The stage is
now set for the epic dance battle that will showcase Nigeria’s best dancing
families as the curtains fall on the Maltina Dance All (MDA) family dance
television show season seven. The winning dance family will drive home a brand
new car in addition to a cash prize of N6 million while the first and
second runners up will take home N1million and N500, 000 respectively. Continue
The MDA is
sponsored by Maltina, a premium non-alcoholic malt brand from the stable of
Nigerian Breweries Plc and the nation’s number one malt drink. After a rigorous
and intensive competition process spanning more than a month, five
families; the Ebute, Briggs, Ibrahim, Enweribe and Ikumoinein families qualified for the grand
finale taking place live at Eko Hotel and Suites on Saturday September 21, 2013.
The race started on September 1, 2013 with ten
families in the picture; however, five families were unable to survive the
unique
introduction of dance styles from the 1960s to date hence the title, “The
Evolution” of dance.The five families that made it to the final stage of the
exciting family dance reality show convinced the judges that they are capable
of being among the last families that would compete for the prizes.
It was an emotional night at the first eviction showdown as two
families - Dosa and Clement families – became the first two families to be
evicted from the show. The show, which started airing on September 1, 2013,
opened with dance performances from the 60s-70s and 80s-90s. After the first
dance performance from the 60s-70s the Dosa and Clement families were put up
for possible eviction. The Asiyefia and Ebute families later joined them for
possible eviction after the 80s-90s dance performance.
As is the custom in the Maltina Academy, the four families had to
perform the two dances from the 60s-70s and 80s-90s in order to put their acts
together and convince the judges that they have the capacity of going the extra
mile. The eviction showdown started with the Ebute family dancing to the 1978
song Le Freak by Chic; then the
Asiyefia performed the 1979 song Ring my
bell by Anita Ward; the Clement family did the 1978 song I will survive by Gloria Gaynor and the
Dosa family ended the first part of the show with the 1977 hit song Staying Alive by the Bee Gees.
At the second eviction showdown which featured Our Own
dance performance – a dance style that incorporate Nigerian unique dance styles
like Alanta, Azonto, Etighi etc – and Wazobia
dance styles, the Asiyefia and Enweribe families were put up for possible
eviction. The Ekado and Ebute families joined the two families for possible
eviction after the Wazobia
performance. In the battle to remain in the academy, the four families had to
perform the two dance styles to prove to the judges that they still have what
it takes to remain in the academy.
The Wazobia dance
performance – a dance style that incorporate Nigerian’s indigenous dances -
started with the Enweribe family dancing to the Sato dance from Badagry, Lagos State; the Ekado family performed
the Uyai dance from Akwa-Ibom while
the Ebute and Asiyefia families performed the Sharo dance from Sokoto, Sokoto State.
The judges were impressed with the hard work and effort each
family made by fine tuning their various dance routines to prove that they
wanted to retain their stay in the Academy. However, one family had to be
evicted and after much deliberation the Asiyefia family was asked to leave.
During the third and final eviction showdown, the Ekado and
Ebenezer families were evicted in an emotion laden episode which witnessed some
of the best and determined dances the show has ever seen. But the judges had to
make the decision because there are only five slots for the grand finale. As it
stands, the Ebute, Briggs, Ibrahim, Enweribe and Ikumoinein families would
battle for the crown of Nigeria’s number one dance family today.
Speaking
on the show, Mrs Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Maltina, said “evictions
are always emotional and the last eviction is the hardest. However, only five
families can go through to the Grand Final and only one family amongst the five
will win the grand prize. Our judges have done their best in selecting the best
five now it’s up to Nigerians to vote for their most favourite family. Every
family in the Grand Final has an equal opportunity to win”.
Meanwhile,
Nigerians, and not the judges this time around, would determine the wining
family through voting which opens on Friday September 20, a day before the
grand finale. Voting is easy; text ‘Vote ‘family name’ to 30380’ and each text
cost N10 only.