Dancing with the Canine Stars

Why foxtrot with a person, when you can limbo with a Labrador?

By Rick Spalding | Photographs by Peter Brown

The crowd is packed ten deep, standing around an empty, roped-off arena.

At ringside, a gleaming Doberman waits by his handler’s side, wearing a rhinestone-studded collar. The handler is wearing a flashy scarlet dress of satin and sequins, above-the-elbow-length red gloves, and rhinestone jewelry.

“Christine Hughes and Faust!” announces the MC, and the team steps briskly to the centre of the ring. They take their starting position, back to back, the woman, hands on hips, striking a coquettish pose.

The music starts and the team begins dancing to Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” The Doberman turns, side-steps, backs up, weaves through his handler’s legs, spins, and promenades in time with his partner. They have rehearsed for hundreds of hours to perfect this routine.

The dance ends with a flourish and the team bows, side by side, to rousing applause.

Exiting the ring, the handler hugs her dog with tears in her eyes.

Canine freestyle is a sport that combines the precision of dog training with the exuberance of dance. In many ways, it resembles figure skating: in a high-level routine, music, choreography, costumes, disciplined moves, and emotional interpretation create a theatrical experience that audiences adore.