The outfits are being dusted down and the dance moves rehearsed for
2009's season of
Dancing with the Stars.
The celebrities' dance partners are now confirmed with some
familiar and fresh faces in the mix.
Find out who the
new couples are below!
The couples will start dance rehearsals in the coming weeks, in
anticipation of the series starting on TV ONE in March.
Critiquing their ability will be judges Brendan Cole, Craig Revel-Horwood, Alison Leonard, and Paul Mercurio. The series will once again be hosted by Jason Gunn and Candy Lane.
Tamati
Coffey is partnered with with
Samantha
Hitchcock.
Tamati is best known as Breakfast's weather presenter -
but he's also fronted What Now before swapping the show in 2007 for
early mornings with Paul and Pippa. Tamati completed an honours
degree in Political Studies at the University of Auckland before
becoming a presenter on What Now. It was from the iconic kid's show
that he joined the Breakfast team.TVNZ Head of News and Current
Affairs Anthony Flannery says Tamati is one of the most exciting
young personalities on New Zealand television.
Lizzy Igasan will dance with current New Zealand
champion
Cody Stephens.
of course the captain of New Zealand's Black Sticks. Born in
Whangarei in 1982, the 26 year old made her international debut for
the Black Sticks in 2001 against South Korea. She's been named New
Zealand Hockey player of the year 2 years running in 2004 and
2005
Barbara
Kendall is partnered with series three runner-up
Jonny Williams.
Barbara was born in 1967 in Auckland's Papakura is known
as a boardsailor for New Zealand. She's won various medals for New
Zealand at the Olympic Games. She won a gold medal at the 1992
Summer Olympics in Barcelona, silver medal in 1996 (in Atlanta,
Georgia), and a bronze medal in 2000 (in Sydney)[1] Kendall
finished 5th at the 2004 Games in Athens and sixth at the 2008
Games in Beijing. She is the first, and as of 2008, only woman from
New Zealand to compete at 5 Olympic Games.
Former All Black
Josh Kronfeld will hit the floor with
current New Zealand champion
Rachel
Burstein.
Josh was born in June 1971 and used to play of course for New
Zealand and Otago, as well as Leicester in the UK. He made his All
Black test debut in 1995, playing against Canada at Auckland's Eden
Park. He moved to play for the Leicester Tigers before announcing
his retirement from the game in 2003.
Geraldine Brophy will dance with series three and
four winner
Stefano Olivieri.
Geraldine is an actress best known for her role as Moira Crombie in
Shortland Street and has more recently been seen in the smash hit
Kiwi film Second Hand Wedding. She won the 1998 New Zealand Film
and Television Best Actress award for her lead role in Home Movie
and was a finalist for Best Actress in the 2000 awards for
Shortland Street. She has been heavily involved in the New Zealand
theatre scene with directing, producing and acting. In her
subsequent 22 years in the industry she has played more than 150
roles on stage.
Rebecca
Hobbs will
dance with series two winner
Aaron Gilmore.
Rebecca is the sister of fellow competitor Chris.
She previously starred on Shortland Street. Rebecca was
recently seen on mini series Burying Brian where she played Gerri
Marchand.
Chris Hobbs is partnered with
Kristie
Boyd.
Chris
- brother of Rebecca -
won Kiwi hearts with his portrayal of Frank Malone on
Shortland Street. Chris has since appeared on McLeod's
Daughters.
John
Rowles is partnered with blonde bombshell
Krystal
Stuart.
John is of course a New Zealand icon - born back in 1947, you'll
know him for Cheryl Moana Marie which recently featured in Second
Hand Wedding - so there'll be some friendly rivalry between Mr
Rowles and Geraldine Brophy. Styled as a New Zealand Elvis, it
remains to be seen if he'll be swinging his hips as the winner of
the 2009 show.
Meet the judges Alison Leonard, Craig Revel Horwood, Brendan Cole and Paul Mercurio here !
Don't forget to vote in our poll - and see you soon on the
dancefloor!
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