Sweden gets dancing with the stars
Friday night marks the season premiere of one of Sweden's most popular television shows, with viewers chomping at the bit for the chance to watch an odd mix of celebrities strut their stuff on Let's Dance.
In the coming months, twelve teams of celebrity contestants and professional dancers will dance their way into Swedish living rooms in an effort to prove they can tango, quickstep, rumba, and waltz better than the rest.
The live broadcasts will be hosted by the time-tested duo of David Hellenius and Jessica Almenäs, who will do their best to help viewers get to know this season's collection of celebrity dancers.
Among notables featured on this installment of Let’s Dance are 2009 Eurovision Song Contest champion Alexander Ryback of Norway, glamour model and TV host Hannah Graaf, bald-headed Swedsh Idol judge Anders Bagge, wrestling legend Frank Andersson, and world class horseback rider Helena Lundbäck.
Like its US-based counterpart Dancing with the Stars, Sweden's Let's Dance was inspired by the hit British programme Strictly Come Dancing and requires contestants to impress both the viewing public, as well as a panel of jurists led by English chairman, dancer Tony Irving – or risk getting booted off the show.
Joining the jury this year will be Isabel Edvardsson, a champion Swedish dancer and playboy model who won the German version of Let’s Dance in 2006.
Ahead of Friday’s season premiere, set to air at 8pm on TV4, betting companies have picked violin virtuoso Ryback as the odds on favourite to win Let’s Dance 2011, with horse riding champion Lundbäck also among the names odds makers believe had a shot at winning.
And should Lundbäck or one of the other female celebrity dancer’s be the last one to leave the dance floor, it would mark the first time in the programme’s seven year history that a woman is crowned Sweden’s Let’s Dance champion.
Want to see who’s who among this season's contestants and dancers? Check out The Local’s photo gallery.
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In the coming months, twelve teams of celebrity contestants and professional dancers will dance their way into Swedish living rooms in an effort to prove they can tango, quickstep, rumba, and waltz better than the rest.
The live broadcasts will be hosted by the time-tested duo of David Hellenius and Jessica Almenäs, who will do their best to help viewers get to know this season's collection of celebrity dancers.
Among notables featured on this installment of Let’s Dance are 2009 Eurovision Song Contest champion Alexander Ryback of Norway, glamour model and TV host Hannah Graaf, bald-headed Swedsh Idol judge Anders Bagge, wrestling legend Frank Andersson, and world class horseback rider Helena Lundbäck.
Like its US-based counterpart Dancing with the Stars, Sweden's Let's Dance was inspired by the hit British programme Strictly Come Dancing and requires contestants to impress both the viewing public, as well as a panel of jurists led by English chairman, dancer Tony Irving – or risk getting booted off the show.
Joining the jury this year will be Isabel Edvardsson, a champion Swedish dancer and playboy model who won the German version of Let’s Dance in 2006.
Ahead of Friday’s season premiere, set to air at 8pm on TV4, betting companies have picked violin virtuoso Ryback as the odds on favourite to win Let’s Dance 2011, with horse riding champion Lundbäck also among the names odds makers believe had a shot at winning.
And should Lundbäck or one of the other female celebrity dancer’s be the last one to leave the dance floor, it would mark the first time in the programme’s seven year history that a woman is crowned Sweden’s Let’s Dance champion.
Want to see who’s who among this season's contestants and dancers? Check out The Local’s photo gallery.
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