by Akintomiwa Agbaje

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.

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.

 

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