MICHAEL FLATLEY TO HOST INTERNATIONAL DANCE COMPETITION

    Dance superstar Michael Flatley is to host a new international television dance competition.
    Superstar Dancers of the World will pit teams from Ireland, the United States, India, Argentina, China, Russia, South Africa and Australia against each other.
    Each team will be made up of two soloists one couple and a larger group.
    The series comes from producers Nigel Lythgoe and Simon Fuller, who created Pop Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol.
    “This dance competition is very much like the Olympics,” said Craig Plestis, executive vice president for alternative programming at the NBC network.
    “The physical feats these athletes and artists pull is mind-blowing, and we’re so excited to form what we hope will be the definitive dance competition to decide which nation has what it takes to be the best in the world.
    “With so much at stake, this is sure to be a roller coaster, and you never know what will happen next. Plus, with Nigel and Simon running the show, it will be done first class all the way.”
    British-born Lythgoe, a former dancer, added: This is the most challenging and exhilarating project I’ve ever done. Nothing of this magnitude has ever been attempted before on television.
    “We will bring to America different cultural styles of dancers – each performer the best in their genre – and the sheer mosaic of styles and energy is going to be nothing short of awe-inspiring.”