Posted on 03/26/2006 3:12:21 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
A THOUSAND Dame Ednas danced on the MCG as Melbourne marked the end of the Commonwealth Games with a celebration of all that makes her great.
The gigantic party brought together the city's biggest names and most famous landmarks.
Alex Jesaulenko's 1970 Grand Final screamer, modern-day football stars led by James Hird, singer Paul Kelly, Flinders St station, the Melbourne Cup, Luna Park, Federation Square – even the CityLink cheese stick and zipper – were offered up for praise inside the MCG.
An 11-minute burst of Bollywood glamour, courtesy of Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games organisers, provided an exotic and well-received interlude.
The ceremony was crowned by the biggest fireworks display ever seen in the city as 4000 athletes danced to John Farnham's stadium anthem .
A near-capacity crowd earlier erupted on hearing Commonwealth Games international boss Mike Fennell proclaim: "Melbourne, you are the best!"
It was the equivalent of Juan Antonio Samaranch's "best Games ever" from Sydney 2000, and not one person doubted it.
With a record 1.5 million tickets sold, up to 90,000 visitors coming from overseas and interstate, hundreds of thousands joining in free festival fun, and public transport standing up to the strain, it was hard to argue Melbourne 2006 was anything but an unqualified success.
The home athletes won a record 221 medals, including 84 gold.
Second-placed England won 36 gold and 110 medals overall.
Melbourne 2006 supremo Ron Walker told the MCG crowd: "We are all united by the moment.
"Melbourne, we did it!"
Dame Edna Everage ended her video contribution, the irreverent by screaming: "Melbourne, you're the envy of the world!"
On the field the 1000 Dame dancers, carrying illuminated gladioli, joined to form the shape of the Moonee Ponds housewife's famous horn-rimmed glasses.
It was, indeed, some spectacle.
Music icons Farnham and Kelly were joined by younger stars Sarah Blasko, Casey Donovan and the Bodyrockers.
Grinspoon started the show with guitarist Pat Davern rocking out on the roof of the Great Southern Stand before he "flew" to join bandmates on the centre stage.
The band played , which seemed appropriate, but some may not have appreciated references to "Sunday pills, coke and hoochie".
Football cheer squad members circled the stage, floggers punching the air, before the gods of the AFL came out to play on a familiar, yet also foreign, stage.
Hird, Nathan Thompson, Shane Crawford, Chris Tarrant, Russell Robertson, Nathan Brown and Brendan Fevola went through their paces, drawing cheers to rival those at any final. Ballerinas in tutus in footy club colours burst through their own banner.
In the opening ceremony, ballerinas danced with motorbikes; last night, it was the footballers' turn.
The graceful Hird, a ballet dancer as a child, was an inspired choice.
Sculptures of a ballerina and of "Jezza" rising over Collingwood opponent Graeme "Jerker" Jenkins emerged from the ground, and later a football, which flew into the hands of the Carlton legend.
Paul Kelly sang his Melbourne special, – "I'm high on the hill, looking over the bridge, to the MCG" – as acrobats twirled in the air and a series of familiar structures appeared on the arena.
The acrobats were dressed in red and yellow, a reference to the giant "cheese stick" and "zipper", formally known as "The Gateway", which stand sentry over the northern approach to the CBD on CityLink.
Sails emerged to represent Port Phillip Bay; then came the Skipping Girl sign, Flinders St station, the Melbourne Cup, Luna Park, the Arts Centre spire, and the Royal Exhibition Building.
Performers appeared with the icons. Children and open-mouthed clowns represented the fun of Luna Park.
Crown casino's gas infernos got a reference, as did Formula One racers and dancing girls with oversized sweetheart lollies.
Ben Lee was next on stage, singing , while more than 100 members of the migrant community appeared carrying oversized pictures of forebears.
These placards would later be reversed to form an image of Federation Square, Melbourne's newest landmark.
The sweetheart girls helped form a giant "I (heart) M(elbourne)" on the arena in a striking made-for-TV moment.
Actor Simon Burke read a tribute to 15,000 Games volunteers, who were represented by 200 of their number on the field, while Sarah Blasko performed Neil Finn's .
On a very mild autumn night, the MCG was then turned into a snow dome to represent the famously changeable nature of the city's weather.
Australian swimmer Leisel Jones and the other 70 flagbearers entered the arena after marching down aisles in the stands.
The crowd reaction confirmed Lord Mayor John So's cult status when he helped Premier Steve Bracks hand the Commonwealth Games Federation flag to New Delhi leaders.
Dame Edna has a thing for major events at the MCG, having made a splash in her pre-match performance before the 2005 AFL Grand Final.
Last night she figuratively elbowed swimmer Michael Klim out of the spotlight to take centre stage. Klim had been responding on behalf of athletes to a thank-you speech from basketball great Andrew Gaze.
"I'm sorry to butt in, but this is me, Dame Edna, with something a little more interesting to share," the Dame said from the giant video screens.
Her sung tribute ended with: "As the world gets scarier, it's a pretty decent area. Melbourne: the envy of the world."
Athletes sat in the stands before flooding on to the arena when Farnham appeared for the finale.
He sang and his most famous hit.
Organisers gave away 23,000 tickets to 15,000 Games volunteers and 4500 ceremony cast members to get the MCG close to full.
The Bracks Government is to release a preliminary report on Games spending, believed to be more than $800 million, in coming days.
Two thousand Charles Nelson Rileys...
A thousand Dame Ednas dancing - LOL! I'd love to see that!
Were they all dressed the same? Or were they wearing different frocks?
Different frocks, but identical hair and glasses!
LOL!! I have to picture it in my mind.....LOL!!
I think Dame Edna's very funny. :~ D
LoL. pong
LOL.
Luckily Dame Ednas alter-ego Sir Les Patterson wasn't there! Imagine a thousand Sir Les Pattersons !! It'd be total mayhem... ;-)
Ah, Sir Les! What a champion of the people!!!
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