Glo Battle Of The Year… Empowering Nigerian Youth Through Dance

Tonight, Globacom, the telecommunications powerhouse will open a new vista in the Nigerian dance industry with the scheduled premiere of its Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show on GloTV, the company’s mobile streaming app.

The company’s sponsorship of the dance competition, which has been running for over 10 years, is in sync with the brand’s promise of providing Nigerians unlimited platforms on which to unleash their potentials. It also ties in with their well-earned reputation as champions of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

The company has hitherto thrown its weight behind entertainment projects such as Glo Naija Sings, Dance with Peter, Glo X-factor, as well as flagship shows like Glo Laftafest, Glo Campus Storm and Glo Music Fiesta.

So why dance? Dance is the rhythmic language of the young. While the old also dance, it is the young who embody the spirit of dance and more so when it has to do with contemporary dance like break dancing, locking, krumping and the seemingly endless iterations of Afro dance.

Nigeria is a country of dancers, from Atilogu to Etighi, Egungun to Kalangu, but contemporary dance is the lingo of the streets and urban conurbations. It is hip, woke and exciting and the battles by dance crews are the stuff bragging rights are made off.

Writing in his 2016 article, “Dance for Social Cohesion and Development” presented at the 17th Conference on Postgraduate Research, at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka W. Vitharana notes that dance is, “far more than exercise or play. It is a powerful medium to express one’s values, thoughts, and aspirations about the lives we live and the world in which we live. It is a perfect combination of physical activity, social interaction, and mental stimulation.”

This what talented dancers and their crews would be showcasing over the 13 week episode long Battle of The Year Nigeria reality tv show and viewers will be in for a dramatic season with back stories of contestants most of whom are young talented Nigerians seeking a leg up from their disadvantaged circumstances.

This is what makes the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria more than just a tv show. It is an empowerment tool first for discovering talent and then secondly for rewarding that talent as contestants dance their way to mega millions.

The company, in a statement announcing the imminent premiere, noted, “the array of Nigerian talents we have seen has been nothing short of exceptional and we are excited to show the world the quality of dance talents and entertainment Nigeria has. We are confident that with the unlimited talents on display, the viewing audience will be in for an exhilarating experience. We urge them to get the GloTV app on myglotv.com and watch the talents dance their way to mega millions.”

Beyond the monetary gain, the show, which has been described as a “a fast paced, action packed show where the best dance crews and individuals in the country go head to head and battle each other to see who will represent Nigeria in the international Battle of the Year competition” will be setting the winner on a path of global domination as Nigeria’s representative at the world championship in Japan later this year.

The first 11 episodes beginning with the premiere will focus on the audition and elimination process leading to the regional qualifiers with all the drama borne from the joys and pains of victory and loss.

The two final episodes – 12 and 13 would be live screenings of the semi-final and final events in Lagos during which the judges would watch then pick a winner in each battle category with the ultimate winner going home with the star prize and bragging rights as Nigeria’s representative at the international Battle of the Year competition in Japan.

Do2tun, award-winning On-Air Personality (OAP) and actor will host the show, while seasoned and renowned dancers like Poco Lee, Pinky Debbie, Izzy Odigie, Big Flo, Maxbuck, Dunamis, Franc Okwara, JC Jedor, Poxy (Cameroon), Gidnasty (USA), Menno (Netherlands), and Manuela (Germany) would provide mentorship.

Viewers will not just be treated to scintillating dance moves and the best of contemporary musical beats they will also hear the back-stories and then cry and laugh with those who qualify and those who fail to make the cut.

Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria is set to bring excitement to your screens on whole new level while empowering young and talented Nigerians to live their dreams.