"It was hard work. We spent the entire time learning how to be like the Wiggles. We had to learn to dance, sing and act just like the original group," recalled the sporty and Yellow Wiggle, Carlos.
Since late February, the group has performed at over 60 kindergartens as well as appearing at shopping malls and department stores throughout Taipei City and County. Disney Taiwan's plans to take the group on a nationwide tour were sadly curtailed because of the recent SARS epidemic.
While there are currently no fixed dates for appearances in the nation's other large metropolises, according to Taiwan Wiggle's manager, Jesse Tsao (曹昌傑), plans are in the pipeline for both a national tour and a large-scale gig at one of the capital's leading venues.
Like the TV show, the Taiwanese Wiggles' debut DVD and CD boxed set, 大家來Wiggle! (Everybody Come and Wiggle), which was released by Forward Music (豐華) in late April, has also proven hugely successful. Taiwanese preschool audiences, or rather their parents have already purchased over 40 percent of the initial 20,000 copies to hit record and book stores nationwide.
In the coming months, the boxed set could also be available in Hong Kong and Singapore. Both Disney Taiwan and Forward Music have received numerous calls from stores in the Mandarin speaking ex-British colonies inquiring about the possibilities of selling the product. Regardless of their export potential, the group's members are already household faces at home. Even without their trademark colored jerseys, Carlos, Anni, Danny and Arthur regularly cause the heads of many a preschooler to turn.
"So many children know us now that even if I wear sunglasses I still get kids looking at me and yelling my catch phrase, `Wake up Danny' in stores, walking down the street and so on," said the sleepy and Purple Wiggle, Danny.
And it looks like Taiwan's Wiggles will be causing heads to turn for some time to come, as none has any intention to retire just yet, if at all. "Once a Wiggle always a Wiggle," laughed the hungry and Blue Wiggle, Arthur.
As for how Taiwan's Wiggles compare to their down-under brethren, five year-old Wiggles fan, Hanna Foreman, who became obsessed with the group two years ago and once watched nothing but her Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas video for two weeks, gave some expert Wiggle analysis.
Used to watching the Australian version, she was a little thrown off when she saw the blue, red, purple and yellow Wiggles uniforms filled with Taiwanese bodies. Her brow wrinkled up and she looked a bit perplexed for a few seconds, but all was well.
"I like the Taiwan Wiggles. They're more fun. They dance better," said Foreman. "They're so funny!"
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