show like Dancing With The Stars –
glamming up, looking stunning and being taught an amazing skill you
get to keep with you for life!"
Fiona will support Australian Red Cross.
Helen Richey - Biography
Known for her snappy wit and stylish good looks, Dancing with the
Stars judge Helen Richey has been a competitive dancer for more than
two decades. Retiring to coach and adjudicate, Helen has since
judged at most major world ballroom dancing events.
Australian born, Helen 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 3rd 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.
Todd McKenney - Biography
Dancing with the Stars' most controversial judge, Todd McKenney is a
former champion in ballroom and Latin, and all round song and dance
man. Todd McKenney competed internationally for more than 10 years
before breaking into theatre. Todd began dancing at age three, at
his mother's dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap,
acrobatics and ballroom.
Todd 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 Baz Luhrmann's 1992 internationally
acclaimed film Strictly Ballroom, alongside both Paul Mercurio and
Sonia Kruger.
A career highlight for Todd has been completing 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 - at Sydney's Star City for a week of sell out shows. In August
2004, he and Rachael Beck performed with the Adelaide Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of Tommy Tycho. The same month, he
sang with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra and in September
2005, presented his "Todd McKenney Song And Dance Spectacular" on
the Gold Coast.
In 2005, Todd released his debut CD Just a gigolo, and toured
Sydney, the Gold Coast and Melbourne in his own stage show with
Pauline Hanson.
In early 2006, he will tour Sydney, Canberra and SA in Six Dance
Lessons in Six Weeks with Nancye Hayes. Todd's website is
www.toddmckenney.com.au
Mark Wilson - Biography
Judge Mark Wilson lives by the philosophy that sometimes you have to
be cruel to be kind.
Mark is a harsh but fair judge.
This attitude is perhaps what made him Australian Dancesport
Champion five times – four in new vogue and once 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 becoming a 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.
Chris Hemsworth - Biography
Chris Hemsworth, born 11th August, 1983, plays Kim Hyde in Home and
Away, a young man with lots on his mind who happens to be the son of
Summer Bay High's new principal.
Chris was born and raised in Melbourne and moved to Sydney to join
the cast of Home and Away.
Like his character, Chris has travelled extensively with his family
to different parts of Australia. With his family and as a child he
lived and worked on his aunt & uncle's cattle station within an
indigenous community in the Northern Territory.
During school Chris excelled at athletics, particularly hurdles, and
he also enjoyed water polo and football. He has been surfing for the
last 12 years.
Chris made history during the 2004 Logie Awards being nominated for
both Best New Talent & the Silver Logie. He won Best New Talent and
was again nominated for Silver in 2005. UK Magazine Inside Soap
nominated him Best New Actor in 2004. Nickelodeon voted him as Best
Hottie, Dolly crowned him Prince of TV in 2005 and at this year's
Dolly Teen Choice Awards, his growing popularity won him King of
Teen.
He has appeared in a diverse range of television series including
Neighbours, Guinevere Jones, Marshall Law, The Saddle Club, Fergus
McPhail as well as the film pilot Tom and Nancy Go Boating.
Chris has made Sydney his new home while on Home and Away and is
still driving up and down the coast to learn more about Sydney and
the finding the best places for a surf.
"I am nervous but excited about joining Dancing. I am ready to take
on another challenge and it is great as actor to have many skills".
Chris will support the Australian Childhood Foundation, who work to
give children a happy and secure childhood free from the devastation
of abuse, family violence and neglect.
It's not just the judges' votes that make up the Stars' scores, your
vote counts too. Vote now to keep your favourite star in the
competition.
Each week you can vote for your favourite celebrity performance via
190 telephone numbers and SMS (text messaging).
The following is a list of frequently asked questions about the
voting process.
m.Net Dancing with the Stars Series Five Voting Frequently Asked
Questions
1902 PHONE VOTING
How do I enter the competition? Every valid 190 or SMS vote entitles
you to an automatic entry into the competition. If you enter by 190,
you will be prompted to leave your name, state and contact number.
If you enter by SMS, we will collect your mobile phone number only.
The full terms and conditions are available here.
How will the winner be selected? There will be 1 winner drawn from
the national pool of voters/entrants. All entrants who have entered
the competition and validly registered their contact details will be
entered into the draw. The draw will take place at m.Net
Corporation, Level 13, 99 Gawler Place, Adelaide on Tuesday 28
November, 2006 @ 7:45pm AEDT.
If I am a winner how will I be contacted? You will be contacted by
phone on the evening of Tuesday 28 November, 2006 at approx 8:00pm
(AEDT) so make sure your standing by. You will also be sent a letter
confirming the details of your prize. Your details will also be
published in The Australian on Monday 4 December 2006.
What is the prize? AUD,000 CASH; thanks to AAPT.
1902 Phone Voting
How do I vote? Each Celebrity will be allocated his or her own 190
number. You need to dial the number of the Celebrity whom you wish
to vote for.
* 1902 557 710: Andrew Gaze or text "Andrew" to 191 977
* 1902 557 711: Anthony Koutoufides or text "Anthony" to 191 977
* 1902 557 712: Gary Sweet or text "Gary" to 191 977
* 1902 557 713: Chris Hemsworth or text "Chris" to 191 977
* 1902 557 714: Tom Waterhouse or text "Tom" to 191 977
* 1902 557 715: Amanda Keller or text "Amanda" to 191 977
* 1902 557 716: Fiona Falkiner or text "Fiona" to 191 977
* 1902 557 717: Arianne Caoili or text "Arianne" to 191 977
* 1902 557 718: Kerry Armstrong or text "Kerry" to 191 977
* 1902 557 719: Tamsyn Lewis or text "Tamsyn" to 191 977
Who can vote? Anyone living within Australia can cast his or her
vote.
I am fourteen years old, can I still vote using the 190 numbers? If
you are fourteen years old or younger, you MUST get the bill payers
approval before you phone any of the 190 telephone numbers.
When does voting commence and conclude? Voting will commence at
9:25pm AEST on Tuesday 26 September, 2006, THEN at the time notified
to viewers as part of the broadcast of the Programme AEDT/AEST each
week commencing from Tuesday 3 October 2006. Weekly voting will
conclude each following Tuesday night at 7:30pm AEST. Voting times
are subject to change and may not be the same each week, however
this will be clearly communicated to viewers as part of the
broadcast of the Programme.
How much will I be charged for each 190-telephone call/vote? Each
call to the 190 number will be charged at AUD pgpublisher.55 cents
including GST. Calls from mobile phones may be charged at a higher
rate.
How many votes does each call register? Each call registers ONE vote
for your nominated Celebrity.
How do I use the 190 service? Provided you don't have 190 number
barring on the telephone account, you will simply need to dial the
TEN digit 190 number corresponding to your favourite Celebrity,
which you will see on the television screen. You can telephone the
190 numbers from most mobiles and/or land lines.
What happens if I have 190 barring? If you have 190 barring then the
telephone line you are calling from does not allow for 190 calls to
be made. To check this, call 1900 909 000 (free call) and you will
be advised of your barring status.
How do I get 190 barring removed? The bill payer will need to call
their carrier and request for the barring to be removed. This may
not be possible in the case of pre-paid customers.
How do I know that my vote has been registered? Once you have made
the call, you will hear a recorded message confirming that your vote
has been registered.
What information do I need to provide in order to register a valid
vote? All you need to do, is simply dial the 190 number that
corresponds with your favourite Celebrity during the voting period
to register a valid 190 telephone vote, then leave your name, state
and contact number for an entry into the competition.
I pressed a number on my telephone keypad during my vote to Opt-in
to receive further communication from the Seven Network, but now I
have changed my mind. How can I opt-out? You can advise us that you
do not want to be contacted by the Seven Network by writing
to `Privacy Offer, m.Net Corporation Ltd, Level 13, 99 Gawler Place,
Adelaide SA 5000.
I pressed a number on my telephone keypad during my vote to Opt-in
to receive further communication from the Seven Network, was I
charged any more? You were only charged the standard pgpublisher.55
cost for your vote. You were not charged anything additional to Opt-
in to receive further communication from Network Seven.
I want to Opt-in to receive further communication from the Seven
Network but I didn't get a chance to press a number during my vote.
How can I Opt-in? The next time you vote you should be asked again
whether you would like to Opt-in. So simply press any number on your
telephone keypad to agree to Opt-in to receive further communication
for the Seven Network.
What happens if I call the voting line when voting has closed? You
will hear a recorded announcement advising you that your vote has
not been registered.
I heard an engaged signal when I called, will I still be charged and
did my vote register? The voting lines are very popular, so you may
hear an engaged signal. If you do, please call again as your vote
would not have registered. You will not be charged if you hear an
engaged signal.
I saw the voting numbers advertised on Tuesday nights show, but when
I called the recorded message advised me that voting was currently
closed. The voting numbers are up on screen so that you can write
the numbers down as each Celebrity performs. The voting lines won't
open until the end of the show at approximately 9:25pm AEST on
Tuesday 26 September, 2006, THEN at the time notified to viewers as
part of the broadcast of the Programme AEDT/AEST each week
commencing from Tuesday 3 October, 2006. There will be an
announcement toward the end of the show advising you when you can
start voting.
Can I vote in any other way other than 190? Yes, you can vote via
SMS (text messaging).
How do I find out which Celebrity will be eliminated? The
elimination will be announced at the end of each Tuesday night's
program for the previous week's performances.
SMS (TEXT MESSAGE) VOTING When does SMS voting commence? SMS voting
commences at the same time as the 190 voting, at 9:25pm AEST on
Tuesday 26 September, 2006, THEN at the time notified to viewers as
part of the broadcast of the Programme AEDT/AEST each week
commencing from Tuesday 3 October 2006.
When does SMS voting conclude? SMS voting will conclude each
following Tuesday night at 7:30pm AEST. Voting times are subject to
change and may not be the same each week.
How much will it cost to vote via SMS? It will cost you AUD 55 cents
to register your vote via SMS.
How do I vote via SMS? You must send a text message from your mobile
handset with the first name only of your favourite Celebrity to 191
977, as advertised on Dancing With The Stars, to register a vote via
SMS.
I replied back YES to Opt-in for communication from the Seven
Network how much was I charged? It will cost you a one off cost of
AUD pgpublisher.55 cents to Opt-in for future communication from the
Seven Network.
I replied back YES to Opt-in but now I have changed my mind. How can
I Opt-out? You can advise us that you do not want to be contacted by
the Seven Network by writing to `Privacy Offer, m.Net Corporation
Ltd, Level 13, 99 Gawler Place, Adelaide SA 5000.
I think I have been charged more than pgpublisher.55 for my vote.
pgpublisher.55 is the maximum charge for your SMS vote. It may be
another premium number you have registered for. Please check with
your mobile provider and confirm you sent your SMS/text to 191 977.
Can I vote by actually telephoning 191 977? No, you can only vote by
sending in a text message (SMS) to the number.
How many votes does each SMS provide? Each SMS text vote registers
ONE vote for your favourite Celebrity.
What happens if I send in a text message after voting has closed? If
you vote after the SMS voting cut-off period, your vote will not be
registered. You will receive a SMS message back to advise that your
vote has not been registered.
Will a confirmation text message be sent to me when my vote has been
registered? Yes. You should receive a text message in return to
confirm your vote has been received. If you have not received a
reply SMS/text message it may mean the mobile networks are busy and
there is a simple delay, or you have accidentally sent it to the
wrong number! Check your sent items in your mobile phone messages
section.
When I tried to vote, my handset said "Message Not Sent". What does
this mean? This means that enormous amounts of people are trying to
vote via SMS at the same time and the mobile network is busy. All we
can ask is that you are patient and please keep trying! Your vote is
important.
Does it matter which telephone network I am on? No, it does not
matter which telephone network you are signed up to because SMS
voting is now available to all Australian mobile phone networks.
I have a pre-paid phone account, can I still vote via SMS? Yes, if
you are a pre-paid customer, you can still vote via SMS. SMS charges
will be deducted from your pre-paid credit balance, you must have
enough credit in your pre-paid balance to cover the cost of the text
message. You vote by following the instructions listed above.
I am fourteen years old, can I still vote using SMS? If you are
fourteen years old or younger, you MUST get the bill payers approval
before you vote via SMS.
Can I vote via the Internet? No. You can only vote via the 190
numbers or via SMS (text messaging).
I need a bit more help. What should I do next? If you have any
further questions, please consult the Voting Terms and Conditions
Couple Dance Todd McKenney Helen Richey Paul Mercurio Mark
Wilson Total
Arianne & Carmelo Cha Cha 7 9 8 8 32
Andrew & Linda Waltz 8 6 8 8 30
Tamsyn & Arsen Waltz 7 7 7 8 29
Tom & Alana Cha Cha 8 7 6 7 28
Anthony & Natalie Waltz 6 8 6 7 27
Kerry & Christopher Cha Cha 7 7 6 7 27
Fiona & Serghei Cha Cha 3 5 6 6 20
Amanda & Csaba Waltz 4 5 5 5 19
Gary & Eliza Cha Cha 4 5 5 5 19
Chris & Abbey Waltz 5 5 4 4 18
This season
Hosted by Daryl Somers and his super glamorous co-host Sonia Kruger,
Dancing with the Stars is broadcast live every Tuesday night from
Channel Seven's Melbourne studios. Each week, the celebrities and
their professional dance partners will strutt their stuff on the
dancefloor to the sounds of Chong Lim's swinging big band.
The couples in competition will then face a vote from the panel of
expert judges and a vote from the viewing public. The votes will
then be compiled and the lowest scoring duo each week will be
eliminated from the series. And so it will go, week after week,
until just one star remains. This star will be crowned the Dancing
with the Stars Champion.
Each celebrity will be dancing to raise funds for the favourite
charity:
* Andrew Gaze with newcomer Linda De Nicola - Challenge - Supporting
Kids With Cancer
* Anthony Koutoufides and Natalie Lowe - Royal Children's Hospital
* Gary Sweet and Eliza Campagna - Bone Growth Foundation in Adelaide
* Chris Hemsworth and new addition Abbey Ross - Australian Childhood
Foundation
* Amanda Keller will dance with Csaba Szirmai - Sydney Kids Committee
* Tom Waterhouse and Alana Patience - Starlight Children's Foundation
* Fiona Falkiner and Serghei Bolgarschii - Australian Red Cross
* Arianne Caoili with Carmelo Pizzino - Day of Difference Foundation
* Kerry Armstrong and newcomer Christopher Ryan - Cure For Life
Foundation
* Tamsyn Lewis and new addition Arsen Kishishian – The Butterfly
Foundation
Produced by Granada Productions, Dancing With The Stars is based on
a popular BBC format which has become a hit across the world, from
Russia to the USA – 11 countries in total. In America, the ABC
version topped the summer ratings with more than 13 million viewers
tuning into the first show.
In Australia, Dancing With The Stars has been one of the most
successful programmes in Channel Seven's history and the finale of
the second series was the most watched show on Australian television
in 2005.
backstage
Twinkle Toes, our on-set insider on Australia's hottest dancing show
brings you all the exclusive behind-the-scenes gossip, intriguing
whispers and snippets.
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Home|Who's who|Vot
Paul Mercurio - Biography
Actor/dancer Paul Mercurio is best remembered for his lead role as
rebel "Scott Hastings" in Baz Luhrmann's 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.
Paul left the Sydney Dance Company 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
Australian Film Institute Award nomination in 1993. His film credits
have since included; 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 also 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 nineties saw Paul 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 professionally.
He was a movement consultant on the Will Smith movie I Robot, and
has choreographed a USA 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. Paul is
also a judge on the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars.
Amanda Keller - Broadcaster
No scores available
Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info
Amanda Keller - Broadcaster - Biography
Amanda Keller is known to Australian audiences as a witty television
and radio star and now we will see if she is ready to rumba.
Currently joint host on Sydney's WSFM radio breakfast show with
Jonesy, Amanda joins up with Dancing With The Stars partner Csaba
Szirmai.
Amanda's television career began as a producer's assistant on Simon
Townsend's Wonder World. Within a week she was the program's head
researcher and she hasn't looked back. She also became a regular on-
air reporter on Ray Martin's Midday Show but it was Beyond 2000 that
made her a household name.
During her six years on the program she reported from all over the
world and has received a number of journalism awards, including a
United Nations Media Peace Award (1989) and the Michael Daley Award
for Science Journalism (1989). In 1994 Amanda's career took on a
whole new dimension when her mischievous sense of humour and quick
wit were revealed on Channel Seven's The Denton Show. This was
followed by a seven year stint as one of the country's leading
breakfast radio presenters and host of the ABC TV show Mondo Thingo.
Mother to Jack and Liam, Amanda is a self confessed fan of Barry
Manilow and anything 'kitsch'.
Amanda will support the Sydney Kids Committee of which she is
patron. The Sydney Kids Committee is a volunteer organisation which
raises funds for various children's hospitals.
"I am all for pushing my personal boundaries but I wasn't aware it
was something I wanted to do on television but I haven't had
nightmares or anxiety dreams...not yet anyway!"
No scores available
Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info
Anthony Koutoufides - AFL footballer - Biography
Never has a Dancing With The Stars contestant's blood run so blue as
it has in Anthony Koutoufides.
Carlton Football Club Captain, Anthony Koutoufides has had an
outstanding career in 264 senior matches with the Carlton Football
Club since making his senior debut in 1992. A prototype footballer
of the 21st Century, Koutoufides has the sheer natural athletic
ability and physique to dominate a football match and is regarded
highly in the AFL as a hero and role model within the public.
He was a member of the 1995 Carlton Premiership side, is a dual pre-
season premiership player, a dual Carlton Best & Fairest winner and
has been Captain of the Carlton Football Club since 2004. In 2000
Koutoufides was awarded both the AFLPA and the Australian Football
Media Association Most Valuable Player.
"Kouta" as he is affectionately known, is married to Susie and they
have two children a son, Jamie (3 years) and daughter Monique (22
months).
Anthony will support Royal Children's Hospital as his charity.
Will the fitness Anthony has achieved through his football training
help him on the show? "It uses different muscles to the ones used
for footy. I know it is going to be hard work to get good results on
the night but I am looking forward to learning all the different
types of dances. My mum loves dancing and in the back of my mind I
have always wanted to be able to dance."
No scores available
Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info
Andrew Gaze - Former NBL champion and broadcaster - Biography
At 6ft 7in (201cms) Andrew Gaze is the tallest celebrity to hit the
Dancing With The Stars dance floor. An NBL legend and Melbourne
Tigers stalwart, Gaze is no stranger to coordinated grace and
strategic rhythm.
Five time Olympian and veteran of 612 NBL games and 307
international senior games, Andrew's national and international
basketball career spans 19 years. Sixteen of those years were
devoted to Australia's NBL championship where he scored more than
18,000 points, averaging 30 points a game. He was named NBL Rookie
of the year in 1984 and went on to lead the Melbourne Tigers to two
national championships (1993 over Perth Wildcats and 1997 over South
East Melbourne Magic). He was voted the NBL Most Valuable Player
seven times and was selected as a member of the All-NBL All-Star
team for a record 12 consecutive years.
In 1991, the international basketball body of FIBA named Andrew one
of the 50 Greatest Players of all-time. He captained the Australian
Boomers for six years (1994 to 2000) and played in four World
Championships. The only Australian to have played in a historic five
Olympic Games (Los Angeles, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney)
Andrew is also the highest point scorer in Olympic history. Despite
a celebrated career and incomprehensible sporting achievements, one
of Andrew Gaze's proudest moments was as Australian flag-bearer at
the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Andrew resides in Melbourne with wife Melinda and their four
children – Courtney, Phoebe, Annie and Mason.
Andrew's height supersedes James Tonkin at 6 foot 6 inches (199cms) -
who danced in series one of Dancing With The Stars in 2004.
Andrew will support Challenge - Supporting Kids With Cancer charity
which provides support services for children and families living
with cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders.
"My mum is a big fan of Dancing With The Stars. She actually did not
want me to do it because she loved the show so much and didn't want
me to ruin it for her!"
Gary Sweet - Actor - Biography
Gary Sweet is television's ultimate tough guy, but how will he look
in flamingo ruffles? The star of Australian drama series The
Sullivans, Blue Murder, Cody, The Light Horsemen, Police Rescue,
Stingers and acclaimed mini-series Bodyline and Come In Spinner,
Gary is about to dig deep to find a flamboyant side on Dancing With
The Stars.
Having grown up in Warradale, South Australian, this Adelaide boy
obtained a teaching degree before taking up drama at teachers'
college. His passion for drama lead him to Melbourne where
Australian television audiences loved and adopted him as
Leslie "Magpie" Maddern in The Sullivans, acting along side the
likes of Paul Cronin, Lorraine Bayly and Michael Caton. In 1984 he
scored his first major role as (Sir) Donald Bradman in the ABC TV
mini-series Bodyline, this time starring with Hugo Weaving. From
there, Gary went on to feature in a number of productions resulting
in two consecutive AFI Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series
and two TV Week Logie Awards for his role as Sgt. Steve "Mickey"
McClintock in Police Rescue (1991-1996). In 2002 Gary took on the
role of Inspector Luke Harris in the police drama Stingers and
played the role until the show's demise in 2004. More recently he
has acted in feature films The Tracker, Alexandra's Project, 2:37,
Macbeth (which opens in September) and The Tumbler which is to be
released in 2007.
Gary has four children - Frank, Sophie, Jesse James and Joe Buster.
Gary will support The Bone Growth Foundation, who works to improve
the quality of life for children with crippling growth problems.
When asked about why he wanted to the dancing experience, he
responded enthusiastically, "Wanted to learn how to dance! And it
seemed a great way raise some funds for the Bone Growth Foundation."
Fiona Falkiner - Reality contestant - Biography
She won the hearts of Australians as we watched Fiona battle to
loose weight on reality series The Biggest Loser. Fiona's
transformation from an insecure, overweight young woman to a
glamorous blonde bombshell caught the attention of the nation. An
audible gasp accompanied her appearance on stage at the final show
when an Australian audience was overwhelmed by Fiona's amazing new
svelte figure she had worked so hard to achieve. She may not have
won the reality program but she is the girl that everyone has been
talking about after dropping an impressive 30kgs from her 180cm
frame.
Fiona now spends hours a day working out to maintain that figure and
will now include dance rehearsals to her already hectic exercise
schedule.
Fiona is about to face another battle when she hits the dance floor
with partner Sergei Bolgarskiy for the next series of Dancing with
the Stars.
"It's actually taken me quite a while longer to pick up dance steps,
but Serghei's great. He's really patient with me. When it's really
frustrating and I can't learn something, he can have a laugh and
have a joke and bring the tension down."
Since her departure from The Biggest Loser, Fiona has balanced her
work out schedule with a thriving career in publicity and
television. A sought after face on the A-list party circuit, she has
made it her personal mission to educate other young people about the
virtues of stir-fries rather than french fries!
Fiona now has the world at her feet and has her sights set on the
dance floor.
"Every girl dreams of being on a show like Dancing With The Stars –
glamming up, looking stunning and being taught an amazing skill you
get to keep with you for life!"
Fiona will support Australian Red Cross.
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Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info
Arianne Caoili - Biography
Dubbed the Anna Kournikova of the Chess world, Arianne Caoili at age
19 is the youngest competitor in the next series of Dancing with the
Stars. Arianne recently made world headlines when British chess
grandmaster Danny Gormally in a jealous moment at a nightclub,
raised his fists against fellow competitor (world's number three
ranked chess player) Armenia's Levon Aronian when he saw him dancing
with Arianne during the recent World Chess Olympiad in Turin.
Arianne has already travelled the world since the age of two
visiting and competing in Chess in over 30 different countries and
has lived in several different countries including the Philippines,
France and Germany.
Arianne started her professional career in Chess at the age of nine
and has since competed in prestigious international tournaments all
over the world representing the Philippines during her professional
period and representing Australia since 2004. Also a professional
chess teacher including private and school coaching since 2003,
Arianne represented Australia at the Chess Olympics, playing board 2
and making history as the youngest player ever to play on the
Australian Olympic team.
She is currently ranked number one in Women's chess in Australia and
in the Philippines. Arianne is fluent in Filipino, German and a
student of Italian, Spanish and Russian and hopes to complete a
double degree in Law and International Relations followed by a
research degree in Middle Eastern Studies.
She now however looks forward to the next challenge in her life-
stepping out onto the dance floor with partner Carmelo Pizzino.
"I love dancing as a hobby and I am really looking forward to
learning and improving my dancing. I am so thrilled about being on
the show and I know I will enjoy it so much and have loads of fun",
Arianne says.
Arianne will support Day Of Difference Foundation, a health
promotion charity focusing on the prevention and control of burns-
related disease.
Kerry Armstrong - Actress - Biography
Kerry Armstrong is one of Australia's most renowned film, television
and stage actors.
Kerry works in both Australia and the USA having most recently
completed shooting in Los Angeles on the film Reservations with an
ensemble cast including Loren Dean (Billy Bathgate), Ray Wise
(Goodnight and Good Luck) and Robin Weigart (Deadwood).
Kerry also stars as "Justine" in the soon-to-be released Australian
feature film Razzle Dazzle with Ben Miller (Johnny English), Tara
Morice (Strictly Ballroom), and Paul Mercurio (Strictly Ballroom). A
black comedy Razzle Dazzle delves into the world of dance schools,
its teachers, pupils and stage mothers.
Kerry's starring roles in films include Oyster Farmer besides Alex
O'Loughlin and David Field and Lantana alongside Geoffrey Rush and
Anthony LaPaglia as well as her many television credits, have seen
her nominated for both national and international awards with her
going on to win many of Australia's most prestigious film and
television awards.
Her television credits range from the US series Dynasty through to
The Sullivans, Skyways, Prisoner, Come in Spinner, SeaChange and MDA.
Kerry was nominated for Best Support Actress in a Feature Film at
the Film Critics Awards for Oyster Farmer and won the 2001 Best
Actress in a Feature Film nomination for Lantana at the AFI Awards
and the IF Awards.
In the same year as her Lantana win, Kerry was also recognised for
her role as "Heather Jelly" in SeaChange taking out the Best Actress
in a Television Series at the AFI awards - the first and only
actress to win both awards in the television and film category in
the same year. Kerry was also awarded the Centenary Medal in 2000
for her contribution to Australian culture.
Mother to three boys, Kerry is also an author (The Circles) and is
working on her second book.
Kerry is a board member of the highly acclaimed not for profit
theatre company BigHart alongside writer/director Scott Rankin.
BigHart is dedicated to raising community awareness and empowering
marginalised people throughout Australia. She is passionate about
her contribution to that organisation. Kerry is also a spokesperson
for Cure For Life Foundation™.
Now she will add another string to her bow when she puts on her
dancing shoes and teams up with award winning dance partner
Christopher Ryan.
Kerry will support Cure For Life Foundation™. The Foundation was
established by the world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charles Teo to
help fund advancements in the treatment of brain cancer, hopefully
one day leading to a cure.
"I absolutely love dancing. Chris is just brilliant. The training's
good. I just don't want to embarrass my 16 year old!"
Tamsyn Lewis - Athlete - Biography
Triple Commonwealth Gold medallist and dual Olympian, Tamsyn Lewis
has established herself as one of the country's most exciting
athletes. She follows in the footsteps of her mother Carolyn who won
six Australian high jump titles and competed at the 1962
Commonwealth Games while her father Greg won six national sprint
titles and competed at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games between
1967 and 1974.
Continuing the Lewis tradition, Tamsyn shot to national prominence
when she finished sixth in the 400m final at the World Junior
Championships in 1994. Later that year, Tamsyn became the youngest
member of the Commonwealth Games team that travelled to Canada.
Her career really took off when she stepped up to the 800m in 1998.
Since then she has won eight consecutive national 800m titles and is
just one of three Australians to better two minutes and has done so
on nine occasions. Another proud moment for Tamsyn was when she was
named Young Victorian of the Year in 2001.
The pin-up girl of Australian athletics, Tamsyn is currently the
Australian 400m titleholder and is now considered to be `entering
her prime' as she sets her sights on the 800m final at the Beijing
Olympics.
But now Tamsyn will put away her spikes and replace them with her
dance shoes when she joins up with Dancing With The Stars dance
partner Arsen Kishishian. The question will she be as quick on the
dance floor as she is on the track when she has to face the `quick
step' and `cha cha cha'.
Tamsyn will support the Butterfly Foundation, who is dedicated to
changing the culture, policy and practice in the prevention and
treatment of eating disorders.
"When I was offered to be a part of Dancing With The Stars, there
was no way I was turning it down. I'm a terrible dance - but if it's
fun, I'm in for it!"
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