Where CGI Meets the World of Dance
Here’s everything you need to know about the new dance competition series, Dance Monsters, coming to Netflix on Dec. 16th.
JUDGES & HOST
The panel of famous judges include: Ne-Yo, a singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and dancer, Lele Pons, a Venezuelan internet personality and YouTuber, and Ashley Banjo, UK’s biggest street dancer, choreographer, and actor. Ashley Roberts, best known as a member of The Pussycat Dolls, will serve as host.
CGI MONSTERS
There are 15 amateur dancers who will be getting a second shot at their careers, competing on Dance Monsters. This show has a monster twist! Their identities will be concealed until they are eliminated from the competition. Competitors will be disguised as computer-generated monsters so wild avatars including a robot, yeti, and jellyfish will take the stage. Under the guise of a CGI beast, viewers will learn why becoming a high-tech monster finally gave them the confidence to perform in front of a live audience. This is a feel-good reality competition that has never been done before.
RULES
15 monsters compete through solo dances, duets and one-on-one dance battles throughout a series of five rounds. The panel of judges will give one contestant the title of Ultimate Dance Monster and a grand prize of $250,000.
The first round has three heats with five monsters competing in each. Once each dancer performs their solo routines, the judges will announce the names of three safe monsters. The two monsters whom the judges feel had the least impressive solo routines will then compete in a dance battle against one another. One monster is eliminated and their true identity is revealed.
12 of the original 15 monsters will advance to the second round, which has two heats with six monsters competing in each. This time, two dancers are eliminated from each heat. One is sent home in an elimination immediately after solo performances. Then, the judges select two more monsters with the least impactful performances to participate in a dance-off, this time against a professional dancer as well as one another. Again, the loser is eliminated and the person behind the monster is unveiled.
There are eight remaining monsters in the quarterfinals and have to compete as pairs. The four monsters who receive the worst critiques from the judges will attempt to save themselves with a 30-second solo freestyle. Two are eliminated and six monsters move on to the semifinals.
The contestants are judged only on their solo performances in the semifinals, and two monsters are sent home in the end. Then, in the final round, four dancers face off with special solo routines. Two are eliminated immediately after their routines and the remaining two compete one-on-one in the final dance battle. Based on that final dance battle, the judges name the Dance Monster winner.
Dance Monsters Season 1 will consist of eight 40-minute episodes debuted in three batches.
Netflix’s Dance Monsters release schedule below:
Batch 1: Friday, December 16 (101-103)
Batch 2: Friday, December 23 (104-106)
Batch 3: Friday, December 30 (107-108)
