Aerobics Oz Style
Aerobics Oz Style is an Australian aerobic exercise instruction television series, shown in Australia on weekends and then weekdays on Network Ten at 6:00 am then 6:30 am and distributed to many other countries. It was cancelled by Channel Ten at the end of 2005.[1] AOS continues to be broadcast on Australian television via AURORA Channel 183 - on the Foxtel Digital, Optus and Austar platforms - which broadcasts Aerobics Oz Style every day at 6.30am AEST and also 2.00pm AEST. In Europe Aerobics Oz Style is broadcast daily (weekends included) on Sky Sports 1 or Sky Sports 2 at 6:00 (GMT) and it is repeated daily on Sky Sports 3 or Sky Sports 4 at 11:30 and 16:30. In 2011 Sky Sports started to broadcast additional airings of the show. The program is now aired in the small hours of the morning, as early as, 00:30 (GMT).
| Aerobics Oz Style | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Harry Michaels |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
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| Opening theme | "Right Here, Right Now! (Move It)" by Paul Zorzi (1995—1999) "Happy Ever After" by U NO HU |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 24 |
| No. of episodes | 4,500 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Harry Michaels |
| Producers | Greg Howes David Ward |
| Production locations | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22 minutes (ecl. commercials) |
| Production companies |
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| Distributor | Zero1Zero |
| Release | |
| Original network | Network Ten (1982—2005) Aurora (2012—present) |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 1982 – 2005 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The series began in 1982 and had run continuously through until 2005, with over 4,500 episodes produced, by production company Zero1Zero (now Silk Studios). The format remained consistent throughout its run. Each show was 30 minutes divided into four segments, one of warmup exercises, two main exercise segments, and a stretch/cool-down segment. One instructor leads the exercises, with four demonstrators following to the side and behind. Later shows were shot outdoors at scenic locations around Sydney, in earlier shows an indoor studio was used.
Each show had an exercise theme. The mainstays since inception included high and low-impact, legs, abdominals, body toning. Other later themes included kick-boxing, low impact with a mixture of Latin dancing and pilates. Older styles included light hand weights and dynabands. Fashions in exercise-wear moved with the times too, leotards over bicycle shorts in the early days giving way to halter tops and tight shorts.
A set of Aerobics Oz Style exercise videos are sold in a longer format than the shows broadcast, and include some exercise styles not otherwise featured, such as Swiss ball. These videos included music that remained unique and separate from the television show.
The instructors and demonstrators on the show were a mixture of men and women. The show was intended for any age or gender.
Many children watched the series inadvertently as they had switched on their televisions too early for the popular children's series Cheez TV which came after.
Australian band TISM parodied Aerobics Oz Style in their 1998 music video for "Whatareya?", in which all members start off following the instructor before drinking (and throwing) beer cans and jumping over couches.
In 1998 U NO HU, a UK songwriting and music production duo, consisting of Gary Williams and Philip Barber were brought onboard and commissioned to write a mixture of more than three hundred instrumental dance tracks and chill-out tracks specifically for the television broadcasts and later exercise videos. The new, uplifting, music featured on over 1,500 later shows increased viewer ratings by twenty percent – on the BSkyB network – adding to the already established popularity of the program.
Talent
- June Jones — (1983-2005)[2] — instructor and demonstrator, a founding member of the show.
- Wendi Carroll — (1990-2005)[2] — instructor and demonstrator.
- Taryn Noble (née Polovin) — (1998-2005)[2] — instructor and demonstrator.
- Helen Tardent — (2000-2005)[2] — instructor for the pilates shows, joined the series with the introduction of those shows. Tardent was previously a professional dancer at the London Royal Academy of Dance and now owns and operates a Pilates studio in Double Bay, Sydney.
- Mia Baker — demonstrator and former jazz dancer.
- Emma Whitty — demonstrator, dancer, former cheerleader (2003–2006) and former national sport aerobic and fitness champion (2005).
- Jacqueline Green — demonstrator and former international sport aerobic and fitness world champion (2004) along with Kelly Piper and Karen Lake.
- Kelly Piper — demonstrator and former international sport aerobic and fitness champion (2004) along with Jacqueline Green and Karen Lake.
- Kate McCracken — (2002-2005)[2] — demonstrator and dancer.
- Erinjayne Gard — (2000-2005)[2] — demonstrator.
- Michelle Dean— instructor and demonstrator, a past winner of the world aerobics title.
- Jodie Low — (1996-2002)[2] — demonstrator, winner of the 1996 Miss Fitness Australia title.
- Michelle Nicholas — demonstrator
- Michelle Teale — demonstrator
- Louise Howard — demonstrator
- Effie Michaels — costume designer, previously a demonstrator (married to Harry Michaels).
- Shannon Dolan — instructor and demonstrator
- Robyn Lambourne — demonstrator
- Raymond Smith — instructor and demonstrator
- John Novak — instructor and demonstrator
- Marcus Irwin — instructor and demonstrator
- Gina Good — demonstrator, 2x World Aerobics Championship Representative.
- Michael Reid — demonstrator
- Michelle Newland — demonstrator
- Michelle Farugia— demonstrator (Member of 90's Australian dance duo "S*Switch")
- Shannon Cleary - instructor and demonstrator (Big Brother Australia Season 2 contestant)
- Donna O'dwyer — demonstrator
- Luisa — demonstrator
- Teresa — demonstrator
- Danielle Martin — demonstrator
- Angela Curtis — demonstrator
- Connie Zollo — demonstrator
- Michelle Gully — instructor and demonstrator
- Tali Khan — instructor and demonstrator
- Gabi Kahn — instructor and demonstrator
- Jacqueline Harrison - demonstrator
- David Allen - instructor and demonstrator
- Lisa Osborne - demonstrator
- Palo - instructor and demonstrator
- Cathy Spencer - demonstrator
- Rose - demonstrator
- Martha - demonstrator
- Sandy - instructor and demonstrator
- James Lewis — instructor and demonstrator
- Kelly Russell — instructor and demonstrator
- Rebecca Bowles — instructor and demonstrator
- Bret Paton — instructor and demonstrator
- Anton Scott — instructor and demonstrator
- Cheetah Zylstra — instructor and demonstrator
- Natalie Michaels — demonstrator (daughter of Effie and Harry Michaels)
- Vanessa Sanchez — instructor and demonstrator
- Orli Shoshan — instructor and demonstrator
- Sunika Singh — instructor and demonstrator
- Jaynie Seal — demonstrator (partner of Ed Phillips)
- Poppy Wolanski — instructor and demonstrator
- Kelly Martinovich — instructor and demonstrator -Now Director of The Shredded Strength Institute in Perth, Western Australia
- Andrew Barnell - demonstrator
- Jackie - demonstrator
- Jose Garcia — instructor and demonstrator
- Debbie Green — demonstrator
- Amanda Breen — instructor and demonstrator - rumoured to take over Trainer role on Biggest Loser Australia,[3] Now Director - People & Culture at Les Mills Asia Pacific[4]
- Nigel Myers — instructor and demonstrator
- Jane Vanek — demonstrator
- Rhonda Livingstone — demonstrator
- Simon Colyer — demonstrator
- Tegan Bryant — demonstrator
- Vibeke Murphy — demonstrator
- Biliana Negrine — demonstrator
- Suzunne Smith — demonstrator
- Melanie Parsons — demonstrator
References
- "Aerobics bounced". The Daily Telegraph. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2008.
- "Aerobics Oz Style Reunion Interview". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- "Trainer to quit Biggest Loser". The West Australian. 3 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- "Dealing with conflict in your class | Les Mills Asia Pacific". www.lesmills.com.au. Retrieved 13 January 2021.