DANCE WAR: BRUNO VS. CARRIE ANN PREMIERE'S TONIGHThttp://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2008/01/06/2008-01-06_realityshow_dancing__with_a_new_twist_.html
"Dancing With the Stars" judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba are trading in their scorecards and donning commentary caps for their new ABC reality competition show, "Dance Wars."
"It's different from 'Dancing With the Stars' be-cause we don't score them; it's totally up to America," Tonioli told the Daily News. "It's more like when you see a sporting event and you have commentators. That's what we're doing."
Fourteen bright-eyed singers/dancers will perform on tomorrow night's two-hour premiere (Ch. 7, 8-10) for the opportunity to join either Tonioli's or Inaba's six-person team. Then, each week, the teams will perform song-and-dance numbers, and America will vote for their favorite. The losing team's mentor will then have to send one mem-ber home. The last team standing will win the opportunity to go on tour with a major recording artist.
Tonioli credits the group aspect of "Dance Wars" as the factor that most sets this show apart from other reality dance competitions."
'So You Think You Can Dance' is a lot about the individuals," said Tonioli.
"This is never individuals. It's up to Carrie Ann and me how we feature individuals within the group, but you always see them performing as a team, and the focus is how they work together, how they help each other, how they enhance each other, all the group dynamics, and how well they work within that group."
Unlike "Dancing With the Stars," "Dance Wars" will feature a wide array of dance styles, from modern to jazz and hip hop to ballet.
"We can do anything we want," Tonioli said. "It's just got to be appropriate to the song.
"Tonioli says the reason they decided to include singingin the competition is that, in the industry, a lot of dancing jobs include a vocal aspect.
"I sang myself," said Tonioli. "I did musicals, I did records here in London, I had a cabaret. A lot of dancershave to sing because of musicals. There's a lot of work in musicals. You'd be surprised at how many dancers can sing."
Working with a team of vocal coaches, musical directors and choreographers, the groups will learn routines each week, but Tonioli and Inaba won't necessarily be involved every step of the way.
"It's up to Carrie Ann and me to make this happen the way we want to see it, but we can't be there every day," Tonioli said. "But we're like the captains of two ships. Or, it's almost liking directing a film; we're like, this is what you'll do."
For Tonioli, who is used to sizing up celebrities, "Dance Wars" is all about finding raw talent."What I would like to achieve is to give kids that would never have the chance to come to Hollywood to do something like this a shot," Tonioli said. "And we're not focusing on the bad. You're not going to see people on the show and say, 'Why are they doing that? They don't have a chance.' They all have talent. It's going to be emotionally quite involving."
Tonioli isn't at all intimidated by his competition in Inaba.
"I know she's going to be good," Tonioli said. "I know she's going to be a tough competitor, but I have to focus on what I want to do. I know she's not going to be a pushover, but I can't really worry about Carrie Ann. I'm just going to go for it and do my best, and hopefully America will vote for me and my team."
