Singapore − Dance Singapore Dance, Zee TV APAC’s first reality dance competition in Singapore, has announced the completion of auditions and selection of 12 finalists for the show. The crew of 12 finalists represents different ethnicities – Indian, Chinese, Malay and even American – as well all forms of dance specialties from contemporary to Bollywood, jazz, hip hop and ballroom dance.
Auditions were held over the past weekend at MDIS Campus and saw an overwhelming response of over 200 local dancers from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds; ethnicities and age groups took part. After three rounds of grueling auditions, the top 12 participants were awarded the Hat of Destiny and will vie for the final cash prize of $10,000. These final 12 hopefuls will be put through intense training and challenged over the next two and half months through a number of individual challenges in weekly elimination rounds until a winning dancing star is crowned.
Sushruta Samanta, Business Head Asia-Pacific enthused, “We are thrilled to present the inaugural season of Dance Singapore Dance that will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for dancers in Singapore. This will not only give the mainstream advertisers to ride on our channel but also make the brand a household name across the various ethnicities in Singapore. The reality show is completely targeted towards the local audience including the Indians, Chinese & Malays, as dance doesn’t have language barrier.”
Tripta Singh, Senior Vice President – International Business, Zee TV APAC said, “We are delighted to have chosen to replicate Zee’s highly successful reality dance show in Singapore. As we hoped, the auditions transcended cultural boundaries – drawing dancers from different nationalities and backgrounds, further enforcing Singapore’s diversity. The dancers exhibited original choreography, strong technique, immaculate timing, never-before-seen passion and a universal appeal. Contestants at the auditions were as young as 16 years and the oldest contestant was 68 years old.”
Shakti Mohan, Dance Singapore Dance resident judge said, “We are so excited about the caliber of dancers in Singapore and cannot wait for the competition to begin. I’m certain that the top 12 finalists will grow and further develop their talent and passion for dance through this competition.”
Local resident judge Zaini Mohammad Tahir said, “We were very impressed by the diversity in local talent in Singapore. Singapore has come a long way in the dance and arts space just within the past five years and Dance Singapore Dance is a great way for the dance community to get together and learn from one another. We look forward to the journey to the final and wish the final 12 participants the best of luck!”
The top 12 finalists will be mentored and trained by choreographers Anil Dandge and Roche Mascarenhas with choreographer Neerav Bavlecha overseeing the masters.
Dance Singapore Dance will premiere in June on Zee TV APAC across 18 countries. The show will also be broadcasted on Zee Tamizh (Singapore Feed) and StarHub’s Sensasi.