MUMBAI: Sony renewing its marriage to the reality theme has brought yet another reality show titled Dance Dance. After the big-ticket Indian Idol property, the channel is all set to accelerate the pace with this offering.
Dance Dance also is an adaptation of the successful Australian dance show Strictly Dancing produced by Southern Star Endemol, which aired on ABC Television. The show will focus on finding India’s ultimate dancing couple spiced with inimitable humour and style of host Javed Jaaferi. The show makes its debut on 14 January, airing every Friday at 8 pm.
Speaking on the launch of Dance Dance, Sony EVP and business head Tarun Katial says, “Music and dance are not only an intrinsic part of our culture but also a passion with all Indians. Sony Entertainment Television was the first channel to bring it’s viewers a successful dance talent show Boogie Woogie. While, Indian Idol took the country by storm bringing to the forefront some exceptional singing talent from across the nation, our upcoming show Dance Dance will prove to be a platform for aspiring couples to showcase their dancing skills while providing our audiences with yet another unique and exciting viewing alternative.”
Dance as a concept, the channel believes will work very well in the Indian context considering firstly that it transcends all boundaries and secondly as dance is an integral component of Bollywood. Interestingly, Dance Dance will not feature amateurs but semi-professionals who have had previous qualification in this vocation. With five theme rounds, they being folk, item, props, disco and solo, the show will showcase a total of 64 couples competing for the ‘Ultimate Dancing Couple.’ The panel of judges include eminent experts such as Saroj Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant and Terence Lewis.
The show has also incorporated for the first time in the history of Indian television the introduction of live commentary throughout the show in a unique competitive sports style. The commentators being Gita Kapur and Areez, who will enlighten the audience on the different forms of dance and verbalise the emotions experienced by the contestants and provide a critique on the judges decisions. The show will also offer sneak peaks of all the action behind the scenes.
Produced by Miditech, the show will eventually be followed by a result episode on Saturday, the timing of which is yet to be finalised. The entire show spans across 23 weeks with the tagline ‘Dance Ka Josh, Uda De Hosh.’ Like Indian Idol, this too will ensure interactivity and connect with the viewers with the selection and elimination of the dancers being voted by the audience.
The final winners will receive a contract work Rs 2 million from Sony and music video produced by a leading music company. The show will also have a segment for kids, where a junior dancing couple will be titled winners as well. All in all the package looks pacy, peppy and exciting; and with dancing being core to the Indian environment, Sony might just hit the jackpot this time.
