Aerobics Oz Style
Encyclopedia
Aerobics Oz Style was a long-running Australian aerobic exercise
instruction television series, shown in Australia on weekends and then weekdays on Network Ten
at then and distributed to many other countries. It was cancelled by Channel Ten at the end of 2005. AOS will continue 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's repeated daily on Sky Sports 3 or Sky Sports 4 at 11:30 and sometimes has an additional airing at 18:30, on Sky Sports 3 or 4.
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, leotard
s 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.
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 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 1500 later shows increased viewer ratings by twenty percent - on the BSkyB Networks - adding to the already established popularity of the program.
In 2010 Aerobics Oz Style continues to encourage three continents to exercise on a daily basis and remains as popular as ever which is indeed a remarkable testament to the pedigree of all those involved in the production of television's longest running fitness show. Necessity certainly seems to have been the mother of invention in this instance because there are more people suffering from obesity in Australia, per head, than in any other country in the world.
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise is physical exercise of relatively low intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy-generating process. Aerobic literally means "living in air", and refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism...
instruction television series, shown in Australia on weekends and then weekdays on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
at then and distributed to many other countries. It was cancelled by Channel Ten at the end of 2005. AOS will continue 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's repeated daily on Sky Sports 3 or Sky Sports 4 at 11:30 and sometimes has an additional airing at 18:30, on Sky Sports 3 or 4.
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
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, 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, leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
s over bicycle shorts
Shorts
Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened...
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
Swiss ball
An exercise ball is a ball constructed of soft elastic with a diameter of approximately 35 to 85 centimeters and filled with air. The air pressure is changed by removing a valve stem and either filling with air or letting the ball deflate...
. 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.
Australian band TISM
TISM
TISM was a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995...
parodied Aerobics Oz Style in their 1998 music video for "Whatareya?
Whatareya?
Whatareya? is the name of the third single by TISM off their album www.tism.wanker.com .-Song:One of the main themes on the album wanker.com is the differences between the cultures of male society, the Yobs and the Wankers...
", 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 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 1500 later shows increased viewer ratings by twenty percent - on the BSkyB Networks - adding to the already established popularity of the program.
In 2010 Aerobics Oz Style continues to encourage three continents to exercise on a daily basis and remains as popular as ever which is indeed a remarkable testament to the pedigree of all those involved in the production of television's longest running fitness show. Necessity certainly seems to have been the mother of invention in this instance because there are more people suffering from obesity in Australia, per head, than in any other country in the world.
In 2005
- June Jones (Aerobics Oz Style) — instructor and demonstrator, a founding member of the show.
- Wendi Carroll — instructor and demonstrator
- Taryn Noble — instructor and demonstrator, recently joined.
- Helen Tardent — instructor for the pilatesPilatesPilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
shows, joined the series with the introduction of those shows. Tardent was previously a professional dancer at the London Royal Academy of DanceRoyal Academy of DanceThe Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
and now owns and operates a Pilates studio in Double Bay, SydneyDouble Bay, New South WalesDouble Bay is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Double Bay is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra.Double Bay takes its name...
. - 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 — demonstrator and dancer.
- Erinjayne Gard — demonstrator.
- Harry Michaels — executive producer, previously director and former actor on Number 96 (TV series)Number 96 (TV series)Number 96 was a popular Australian soap opera set in a Sydney apartment block. Don Cash and Bill Harmon produced the series for Network Ten, which requested a Coronation Street-type serial, and specifically one that explored adult subjects...
. - U NO HU — Gary Williams & Philip John Barber - a UK based songwriting duo.
Past personnel
- Michelle Dean — instructor and demonstrator, a past winner of the world aerobics title.
- Jodie Low — 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 MichaelsHarry MichaelsHarry Michaels is an Australian television producer and director. he is also a former actor and television host. He has been involved in the companies Harry Michaels Productions and zer0-1-zer0 . His wife, Effie Michaels, was one of the aerobics demonstrators on the Aerobics Oz Style television...
). - Shannon Dolan — instructor and demonstrator
- Robyn Lambourne — demonstrator
- Raymond Smith — instructor and demonstrator
- John Novak — instructor and demonstrator
- Marcus Irwin — instructor and demonstrator
- Jayne Leslie — demonstrator (daughter of former 60 minutes reporter, Ian Leslie)
- Gina Good — demonstrator, 2x World Aerobics Championship Representative.
- Michael Reid — demonstrator
- Michelle Newland — 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
- Jake Harrison — 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 — 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
- Natasha Stuart — instructor and demonstrator
- Jaynie Seal — demonstrator (partner of Ed Phillips)
- Poppy Wolanski — instructor and demonstrator
- Kelly Martinovich — instructor and demonstrator
- Jose Garcia — instructor and demonstrator
- Debbie Green — demonstrator
- Amanda Breen — instructor and demonstrator
- Nigel Myers — instructor and demonstrator
- U NO HU — song writers and producers for AOS since 1998