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| How Strictly sold samba to the South Americans |
| Written by Administrator | |
| Saturday, 23 December 2006 | |
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On a continent where the average 80-year-old can still dance a passion-fuelled tango in the village square, the last thing they need is a television series about people learning how to dance.
But that is what the BBC has done, selling its hit Strictly Come Dancing format to the hip-swivelling viewers of Latin America. Ten million people are expected to watch the rugby star Matt Dawson challenge Mark Ramprakash, the England cricketer, over the salsa and samba in tonight’s climax of the BBC One series. The sports stars declared themselves bruised and exhausted after their professional dance partners put them through their final paces yesterday. But the Strictly format shows no sign of flagging and is now a top-rated programme in 25 countries. In the latest deal, the BBC will bring it to the home of the most popular ballroom steps. BBC Worldwide Americas has signed a four-country pact to launch versions next year in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador. The BBC will work with local broadcasters to recreate the sequined magic of the British show. José Sánchez, regional director of BBC Worldwide Americas, said: “At last, Latin America will experience the dance craze that has spread across Europe and America.” Sales of the Strictly concept have generated £20 million for the BBC, new revenues that are especially important with the Treasury enforcing a belowinflation licence fee settlement. The US version of the show, broadcast by ABC, attracts up to 28 million viewers and has embarked on a coast-to-coast live tour. The Australian version, produced by the BBC with Granada, tops the ratings. A common factor across the international productions is that sports stars beat contestants from more fancied professions such as pop stars and actors. Emmitt Smith, an NFL American football star who won this autumn’s US series, said: “Running is a flowing kind of style and dance has the same kind of flow. But you have technique that you really have to nail down in order to get the scores from the judges.” Dawson, who was part of the Rugby World Cup-winning England team, said: “The hip movements and the need to isolate areas of the body do stem from rugby. The warm-up moves are very similar.” Ramprakash, who hopes to follow his England cricketing colleague Darren Gough by winning the series, said: “I’m shattered. My feet hurt every morning. The most difficult part is remembering the steps while looking like I’m enjoying it for the judges.” His last tango give him as much happiness as scoring a Test century, he said. Their dancing partners are suffering too. Karen Hardy, who partners Ramprakash, injured her knee during rehearsals. She said: “We smile through it but we are all carrying bumps and bruises.” Ms Hardy said that she had lost a stone during the three-month series and tailors have had to narrow the waistlines on the outfits worn by the sporting stars as the weeks progressed. The finalists must complete five dances tonight, including a Viennese waltz with both couples performing at the same time. Ramprakash has chosen the tango and the salsa, with Dawson performing the waltz and the samba with his partner Lilia Kopylova. Win or lose, after tonight Dawson won’t dance again for a long time. “I just want to get through the five dances without falling flat on my arse.” # Cricketer Mark Ramprakash, 37, plays for Surrey and featured in 52 Tests. # Matt Dawson, 34, was in the team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He will retire at the end of season Take your partners for... # When the notorious footballer Diego Maradona starred in the Italian Dancing with the Stars, the taxman seized his £2.5 million fee # The Strictly Ballroom film star Paul Mercurio judges the Australian show. Simone Callaghan, former wife of Shane Warne, the cricketer, lasted five weeks but made herself a media career # The US final of Dancing with the Stars on ABC attracted 27.5 million viewers. Emmitt Smith, the American football star, triumphed # An official Indian version, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, was launched in September to counter a rival show featuring real-life couples # The speed skater Barbara de Loor won the 2006 Dutch show called Dancing Stars # The great batsman Sir Jack Hobbs, when asked how he kept fit during the winter, replied: “Ballroom dancing” Source: BBC Worldwide, Times database Source |
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