The cast of 2012 - Seven West Media

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RECORD BREAKING SAILOR, AGED 18 JESSICA WATSON PARTNER: DAMIEN SAMUEL DANCING FOR: THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAM “My past experience has showed me that if I really want something, if I really want to put the hard work in, then I’ll be able to get there.” Jessica Watson was just three days shy of her 17th birthday when she sailed into the record books, becoming the youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. With the culmination of her feat broadcast live across Australia, Jessica became a household name and ambassador for Australian youth. Since then, she hasn’t put a step wrong on dry land. Last year she was named Young Australian of the Year, and this year was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. “It’s been the most incredible two years, I’ve crammed so much in,” she says. But she says dancing will test her. “I have absolutely zilch dancing experience. I think I’m reasonably flexible and general fitness is good, so I suppose that’s helping me a little bit, but I think I don’t really have a lot going for me dancing wise. Everything is difficult, there’s so much to remember and there’s a whole other language.” The youngest dancer in this year’s competition, Jessica says her commitment will take her far. “I think the biggest thing for me is that I’m just totally determined to give it everything and if you commit yourself to something you just have to give it your all. And if you work hard enough I’ll be able to do well.” Currently studying Sociology at university, Jessica says she had to throw herself into a fresh challenge. “It’s so totally different for me, it’s another world. I think everyone knows me as this sailor in overalls and sea boots, and I wanted to show everyone that there is a different side to me.” But she says there is no doubt tissues will need to be on hand if the judges get too feisty. “I’ll cry at some point. Everyone thinks I’m a big tough sailor but I’m actually a massive cry-baby. So that’ll definitely happen, that’s just a given. All my friends know that, so they’re going to be embarrassed on my behalf.” Dancing for the United Nations World Food Program, Jessica says she will take the skills learnt from sailing onto the dance floor. “I’m very confident because I know if I put the hard work in, I can do as well as I want. It’s all going to be a mind game, like everything else.” DAMIEN SAMUEL This year Damien makes his DANCING WITH THE STARS debut. Damien has competed and won the Championships in the NSW Open Junior Latin and Ballroom Tournament and Australia Open Junior Latin and Ballroom Tournament. Blacktown City’s National Youth Ambassador for 2006 and 2007, he was also an assistant Choreographer for DANCING WITH THE STARS Grand Final Opening in America. Damien featured lead in Burn The Floor at Jupiter’s Casino in QLD and was the Lead in Burn The Floor World Tour through the United States, Australia and South Africa.
PACKED TO THE RAFTERS ACTOR, AGE 27 ZOE CRAMOND PARTNER: ARIC YEGUDKIN DANCING FOR: THE SPINAL CORD INJURY NETWORK “For me it’s going to be about enjoying the sexuality of the dances and the sensual movements. Because I did ballet everything was so rigid so the sexy style I find quite intimidating and it’s going to be a challenge for me.” On screen Zoe plays Emma Mackey, one the newest faces to the Packed to the Rafters family. Off screen this New Zealand native, who moved to Sydney last year, says she is hoping to cha cha her way into the finals. “I’d rather not focus on my competition and just focus on what I can do to my best ability and just not care about anything else. Otherwise you get too inside your head and too stressed out.” Citing discipline as her main strength and bad dance habits as her weakness, Zoe says she’s prepared to cop the criticism that comes with former dance experience. “I did a tiny bit of contemporary but I did ballet when I was younger until about 16. I think it really helps with getting choreography, like understanding steps and performance.” The youngest of three children, Zoe says it was her Packed to the Rafters co-star and former DANCING WITH THE STARS contestant George Houvardas who convinced her to sign on. “He was an ambassador for the show, I totally wracked his brain and he’s part of the reason I chose to do it as well because he said, ‘it’s so much fun and you’re going to have the time of your life’.” And she says the first training sessions with Aric didn’t disappoint. “It’s been amazing, as soon we met we got along so I was so lucky. We click. It was so full on, by the afternoons I was losing it. It was mental exhaustion that was the hardest part.” Through it all she has the unwavering support of her Dad who convinced her to dance, and it was his severe injury that led Zoe to her chosen charity. “I chose that one because my Dad broke his neck in two places when he was 28. He’s disabled but was told he was never going to walk or have kids because of his injury.” Her father’s insistence to one day complete both has been her biggest inspiration. “That’s why my name’s Zoe because it means life, and when I started to walk when I was a kid, he was learning to walk again, so we’re very close. I’m doing it for him.” ARIC YEGUDKIN In 2011 Aric was runner-up in DANCING WITH THE STARS alongside Haley Bracken and in season three, he took home the coveted trophy with Home and Away’s Ada Nicodemou. After ongoing impersonations of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean routine at the birthdays of friends and relatives, Aric Yegudkin’s mother finally took him to a teenage dance class. At age eight, Aric had to choose between his two great passions – dancing and tennis. He chose Dancesport and after just two years became the national juvenile champion. Aric teamed with two partners in the junior section, before being paired in the youth section with Masha Belash in July 2001. Since then, they have won many titles together, including the National Youth Latin American Championship three years running, the Australian - and the South Pacific - Youth Under 19 Latin American Championships, and the World Super Stars Adult Latin American championship. They were also Australia’s representative to the World Ballroom and Latin Championships in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2009. Aric has toured with theatrical production ‘Burn The Floor’ and is one of the principal dancers and choreographers for stage show Dance Dance Dance, performing across Australia for a number of years. Aric holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and is an accredited instructor with Dancesport Australia, holding a Level 1 teaching license.
Page 2 and 3: THE CAST OF 2012
Page 4 and 5: PAST DANCING WITH THE STARS CHAMPIO
Page 6 and 7: CO-HOST MEL B Mel B knows a thing o
Page 8 and 9: AFL SUPERSTAR, AGE 31 BRENDAN FEVOL
Page 10 and 11: SINGER/SONGWRITER, AGE 42 DANIELLE
Page 14 and 15: INTERNATIONAL DJ, AGE 25 VOGUE WILL
Page 16 and 17: ‘80S ROCK LEGEND, AGE 50 BRIAN MA
Page 18 and 19: JUDGE HELEN RICHEY Known for her sn
Page 20 and 21: JUDGE JOSHUA HORNER Joshua Horner l

The cast of 2012 - Seven West Media

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