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TOWN'S EMMA IN TV'S DANCE FEVER
A TWINKLE-TOED former Sussex Downs College student is showing off her dancing talent on Strictly Dance Fever tomorrow evening.
Emma Dudley is hoping she will follow in fellow Eastbourne dancer Nathan Potter's footsteps — and make it through to the finals of the BBC1 dance show.
Emma, 19, who will be partnered by 32-year-old Howard Corlett, attended the London auditions and beat off competition from 80,000 other dancers to make it through to the final 30.
If the teenager wins the votes of the judges and the public and scoops a place in the finals, she will be moving into a mansion with nine other couples — including Eastbourne's other dance star Nathan and his partner Kirsty.
Emma started dancing when she studied Performing Arts at Sussex Downs College.
She specialised in contemporary, jazz and street jazz, but will be dancing salsa on Saturday evening.
She decided to go in for the show after her boyfriend's friend's wife, who was a big fan of the original show, told Emma she should apply.
Incredibly, she only started dancing properly at Sussex Downs College — and has no other training.
'I got my mum to take me to the college to record a video, then sent that off and it all went from there,' explained Emma.
'I got through to the regional heats and then ended up on television. It's all come as a bit of a shock really.
'I was really pleased to beat all those other people for a place in the finals.'
Emma said watching the first two television heats was 'stomach-churning', but she is pleased that fellow Eastbourne dancer Nathan Potter has scooped a place in the final.
'My family are ecstatic, but they are probably more nervous than me.
'My mum is cringing every time the show is mentioned, but she is very emotional about it.'
Emma is a sales associate for a mobile phone company in Eastbourne and when she is not working — or dancing — she enjoys going to the cinema, watching DVDs and spending time with her family.
She lives with her parents and two younger sisters.
'My family are the best in the world — they are totally nuts.'
Grease is Emma's all time favourite musical and Top of The Pops is her favourite programme.
She decided to apply for Strictly Dance Fever because she really wanted to learn new dance styles, work under pressure and to dance on TV.
Her ultimate goal is 'to do well'. She says dancing means a lot to her, and she knows that she is not classically trained but that doesn't put her off trying. She wants to prove to people that you don't have to be a trained dancer to be good.
Emma will be joined on Saturday by her mum and dad, but her boyfriend will be watching her on TV and is under strict instructions to get voting if she makes it past the first hurdle.
The show is on BBC1 at 5.55pm.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
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