Truly Addicted to 'Dance'

Last week, I interviewed the Top 20 contestants and got to know them. They are a great group of kids, so I decided to tune in and check out the show the last two weeks. Last night, I was surprised to see what the show actually is. It's not just a bunch of kids dancing on the stage. The show is almost like a hybrid of "American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars." In fact, the performance show is filmed in the exact same studio as "Idol" and the rehearsals are taped at 3rd Street Dance, where many of the "Dancing" folks rehearse. Like "Idol" the hair, makeup and wardrobe teams have moved in now to try and turn these kids into stars. Like "Dancing" one male and one female dancer partner up and perform dances together. It's everything from hip-hop to ballroom to modern dance routines. Like "Dancing" taped pieces show the couples struggling through rehearsals together and then they hit the stage to perform in front of a studio audience. Like "Idol" the judges then rate their performances with choreographer, Mary Murphy seeming to play the Paula Abdul role. So far, none of the judges have taken on the snide Simon Cowell persona though.

The only disappoint here is that the viewers vote don't ultimately choose who goes home. The three couples with the lowest votes go in front of the judges on the Thursday results show. The judges then have the task of cutting one guy and one girl. That doesn't exactly make me want to pick up the phone and vote if I know that in the end the judges have the final say. Still if you are one of the nearly 17 or so million fans who watched "Dancing with the Stars," I suggest you check out this show.

It fills the dancing void.