Erin Boag: “Everyone can dance!”
Erin Boag: “Everyone can dance!”
The ballroom star talks about her life in Surbiton, her memories of Strictly, and why she believes everyone can dance…
Image credit: Raymond Gubbay
Erin Boag took her first dancing steps aged just three, keen to escape from her buggy and join in with her brother’s dance class. It wasn’t long before she herself took up lessons in ballet, disco, tap, and ballroom, sparking a lifelong love of dance, and today she passes on her passion to keen learners at her classes in Kingston and Surbiton.
She reckons that even those with two left feet can pick up some steps. “Everyone learns at a different pace. Some are very quick, especially if they’ve danced before or had gymnastics experience. But a lot of people come to a class feeling nervous – they may never have danced before and that is absolutely fine. I teach them fun routines. I want them to walk out with a smile on their face and they always do.”
Her teaching style has been honed from all of her 10 series of Strictly Come Dancing. She earned the nickname of Miss Whiplash on the show for her skill of whipping people into shape, but she says that her approach flexed according to the contestant she was paired with. She has partnered a range of celebs from sportsmen Austin Healey and Colin Jackson to presenter Richard Arnold and comedian Julian Clary. “Some partners you have to be kind and gentle with and others you can get your whip out because they’re from an athletic background maybe and they want to be put through their paces.”
It was back in 2004 that she and her dance partner Anton Du Beke were first approached to take part in a new series for the BBC… the rest is history with Strictly Come Dancing becoming a phenomenal success. At the time, she and Anton were professional ballroom dancers, ranked 14th in the world. “We thought, is this series something that we want to do? We were worried that they were going to take the mickey out of our sport. Anton said it’s better to be a part of it than not so we sent in our resumes and we went through four auditions.”
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The show is watched in 60 countries under the title Dancing with the Stars and is named by the Guinness World Records as the world’s most successful reality TV format. What’s its secret? Says Erin: “The costumes, the music. It’s a family show. Also, there are celebrities from all walks of life, and you get to follow their journey. I take my hat off to them because they’re putting themselves out there in front of the nation. They’re vulnerable. They go out there raw and most have never danced before. The show may have some rocky moments, but that’s all caused by social media.”
Looking back at her time on the show, Erin has many fantastic memories but it was intense. “It was seven days a week where we were choreographing, getting costumes ready, doing the pro numbers, or in the studio discussing ideas with the producers. Also, the professionals travel to where the celebrities live, whether it be Peterborough, Manchester, Cardiff, Copenhagen. The professionals do it because they love it. It consumes your entire life during those months, especially with the tours too.”
After a couple of years, Erin and Anton realised they couldn’t carry on with doing both the show and the professional competitions. They stopped competing. “We went down a different road and never looked back. You know, it’s been sensational – hard work but incredible fun and I made a lot of friends along the way.”
Following series 10, Erin decided to leave to start a family. She has a 10-year-old son Ewan with her husband, businessman Peter O’Dowd. Erin has lived in and around Surbiton for many years. When she first moved over to the UK from New Zealand with her then dance partner and boyfriend, she decided on Surbiton having watched The Good Life back home on TV. “I was going to be working as a nanny in Esher and training in Cheam…when we arrived at the airport, we had nowhere to live so I picked up an A-Z map and I noticed Surbiton. We caught the train there and I’m still here 30 years later.”
Erin has moved between Kingston, Cheam and Sutton but was drawn back to Surbiton when she and Peter were looking for a home to start their family. She says she can’t imagine living anywhere else. “The Thames is wonderful. I often run along the riverside. We shop in Kingston. It’s just a great area to raise my son.” Places she likes to go include the Plough and Harrow pub in Long Ditton and the new Indian restaurant Koyal in Surbiton. Erin also likes Megan’s for coffee with friends.
Staying active is a big part of her regime. “Whether it be walking, going for a gentle jog, a class at the gym, or playing a bit of tennis, it makes me feel good. Also, I think for what I do for a job, I have to stay fit and nimble. I can no longer get into the splits – I have no want to get into the splits anymore. But it’s about staying active and being able to keep up with what I do.”
In March, Erin will turn 50. “I’m going to have a bit of a soiree at the house for family and friends, but I’m going to leave it until summer as March is a little cold still.”
Looking ahead, Erin is excited about what the future holds. She and Anton will be entertaining guests on a cruise around Italy and she is involved in events such as Dancing with the Stars weekends. “What will I be doing in a few years? Most definitely still dancing and probably in Surbiton and Kingston. That’s the great thing about teaching. I’ve had the sparkle of dance in my life for many years, and I get to show people how it’s done, bringing the enjoyment into their lives as well.”
