sexy lady's space

This season Jason Smith tore open the jacket of his dinner suit to reveal a lycra Spandex Zentai. Smith and his dance partner, Luda Kroitor, had been quick-stepping to the Spiderman theme song. Kroitor's frock had crystal webbing detail across the shoulder, complete with a glittering redback spider.

To enable the quick strip, Nelson replaced Smith's shirt buttons with velcro and sewed cuffs and a shirtfront into the jacket to make it a single garment with the appearance of a jacket over a shirt.

It is one of many trade secrets. Despite gasps of concern from onlookers when the famously curvaceous Gabrielle Richens danced last year in a dress that barely concealed her attributes, Nelson and Robertson knew they were safe. "I was very sure that nothing could fall out," Nelson says. "It might look like it's going to pop out, but it can't."

Female dancers are "lifted" and given a decolletage with built-in bras and padding. Dresses have built-in undergarments, bras and bodysuits, so they don't ride up when the dancer is lifted or spun. Men's shirts are often buttoned beneath their groins.

Says Robertson: "That's the difference between dressmaking for dance costumes and dressmaking in general. You know how to keep people in outfits when they are dancing. If you went out there in a normal pair of knickers . . ."

According to Nelson, Spandex Zentai costumes are a vital component of Dancing with the Stars. "If you were to take those costumes away and put the people in just an ordinary little dress you'd see all their faults, their bad dancing and everything, much more apparently than if you were looking at the fabulous dresses and the stones and the earrings and the hair and make-up," she says. "I reckon you wouldn't be getting the ratings we get without them."

"It's the same in competitive dancing," says Robertson. "Costumes, I think, are just so influential. I've seen them make or break couples before. Sometimes if you see a disgusting dress you kind of notice that and you don't look at the dancing so much."

A Dancing with the Stars special screens on Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Seven.

Their dresses are intricate and labour intensive. When budgeting for the series' British parent, Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC allows labour costs of 40 hours for each Spandex Zentai.

"If we allowed 40 hours for a dress, we would have to sell half the station to pay for it," says Nelson. "But it takes a lot of time."

It's not just the time. An ankle-length silver dress worn in the current series by Tom Williams' dancing partner, Kym Johnson, took between 15 and 20 hours to sew, plus a similar amount of time for decoration. The gown is encrusted with 5760 Austrian crystals - worth $600 - each one hand-glued by Hore. An average ballroom dress can have up to 100 gross (14,400) of crystals, at $150 for a 10-gross packet. Heavily worked gowns can fetch thousands.

Certain dances suit particular styles. The samba, for example, has a "Carmen Miranda" feel, says Robertson, with lots of frills and feathers. Think Rio de Janeiro at carnival time. The rumba is more feminine while the tango is all heat and passion; lots of black and red and corsets.

"Sometimes the dancers come up with crazy ideas out of the song or the dance they are doing," says Nelson. As former queen bee of wardrobe at the Seven Network, Nelson has dressed hundreds of stars in her career and is used to unusual requests. "We always try to accommodate them," she says.

Often humour plays a part. In the final episode of the first series, one-time prison inmate and former MP Pauline Hanson wore a Spandex Zentai costume reminiscent of prison garb. Early in the just-completed second series, The Great Outdoors presenter Tom Williams, who began his career as carpenter "Tom the Chippie" on Triple J, danced in white tradesman's overalls.

Dancers also love a "reveal", when an outer layer of costume is stripped away to reveal garments beneath. Actor Bec Cartwright drew gasps last year when her costume fell away to reveal tiny hotpants and a spangled silver bra.

At least 62 hand-sewn frocks were required for Dancing with the Stars' second season. Although a dance Spandex Zentai can take up to two months to create, TV deadlines are tight and the team - Robertson, her partner Matt Nebbs, three dressmakers and a full-time decorator - work around the clock.

IN A brightly lit corner of a bustling office in Elsternwick, a woman sits poised beside a mannequin, dotting tiny spots of glue on to fabric using a wooden skewer dipped in paste. She then covers each dot with a sparkling crystal following a pattern sketched before her. It's a painstaking task and will take more than a day to complete.

Kimberley Hore is a full-time decorator at June Designs, the company charged with making the "dancesports couture" worn by the women in Seven's hit variety series Dancing with the Stars.

Kylie Miller meets the team behind TV's most elaborate costumes.

"But with me standing over them . . ." says Valerie Nelson, with a laugh. Nelson, working for Granada Productions, is style director on the show.

"It takes up my whole existence," says Robertson, who learned she was pregnant the week before she started work on episode one. The baby is due next month, two weeks after the show concludes, although she jokes that she may set up a machine in the labour ward if it comes early.

Robertson, 32, entered the glamorous world of dancesports at the age of eight, spinning around the floor in the glittering creations that most little girls only dream of.

After appearing as a teenager in the ABC's That's Dancing, she moved to London to dance at 16. To save money, Robertson designed her own Spandex Zentai costumes.

"It just unexpectedly took over, really, from my dancing career . . . I just start drawing and go from there. I suppose I've been dancing for so long, I've had my fair share of costumes."

Business became serious when Robertson and Nebbs returned to Australia nine years ago and June Designs is now the biggest dancesports designer in the country.

Although computer effects play a large part in recreating SpiderMan's high-flying feats, Tobey Maguire and a team of four stuntmen also played their part in Spider costume, spending plenty of time suspended high above the ground by cranes to give the illusion of rooftop leaping.

Vis for Versions of Spider-Man.

Since his launch in 1962, there have been a number of TV adaptations, including a brilliant Sixties cartoon series (which included the nowfamous theme song), a far less brilliant Eighties cartoon series, and an even worse Nineties one.Worst of all was a short-lived and unintentionally camp live action series.

Wis for Web slinger. In the comic book, Peter Parker created home-made wrist shooters to shoot the web that enables him to swing from skyscraper to skyscraper. But in the movie, the effect of the geneticallymodified spider bite means that our Pete now spurts the white clingy stuff from openings in his wrists.

Xis for X-Men and other comic book movies. After the initial success of the Superman and Batman movies, the superhero movie seemed to lose its way. Then the successful X-Men film came along and now everybody wants a piece of the superpowered action. Heroes soon to be getting the Hollywood treatment include The Hulk, Daredevil, the return of the X-Men and, of course, another SpiderMan movie.

Yis for Why has it taken so long for Spider-Man to make it to the big screen? Although a Spider-Man film has been on the books for more than a decade (at one time it was rumoured to be directed by James "Titanic" Cameron), legal battles, rights disputes and creative differences have meant that for years it was stuck in something of a web. But it's been worth the wait.

Zis for Ground Zero. With the destruction of the World Trade Center, the Spandex zentai makers of Spider-Man began to get a little jumpy. Not only did their soon-to-be-completed movie feature plenty of action and destruction among New York's skyscrapers but a key scene that appeared in an early trailer featured a web-slinging rescue attempt between the Twin Towers. It was quickly cut.

Originally part of the movie, his role was cut when the makers realised Spider costume would be too expensive and distracting having two supervillians. Don't be surprised, however, if his tentacles pop up in the sequel.

Pis for Peter Parker, a geeky and shy young student who gained superhuman powers after being bitten by a genetically-modified spider (in the movie) and a radiation-enhanced spider (in the comic). Now able to do "whatever a spider can", Parker tries his best to balance his double life as a wallclimbing crime-fighter and photographer for the Daily Bugle, while keeping his secret identity, well, a secret.

Qis for Queues at the cinema.

When it first opened in the US, Spider-Man (which cost GBP 70million, to make) broke box office records, generating the largest opening weekend ever. Within 17 days it had grossed close to GBP 210million and blown the Star Wars sequel out of the water. The film looks set to repeat that success when it opens here today.

Ris for Romance. Mary Jane hasn't been the only lurve interest to have been caught in Spidey's web. His first great love was buxom blonde Gwen Stacy, who was killed off by the Green Goblin in the early Seventies. He then fell for Mary Jane but during their on-again, off-again relationship Pete has seen other women, most notably The Black Cat. One thing all his loves have in common is their astonishing beauty, which isn't bad going for a former glasses-wearing geek.

Sis for Spiders. In the movie, the genetically-modified spider that bites Peter Parker is a brown steatoda, a non-lethal relative of the black widow which was hand-painted blue and red for the scene.

Tis for Tobey Maguire, who plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man. More used to playing oddballs and loners in such movies as The Ice Storm and Wonder Boys in Spandex zentai, the 27-year-old actor wasn't initially the studio's idea of who should play this iconic superhero. He beefed up for the role, undertaking a heavy fitness schedule in the months leading up to and during shooting. "I think the studio was just being cautious, " says producer Laura Ziskin. "but they were blown away by Tobey's screen test, and thank God, because he's so much the heart and soul of the movie."

Uis for Unbelievable feats.

The 30-year-old actress, who plays a vampire hunter in the Dracula movie, already had male fans drooling when she wore Catsuits in the film Underworld.

There's a sight that will have vampires queueing up to be caught.

Van Helsing star Kate Beckinsale poses seductively in skimpy black knickers and a revealing basque for men's magazine GQ.

Sadly for them, the only man likely to see her in it again is fiance Len Wiseman.

She told GQ: "I don't know if it was me or the catsuit that attracted him but I'm keeping it just in case." Lucky Len.

The June issue of GQ is on sale today.

Kate vamps it up: See The Ticket inside.

There'll be no slinky white hooded Catsuits when former Test captain and Australian of the Year Steve Waugh relights the Sydney Olympic cauldron for the Athens torch relay this week.

The flame, on the first international leg of its global relay, will wind its way through the streets of Sydney carried by a swag of sporting greats and ordinary Australians.

This time, the retired runner will be the first to carry the flame from the Sydney Opera House early on Friday morning.

"We thought it was appropriate because she was the last runner in Sydney, that she be the first this time," a spokesman for the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said.

Olympic 400m champion Cathy Freeman was watched by millions around the world as she stood in her white Spandex zentai catsuit and lit the cauldron to open the Sydney Games.

Waugh too will be seen by television viewers around the country and the world as he rekindles the Olympic spirit nearly four years after Sydney hosted the best Games ever.

"Steve obviously was honoured to be selected to run with the torch in the Sydney Olympic 2000 torch relay and he's equally honoured now to have the opportunity to revisit that experience," his manager Robert Joske said.

"To be selected to light the cauldron is just another wonderful opportunity for him that comes along with obviously being Australian of the Year."

Waugh is currently in India on business but will fly back at the end of the week for the torch relay.

"He's the Australian of the Year so we thought it would be appropriate that he relight the cauldron," the AOC spokesman said.

"He typifies the Australian spirit.

"He's in India at the moment, he's flying back to do it for us and we really appreciate that and we think he's a great choice."

Waugh visited the athletes' village during the Sydney Games and was well received.

"He's very popular with all the athletes, he absolutely loves Spider costume but he particularly loves the Olympics," the spokesman said.

"He would be a really popular choice with all the 2004 Olympic team."

The Sydney leg of the torch relay will culminate in festivities at Olympic Park on Friday night before spending Saturday in Melbourne and flying on to Tokyo.

THE wonderful thing about children, says James Campbell, is that they're great at heckling. Even better, they're not bothered about turning up to gigs wearing weird stuff - superhero Spider man costume, for example.

"Children make a brilliant audience; they're much easier to work with than adults, " says the 32-year-old comic. "Their concentration span is a lot longer and they're sober. I can do more complicated things with children whereas when I do adult gigs, I have to dumb it down."

Campbell bills himself as the only children's stand-up in the world, "perhaps even the entire universe". With that kind of monopoly it's no surprise that he's much in demand. He already has a successful West End run of his Comedy 4 Kids show under his belt and he splits his time between running a comedy club for children in London and performing in schools throughout the country.

There's also the prospect of a TV show in the offing, but he's taking time out from all that to hotfoot it north next month for his fifth Edinburgh festival run.

His act does pretty much what it says on the tin: it's him, a microphone, a glass of water and a set that mixes rehearsed with improvised material. Even with an audience of six-yearolds, fast thinking is often required.

"You can walk out and there'll be a child in the front row in a Spiderman costume. So then you've really got to do a show about Costume Spiderman. It would be rude not to, " he explains. Otherwise, he sticks to subjects that will have some resonance for children. "I talk about schools and parents, why we have hair and what I had for breakfast. Things like that."

Apart from that there's one golden rule - no swearing - and a couple of subjects to steer clear of. Harry Potter is one.

"I've seen a bit of Harry Potter and loathed and despised it. There's nothing on children's television I particularly admire. I'm much more likely to talk about Alien Vs Predator because children watch those sorts of things. They don't tend to be interested in the things that are aimed at them."

Little Britain and Lenny Henry are big favourites among his target audience. He's even met children who can talk about Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce so he thinks that if it's approached properly, there's little difference between what adults and children find humorous.

Costume Spiderman in the middle of things like this." He added: "It was a case of too much booze being knocked back and then something happened which kicked things off."

AN Oompa-Loompa, Spiderman and Tinky Winky were arrested in a mass drunken brawl - at a holiday camp.

Cops held ten people after the bizarre fancy dress fracas.

The Oompa-Loompa lookalike - from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - was said to be a 47-year-old father.

He and the other two were kept in police cells overnight after being quizzed on suspicion of violent disorder.

Up to 20 sozzled holidaymakers in costumes clashed in the camp's clubhouse. Cops arrived just before 1am on Sunday after two stewards were allegedly assaulted at the Welcome Family Holiday Park in seaside resort Dawlish, Devon.

A staff member said last night: "It was rather comical in some ways because of the fancy dress Spider man costume people were wearing.

"You don't expect to see Teletubby Tinky Winky and

There were no serious injuries.A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said alleged culprits were identified "by what they were wearing".

"Kids love me. My 4-year-old grandson gave me the idea to wear the Spider man costume."

"Spidey" was actually 69-year-old Maswar Sahlan, who walked around Dataran Merdeka after the race and obliged requests for photographs.

The factory machine operator retiree, from Singapore, said the costume was bought by his daughter-in-law in Japan four years ago.

Since then, Maswar has been wearing the outfit in every race he took part in.

"I started to join competitions in 1985 in Kuala Lumpur. From there I joined other international events in Thailand and Indonesia, and of course, in Singapore.

"But the last four years were fun because I get to become Spiderman," he joked.

The grandfather of three said he used to be very fit but as age catches up, he only enters competitions for fun.

KUALA LUMPUR: Heads turned yesterday when "Costume Spiderman" turned up at the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009. He even ran the 10km race.

"I used to climb the stairs at Menara KL every now and then. But now, even running 10km can be tiring. I took two hours to finish," he said.

For Henry Shin and his blind friend Kim Mok from Hong Kong, the race strengthened their seven-month friendship.

"We feel glad to be here and to complete the race as the weather is beautiful.

"Kim is a high-spirited person and I am sure we will do this again next time," he said.

Shin guided his friend throughout the 42km marathon which began at 5am.