Santra Rinne (left) and Piia Korpi Stepping Out perform on The Greatest Dancer. The same-sex ballroom and Latin dance scene

Santra Rinne and Piia Korpi tell Marianka Swain about their appearance on The Greatest Dancer

inland’s leading both quite confident that it same-sex competitive would – and then it did!” Fdance couple, Santra The pair had to choose Rinne and Piia Korpi, between performing either recently made a splash on a paso doble or a jive, the BBC’s new talent show and went with the latter, The Greatest Dancer. The pair because, explains Santra, it’s were actually scouted to be “accessible to people who on the programme, explains don’t know Latin dancing Piia. “They contacted us well. We also know our jive and asked if we would is good and makes people participate. As we’re always happy. The song [Jackie up for new challenges and Wilson’s “Reet Petite”] was want to make same-sex something we both liked a dancing more well known, lot. It was so much fun. We it was immediately clear were eager to give a show in that we would do it.” front of the big audience; for The auditions took place us, it’s always been like that straight after the World – the bigger the better when Championships at the Paris it comes to performing.” Gay Games (see Dancing Times, October 2018), “so heir segment was also we flew in the middle of Tnotable for the pre-dance the night from Paris to introduction, during which London and took a train to they chatted to Greatest Birmingham,” recalls Santra. Dancer receptionist Amelia “We were allowed to invite Wilson. The pair explained a few close family members, that as well as being dance fun and spontaneous, and proclaims Santra. “It’s a and we did have three partners, they’re also a we just went with the flow.” strong and natural form of members of our dancing married couple, but that Since the programme self-expression, for example family there to support same-sex marriage has only aired, “we’ve received so of performing your gender us. It was a long day, with been legal in Finland since much support, it’s just the way you feel, and it lets lots of interesting things March 2017. Being able incredible – both from our you be who you want to be. happening throughout, to share that was special, dance community and from We’re really proud to act as and the whole crew was so as it’s “an integral part of people outside of that circle,” ambassadors for same-sex friendly and encouraging.” our life and our story,” reports Piia. “So much and rainbow dancing.” The Greatest Dancer’s notes Piia. As for getting positive feedback, respect Although the pair didn’t format involves competitors through the audition on the and encouragement. It truly make it past the callbacks auditioning in a dance audience vote, that was “an means the world to us, and stage, the whole experience studio, but the mirrored wall amazing feeling. We really we’re really happy to have was “exciting and inspiring,” can open out to a massive enjoyed the moment and been able to contribute to concludes Piia. “We enjoyed audience and main judging will certainly remember it our community too. We everything that happened panel if at least 75 per cent for the rest of our lives.” hope we’ve encouraged and got to learn a lot – not of that audience votes for Even better, judges Cheryl new people to start dancing only about how this kind them to go through. and Strictly Come Dancing’s and become part of our of television programme “When it came time to Oti Mabuse were then wonderful dance family.” is done, but also about audition, we felt excited inspired to join the pair on “Giving visibility to our ourselves and us as a team. and ready to give our stage for an impromptu jive. form of dancing is hugely In the future, we definitely best and just dance, no “We really appreciated that important, and we want want to do more shows matter whether or not they came up to dance, and to send the message that and are ready for whatever the mirror opened,” says showed support to same-sex dancing is something new, unexpected chances Piia. “Of course, we were dancing,” says Santra. “It was everybody can be part of,” might come our way.” ■

Photograph: BBC / SYCO / THAMES / TOM DYMOND. WWW.DANCING-TIMES.CO.UK • MARCH 2019 • 101

Stepping Out - March 2019.indd 101 07/02/2019 15:06