Showstopping Grand Finale planned for So You Think You Can Dance

It's almost the end of the road for the dance competition that has provided a bevy of entertainment, shock, intrigue an pure unadulterated fun; also bringing to the fore unmaginable talent from Mzansi's dance industry.

As you may have seen the results show last night, Elizma, Ashley, Thabiso and Kim are South Africa’s favourite dancers – and now its up to their fans to vote, vote, vote to ensure their number one dancer triumphs in the thrilling final of So You Think You Can Dance this Saturday, 1st November 2008.

The one-and-a-half hour special which kicks off at 6:00pm will see Elizma, Ashley, Thabiso and Kim dance for their lives in front of all five judges in this smash hit dancertainment show on SABC 1 Mzansi Fo Sho before South Africa decides who will win the ultimate prize! Valued at R250 000 the prize is made up of a car from Cherry provided by Twist and the rest in cash!

Will it be 29-year-old contemporary dancer from Johannesburg, Thabiso, 25-year-old contemporary dancer from Johannesburg, or Afro Fusion dancer from Pretoria, Kim, 27-year-old contemporary dancer from Cape Town, Elizma or 25-year-old all-round dancer from Pretoria, Ash?

Voting is now open until towards the end of the show on Saturday. So, make sure you cast your vote to help your favourite dancer clinge the title as Mzansi's Season 1 So You Think You Can Dance king or queen and walk away with the R250 000 prize. You can also stand a chance to walk away with prizes of your own as R10 000 wiil be given away to lucky voters.

And, don't miss out on the final on Saturday evening, from 6:00pm, it promises to be the most thrilling, joyous, energetic and entertaining show yet. As if not enough, local R&B king Loyiso will brace the stage with a hot live perforamance. Make absolutely sure that you don't miss out on all the FUN!

eThekwini's Lungisani takes the Gospel Competition crown

Durbanite Lungisani Moffat Ntuli was crowned winner on the grand finale of SABC 2’s weekly music reality show I Want To Sing Gospel this past Sunday. After getting the highest number of votes from the public, he walked away with R100 000 and a recording contract from Lindelani Mkhize Entertainment.

According to the the numbers, Lungisani received over 40 000 votes from SABC 2 viewers around Mzansi, followed by runner-up Mzoxolo Rafani with just over 30 000 votes and Charisma Hanekam with over 12 000 votes. Both Mzoxolo and Charisma are each receiving a consolation prize of R25 000.

“I am very happy to have won, when I first came to the show I wished to win and I have always wanted to record an album, it has taken so long, but now my dream has come true. My album will be about praise and worship. With the money I have won, I will make my mother’s dream come true and renovate her house so we can have more space and comfort like everyone else. I would also like to continue with my administration and computer studies,” said the ecstatic Lungisani.

The show’s head talent scout, Lindelani Mkhize, who will also be producing Lungisani’s debut album gleefully stated, “South Africa has spoken and their choice is good; Lungisani’s success - also considering his disadvantaged background - is a positive, uplifting story. The hard work begins now; in order for him to deliver, he will need to be dedicated, disciplined and devoted to what he does, the ball is in his court.”

I didn't follow the show religiously, only catching short snippets here and there, but it is undisputed that the gifted man from the North of eThekwini can sing. Well done to Lungisani for his victory. I'm certainly looking forward to hear what he cooks up in the studio soon.

The remaining top 9 contestants have decided to form a Gospel group, which will be launched through two special live shows this Thursday & Friday (30 & 31 October 2008) at the South African State Theatre in Tshwane. They are currently busy rehearsing for these events, their first ever live concerts along with winner Lungisani – following overwhelming public demand.

Tickets for the I Want To Sing Gospel live shows are available through Computicket and at all Shoprite Checkers ticket counters. There concerts are made possible with the support of SABC 2, South African State Theatre and the show’s main SABC Radio partners - Ukhozi FM and Lesedi FM.

Drama ensues as one of So You Think You Can Dance's favourites is voted off

Although I was not present at the past weekend's live braodcast of So You Think You Can Dance, I can only imagine the drama that heated up as one of the favourite and best dancers failed to make it into the top 8 in the competition. I'm afraid I cannot reveal who it is right now, until the formal revelation is done on the show tonight at 7:00 on SABC1. I'm sure a lot of people will be surprised and disappointed by the move as many, including me, thought this particular dancer will make it into the final 4 dancers competing for the R250 000 prize.

Back to Saturday's show, I watched it on TV and was actually amazed by the level of quality displayed by a few couples. Amongst them were Thabiso and Kim. They performed a sterling lyrical jazz dance routine, dancing to Mariah Carey's classic, If It's Over, from her 1991 album, Emotions. Everything just blended together so smoothly. Even the judges were very impressed with their magnetic and well-orchestarted performance. Another couple that danced equally well was Bathembu and Megan, both proving that they are a force to be reckoned with. Their performance was short of any flaws as they glided and moved swiftly and softly across the stage, doing what they do best.

Darren tried a second strike at mastering township style pieces with kwaito dance, with Marise this time, but it was not to be. There was no electricity like the time he did pantsula with Megan. Although Marise tried her best, the union just didn't gel together as intended. Elizma and Taekwando attempted the same type of glory as Thabiso and Kim, with Elizma shining more strongly. Like I have said it again and again, the competition is really getting stiffer. It will be interesting to see how everthing pans out in the next few weeks.

Don't forget to catch the half-hour So You Think You Can Dance reveal show at 7:00pm this evening on SABC1 to see which couple was voted off by the public, and ultimately knocked out of the competition by the judges. I'm sure they faced a very difficult time with their decision. After watching tonight's episode, please go to the comments section below and leave your opinions.

Photos by Thabo Moloto @ bootsphotos.co.za.

Mzansi's own minibus-taxi television service launched

A very good friend of mine, Angelo Tandy (pink shirt, first photo), extended an invite to me late last week, to witness a great technological moment at a media launch of a groundbraking television service station, which is to hit Mzansi by storm. I couldn't make it to the event, but have just received the some stills that were taken on the day. Angelo, is the director for the new MASSIV TV service that will be available for taxi commuters on board to their different destinations.

MASSIV TV, a new interactive satellite television service installed in minibus-taxis, took guests on an experiential journey into Soweto on Tuesday the 7th October. Media and advertisers took a ride in the upgraded vehicles equipped with the new MASSIV TV system to get a glimpse of the hi-tech future of the taxi industry. This R20m state-of-the-art TV system - developed to suit the commuters, taxi owners and the advertising industry - fits both upgraded older taxis and the new Recap models. It comprises a very sophisticated computer system, a TV screen in front of the passengers and surround-sound speakers above their heads carrying programme content from SABC as well as advertising. This free to air service is played out daily and gives a 48-month contract to taxi owners who will get back a share of the monthly advertising revenue and will be provided with a free vehicle management service and free tracking and recovery.

What a brilliant idea, I'm very impressed. There'll never be boredom and you'll be kept on the loop with different subjects in your journey to wherever you are commuting too. I'm definitely going to experience this amazing phenomenon very soon. Well done MASSIV TV, and Angelo, I'm very proud of you.

Picture 1 - Angelo Tandy (MASSIVE Director) & David Kanyika

Picture 2 - Tiff Willemse & Wandi

Picture 3 - Amstel, Tshedi Moholo, Koyo Bala & Khanyisile Mbau

So You Think You Can Dance - first duo sent home

I was invited to the first live broadcast of the dance reality show So You Think You Can Dance last Saturday, which was held at the home of the show at Standard Bank Arena for the rest of the competition. The live show will take place every Saturday where one male and one female dancer will be eliminated until the victor is announced. On Tuesdays will be a 30 minute recorded show where the contestants leaving the show will be revealed.

So, there we were on Saturday evening enjoying a thunderous showcase of talent and entertainment. Initially, the contestants were paired and they all danced their feet off to escape the wrath of the judges sending them home. Unfortunately, 2 of them didn't give enough and were therefore eliminated. The two names will be revealed in the segment to be broadcast this evening at 19:00. I know who was eliminated but am not allowed to reveal the names, so check it out tonight.

My favourite dancers are definately the couple that danced the tango to Grover Washington Jnr. and Bill Winters' Just The Two Of Us, as well as the two that danced to SexyBack by Justin Timberlake (both couples on the pictures above). The lady who did the tango was brilliant, even the judges attested to that, admiring her charismatic spunk and enigmatic energy. Megan also deserves a mention as she killed it with her partner.

Some of the familiar faces I saw amongst the crowd at the VIP and media section of the set included Ningi Mhinga (Yvonne Chaka Chaka's son), Kaizer Motaung Jnr., SABC1's Leo Manne, SABC1 General Manager Ray Nkwe, and current Miss SA Tansey Coetzee.

I had interesting chats with different people, including the executive producer of the show, Duncan, who said his dream for the show was to thrash Generations in terms of ratings; the beautiful actress Vanessa Harris, who I was first introduced to when her and the late Bill Flynn were promoting the movie Running Riot. Please click here for that interview. Anyway, she was there in support of her husband, Ashley, who is also one of the contestants.

It was a lovely night, filled with wonderful entertainment and great conversations. I'm looking forward to the next show this coming Saturday. Even if I'm not there physically, I'll definitely be watching it on TV.

So You Think You Can Dance Finalists Revealed.

It's Thursday night and I've just returned from the SABC1 gig where the finalists in the So You Think You Can Dance reality dance show were announced. I'm happy with the choices the judges went with, all of the 20 competitors are extremely talented. The finalists that featured a lot of hip hop moves in their routines gathered more applauses as the videos were presented on the projector and when they were introduced to the stage. A few appealled to me as well, including Megan, who used to dance for the late Lebo Mathosa. I'm really looking forward to Saturday evening's live show where the finalists will begin their journey and fight to keep their places until the victor is crowned.

I spotted a few personalities at the gig, including the super kind buzz couple Slikour and Bonang, husband and wife Pepsi Pokane and Machere, the naturally beautiful former Miss SA Teen and Selimathunzi presenter Zizo Beda, another Selimathunzi presenter Mncediso 'Kaos' Matu (I saw the episode of City Ses'la he was featured in early this week and thought his acting was descent. What do you think, should he explore acting more?), and current Miss SA Tansey Coetzee.

I'll be posting some photos from tonight's gig as soon as I receive them. Don't forget to catch the show on Saturday evening. And if you want to be there, go to YEAHBO.DOT.NET for more details.

So You Think You Can Dance? - Tickets to Give Away

Towards the end of June I was invited as a guest to the second day of the Jozi auditions for the new reality dance show So You Think You Can Dance (which airs every Saturday on SABC1 at 18:30). I had a great time and was profoundly amazed at the talent Mzansi has. I've been invited to the official launch this coming Thursday, where the top 20 finalists will be revealed. I can't wait to see who made the cut.

Anyway, you could also be a part of this amazing experience. The good peeps from SABC1 have offered me 10 pairs of tickets to give away for you to be part of the live broadcast of the show this coming Saturday, 06 September 2008. If you live in and around Jozi, head over to YEAHBO.DOT.NET for more details.