About Superstars of Dance

[dougrayfan]

I am really looking forward to this show. I adore traditional Irish dancing, my nieces competed and the group jig was always one of my favorites. Clogging is nothing like traditional (or even show Irish dancing). Irish dance is not just hard shoe, they have soft shoe dances that are like ballet as well. Men and women do both types.

[Florimel]

Here's the lineup.

Starting Sunday, January 4, at 9 pm/ET, NBC's Superstars of Dance — exec-produced by So You Think You Can Dance boss Nigel Lythgoe and hosted by Michael "Lord of the Dance" Flatley and Susie Castillo — will pit stellar shufflers from eight countries against each other in a competition described as "equal parts sporting event, rock concert and artistic exhibition."

In addition to fielding two soloists, a duo and one group, each country will furnish a coach and a judge to serve on a multinational panel. Here's a first look at who's representing for each team.

ARGENTINA
Coach: Sandar, a Tony-nominated choreographer and principal dancer in the original cast of Forever Tango.
Judge: Maria Pogee, from the world-famous school of the Theater Colon.
Performing for Argentina: A sensual cabaret artiste soloist, a contemporary Tango soloist, an Argentinian Tango duo and a group performing Gaucho style dance.

AUSTRALIA
Coach: Jason Gilkison, an international ballroom champion.
Judge: Kelley Abbey, who has choreographed for Savion Glover and 1,000 animated penguins in the movie Happy Feet.
Performing for Australia: A tap dance soloist, a contemporary dancer soloist, a Latin ballroom duo and a contemporary dance group.

CHINA
Coach: Matthew Ahmet of Britain, a Shaolin Monk.
Judge: Master Haiyang Wang, the natural to become the next Abbott of the Shaolin Temple.
Performing for China: A Chinese ribbon dancer soloist, a double whip soloist, an acrobatic ballet duo and the Shaolin Monks Kung Fu group.

IRELAND
Coach: Marie Duffy Pask, who currently serves as dance director and associate choreographer for Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames.
Judge: Daire Nolan, aka "Dark Lord" in Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.
Performing for Ireland: Irish Step Dancers assembled from different groups currently performing all over the globe.

INDIA
Coach: Nakul Dev Mahajan, the founder of the premiere Bollywood dance company in the United States.
Judge: Shirish Dayal, a producer, director and choreographer of stage shows for 15 years.
Performing for India: A Bharantanyam dancer soloist, a Kathak soloist, a Bollywood duo and a group performing the Bhangra style of dance.

RUSSIA
Coach: Stanislav Issaev, a principle dancer for many years with the Moscow Ballet Theater.
Judge: Mikhail Smirnov, the director and founder of Barynya, a successful Russian folk dancing company.
Performing for Russia: A soloist from the world famous Bolshoi Ballet, a contemporary dancer soloist from the Bolshoi Ballet, a ballroom duo and a group performing Cossak.

SOUTH AFRICA
Coach: Tandi Bhengu, the founder of a program and dance troupe called SAGA (South African Girls Abroad).
Judge: Harold Van Buuren, a winner of numerous titles as a ballroom and Latin American championship dancer.
Performing for South Africa: A hip-hop soloist, an Afrofusion soloist, a world champion jive-inspired dance duo and a group performing Gumboot, a style born in the gold mines of South Africa.

UNITED STATES
Coach: Marguerite Derricks, an Emmy-winning choreographer who has choreographed all of the Austin Powers movies and is currently working on the remake of Fame.
Judge: Tony Selznick, a founder of McDonald Selznick & Associates, where he represents the biggest names in American dance.
Performing for the USA: A popping soloist, a tap dancer, a cabaret-style ballroom duo and a hip-hop group.

Exclusive: Each Country's Superstars of Dance Are Revealed - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com

[TV_Junkie]

I, too, am excited about this show!

[iguanachocolate]

call me crazy, but all Ireland could muster up are various forms of Irish step dancing?! Seems like a way to limit your options, to me.

[prhoshay]

I'm really looking forward to the dancers from India! You and me, Snowbird! I will admit that I pretty much like all forms of dancing, though.

There is entirely too much stuff scheduled for Monday nights.

[Blues Songstres]

Oh Rats! How can I possibly squeeze in yet another dance show?!?

Okay. I guess I will...

(My husband is gonna shoot me!)

[VelvetRed]

Oh no, another show to follow...erghhh. It sounds really interesting and actually, much more interesting than DWTS, because of the multi-cultures bringing in different forms of dance (i.e., not just ballroom).

[bbnbama]

I'm really looking forward to the dancers from India! You and me, Snowbird! I will admit that I pretty much like all forms of dancing, though.

There is entirely too much stuff scheduled for Monday nights.

My DVR is really about to get a workout!!!!

[VelvetRed]

I really wish the thread title would mention the show name. It really would help in UserCP and New Topics...just a suggestion and LAST NERVE thing.

[iguanachocolate]

you ask, we deliver!