AXN Dance Off preems in 2010

MANILA, Philippines - AXN announces the launch of AXN Dance Off, a dance competition organized in the spirit of the hit So You Think You Can Dance. So You Think You Can Dance Season 6 and AXN Dance Off premiere next month.

AXN Dance Off is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for viewers to show off their best dance moves to a medley of hip-hop, pop and Latin music. Choreographer Brian “Footwork” Green, who has worked with Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, Fergie and Missy Eliott, will judge these aspiring dance stars. Green will be flown in Singapore to conduct an exclusive dance workshop for the top three winners of the dance competition. What’s more, each winner will get to bring along a friend.

Viewers interested in the competition will only have to submit their audition videos via snail mail or YouSendIt and on-line voters will determine the winners among the Top 10 regional finalists. For details, log on to www.axn-asia.com from Jan. 25 onwards.

From the creator of American Idol, Simon Fuller, So You Think You Can Dance is the reality TV competition that hunts for America’s favorite dancer. Contestants short-listed are not just experts in their own chosen dance style, they have to demonstrate versatility by competing in a wide range of genres ranging from quickstep, jazz and salsa, to hip-hop, krumping and popping. The Top 20 finalists are then put to the test in pairs as they are challenged to master dance styles that are out of their comfort zones. Celebrity choreographers like Tyce Diorio and Mia Michaels, who have clinched Emmy wins for Outstanding Choreography in 2009 and 2007 respectively, lend their talent and artistry to the competition.

Topping TV ratings in the US, the latest season sees the addition of the spirited Adam Shankman, who joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe as a permanent third judge. Recognized as “a master of comedy,” the 45-year-old producer-director-choreographer has been responsible for the success of Hairspray (choreographer), The Wedding Planner (director), Step Up and Step Up 2 (producer), as well as the soon-to-be released Going the Distance (producer), starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. He also directed the hit viral-video Prop 8: The Musical.

On why he’s excited to be a permanent judge on the reality-dance competition series, Shankman said on the show’s blog, “So You Think You Can Dance is one of the most important things to happen in the last decade for the art form. These kids challenge themselves every week, and it’s great for people to see how terrific these dancers are.”

Shankman, who first broke into show business with choreography, believes the show opens dance to new audiences who might not have otherwise given the art a second look. “As a filmmaker, it’s an honor to be able to recognize choreographers and dancers,” he said.