MDA 7: Qualifiers for final contest emerge at Port Harcourt audition

The first step into how the famous Maltina dance academy would look like was witnessed at the Port Harcourt regional audition of Maltina Dance All (MDA) season seven tagged “The Evolution” which took place at the Atrium Event Centre in the garden city recently. Eight budding dancers were able to satisfy the judges with their dance steps and were thus selected from the hundreds that participated as potential family representatives. These eight dancers, alongside their family members will now progress to the next phase in this highly competitive selection process.

The rave-making family show sponsored by Maltina, the premium non-alcoholic malt brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries which has brought happiness and excitement to homes across Nigeria and beyond shortlisted Ebi Williams Konugah, Sotun Briggs, Felix Ekadio, Ikumonein Titus, Nornubari Treasure, Jones Pius Samson, Emmanuel Asiyefia and Miaya Tom as the deserving and potential family representatives and qualifiers into the MDA house. They will however undergo comprehensive medical screening which is on-going and the medical fitness result will ultimately be the basis for the selection of their family considering the highly physical and mental rigours of a competitive dance competition like the MDA.

Not to the surprise of many, the Port Harcourt audition was highly entertaining and undeniably in line with this year’s MDA theme, ‘The Evolution’. Contestants across all ages displayed a high level of dance dexterity which made it pretty difficult for the judges to select the finalists.  Indeed the head of the panel of judges at the auditions, Muyiwa Osinaike, confessed that if it was possible, he would pick all the contestants into the Maltina Academy. He said he was truly enthralled by the presentations of contestants.

The first day of the auditioning witnessed regional  dancing competition among four different age groups- ages  5-12, 13-19, 20 -30 as well as 30 and above. Contestants in each group competed for a range of exciting prizes - Home theatre systems for first positions, Blackberry phones for 2nd positions and 21” Flat screen TV sets for 3rd positions respectively.

The show, according to Mrs Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Maltina is all about the emotions, excitement, fun and the unbreakable bond that ten families will showcase when they challenge themselves by learning and performing various dance styles from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and to the present in the famous Maltina Dance All academy. “This is going to be evolution of dance from time past to the present. The winning family will go home with the grand prize of a whooping sum of N6 million and of course, a brand new car. The first and second runners up will also get N1 million and N500, 000 respectively. The show will bring to the fore, the Nigerian people’s essence and values of sharing, happiness unity, cooperation, vitality and creativity”. She added.

The TV show will be aired from 1st of September this year on major TV networks and video uploaded on YouTube and Facebook. Also, viewers can participate and win fabulous prizes through the interactive SMS platform during the show.

It would be recalled that the maiden 2007 edition produced the Onye family; in 2008 it was the Opuwari family that carted away the star prize; in 2009 the nation’s best dance family were the Ibiams, in 2010 the Adejoh’s held sway and in 2011 the Ekuboh’s showed Nigerians why they were crowned the number one dance family. In 2012 the Greens were crowned the best dance family with the unforgettable swinging moves of Opus and his sister.

From all indications, MDA “The Evolution” will excite, entertain and enliven the family space more than the TV audience would ever anticipate. Evidently, the stakes are higher, dance instructors are ready to go and the Maltina brand is determined to enhance national family bond through the viable instrument of music and dance theatrics,