Third Eurovision Dance Contest

Third Eurovision Dance Contest
Dates
Final Postponed indefinitely[1][2]
Host
Venue Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex, Baku, Azerbaijan[3]
Host broadcaster İctimai Television (İTV)[3]
Participants
Debuting countries  Belarus
Withdrawing countries  Austria
 Finland
 Lithuania
 Netherlands
 Sweden
Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex, in Baku.

The third Eurovision Dance Contest was originally planned to be organised in Baku, Azerbaijan at the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex on 26 September 2009.[4] İctimai Television was planning to increase the number of participating countries as well as inviting a world-famous star to host the contest, listing Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue and Shakira as candidates.[5] An additional extravaganza open-air concert was planned to be held, bringing together ex-participants of the Eurovision, Junior Eurovision and Eurovision Dance Contests on one stage.[4][6]

Participants

On the date of cancellation, two countries had finished selection of the participating couples for the contest:

  •  Azerbaijan – host country
  •  Belarus – winners of 3-month long preselection show Star Dances were Yulia Raskina and Denis Moryasin. Producer of the show confirmed that they would take part in Eurovision Dance Contest 2010 if it is organised.[4]
  •  Poland – Natasza Urbańska and Jan Kliment.
  •  Portugal – internal selection was expected to take place with the couple being selected from the RTP series Dança Comigo.[7]
  •  Russia – was set to be represented by professional couple Sergey Konovaltsev and Olga Konovaltseva, named as participants of the show as early as in May 2008 and confirmed in 2009 edition of Russian version of Dancing with the Stars.[4]

Cancellation

However, on 28 May 2009, European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had announced that the contest was postponed at least until Autumn 2010 as "the number of broadcasters that signed up for participation had not reach the desired level". According to a preliminary calculations, at least five countries that were taking part in Eurovision Dance Contest 2008, namely Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Netherlands and Sweden had announced withdrawal from the contest, with only Belarus confirming its participation as a début country.[4]

According to contest coordinator on behalf of EBU Tal Barnea "concrete plans for a 2010 autumn event were being developed, with considerable changes to introduce a new programme proposal". These plans were expected to be unveiled in the autumn of 2009. EBU also praised "the commendable work on the next Eurovision Dance Contest already completed by our partners Ictimai Television and the Azerbaijani officials" stating that 2010 edition of the contest was planned to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan as well.

In January 2010, EBU Eurovision coordinator, Svante Stockselius, announced that contest has been postponed again, and is now unlikely to happen at all, at least within the next couple of years. He explained this decision was the fact that the popularity of televised dance shows had calmed down recently.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Eurovision Dance Contest has been put on hold". ESCKaz. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  2. ↑ "3rd Eurovision Dance Contest postponed to 2010". EBU. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  3. 1 2 "Dance Contest 2009 to Baku, Azerbaijan".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "European Broadcasting Union has finally officially confirmed the date of EDC 2009". ESCKaz. 2009-04-02. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  5. ↑ "We are negotiating with Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue and Shakira to host the Eurovision Dance 2009 in Azerbaijan".
  6. ↑ "Baku: More details announced at press conference".
  7. ↑ "News Splitter (208)".
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