Dare 2 Dance / Fearless groove

They say everything you want, is on the other side of fear. Conquering that very fear is what the show Dare 2 Dance is all about. Dare 2 Dance is not your quintessential reality dance show, with 10-12 contestants and eliminations every week. Instead, it has a unique format. Ten dancers, either from previous dance shows or ones who have had experience in the field are chosen and made to dance under extreme conditions such as under the water, on heights, etc. and are judged by choreographer Sanjay Shetty and Francois Grobbelaar, an international action director. Adding that touch of daring, the show is hosted by Akshay Kumar. His daring entry from under the water is enough to make any adrenaline junkie want more, and the fact that the show is based in South Africa, adds a lot to the excitement!
The contestants include popular dancers and faces of the Indian television like Prince, Sayatani Ghosh, Sanam Johar and others. There are jaw-dropping acts by the dancers who stop at nothing to raise the bar with their performances. Kunwar Amar, for instance performed blindfolded, to the track Galiyan on a make shift high rise platform above the sea. The audience rightfully squirm in their seats, heart pounding, when they watch him get too close to the edge of the board. The entire combination of dance and thrill provide a deadly concoctio, catering to both the thumka-loving audience and the daredevils. Of course, the show has its typical dramatic background score and repetitive punch lines such as ‘Jis mein dare nahi, uski khair nahi’. However, the acts are stimulating enough that it is difficult to ignore them.
Akshay’s involvement with the contestants is great. He patiently helps them get accustomed to the setting. However his puns are a little too subtle and don’t find a place in the show’s content. Enchanting and beautiful wide shots of Cape Town, and the different venues where the program is shot, connects you to the bigger picture and keeps the thrill going. Dare 2 Dance shows a lot of promise, as long as the acts keep intensifying.

Verdict: A novel combination that adds a little something for everyone.