Lilia Kopylova: Matt Dawson, Aled Jones or Darren Gough?

03-01-2007 16:52

Fresh from starring on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, Lilia Kopylova is back to her best, performing in her first fitness DVD, Latina Size. The first workout of its kind to fuse the passion and moves of Latin American dance with an excellent fitness programme, is at number one in the UK fitness video chart.Married to fellow Strictly dancer Darren Bennett, they have competed and won numerous awards since turning professional in 1997. Not one to take too much time off from her love, she is currently training hard to retain her title as the British National Professional Latin Champions later this year.Not just content with being a superb competitor, Lilia is also involved in coaching, choreographing and training many of the top junior and amateur dancers in the UK. Achieving great success on Strictly, winning the title in 2005 with her partner Darren Gough and just missing out in 2006 with rugby player Matt Dawson, we caught up with her to ask if she is ever going to slow down and take a much earned break, and ask the question on everyone's lips, will she do another Strictly?How did dancing become such a passion of yours?Since i was very little i always knew i wanted to be a performer. I trained in ballet, gymnastics and ice-skating since i was 4 years old becoming Moscow champion figure skater and then Latin American and knew i wanted to make a career out of dancing. I liked Latin American because its much freer and you can express yourself more.The DVD is perfect for the post Christmas bulge and the New Year diet resolutions we all make, but what made you decide now to make the fitness video?

I was contacted and just asked if i wanted to do a Latin fitness DVD. I said yes because there hadn't been one done before, combining latin dance into a fitness programme. It was very exciting for me, because it was something new and i was able to put my own input into the video. I choreographed all the routines, chose the music and the outfits...everything!