WASHINGTON, July 11 (RIA Novosti) – Ukrainian-born ballroom dancing champions, Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who shot to fame on the US television show “Dancing with the Stars,” will debut in “Forever Tango” on Broadway Thursday night, the Associated Press reported.
Smirnoff was born in Kharkov, and started competing in ballroom dancing championships at age 11. She is a five-time US National Champion, World Trophy Champion and Asian Open Champion, according to her website.
Chmerkovskiy, originally from Odessa, is a successful choreographer and the owner of several dance studios.
"Forever Tango," which traces the development of the dance from its origins in 19th century Buenos Aires to the modern era, originally debuted on Broadway in 1997. Smirnoff and Chmerkovskiy debut in the show at the Walter Kerr Theatre Thursday night.
Of dancing the tango Chmerkovskiy told the AP, "It's like trying to be a great poet but in a different language. It's very hard."
