Sydney 2000

Sydney 2000 Closing Ceremony Some 500 couples from the Australian Member Body of the World DanceSport Federation were invited to participate in the Closing Ceremony of the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, Sydney 2000.

"We appreciate the International Olympic Committee's approval of this tremendous opportunity to include our beautiful sport in the Closing Ceremony," then WDSF President Rudolf Baumann told the press. "It will be seen by sports fans all over the world."

As John Paul Young sang "Love is in the Air" on 1 October 2000, the 1,000 Aussie dancers performed on the stadium track - with several giant kewpie dolls and footprints mingling among them.

Other protagonists of the 2-hour extravaganza were Kylie Minogue (above), golfer Greg Norman, model Elle McPherson and actor Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan. Here is the entire Closing Ceremony as it was aired on Channel 7. DanceSport starts at approx. 01:20:30.

ycpijYPuO0I|The Games Of The XXVIIth Olympiad - Sydney 2000: Closing Ceremony

It will be interesting to compare this with the show that the 400 Russian dancers will put on during the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony on 7 February.

Published on 31 January 2014