Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off
From a recent string of tween-friendly musical series, it’s clear that the Disney Channel loves music stars. First there was Hannah Montana, then Jonas L.A., and the cast of I’m In the Band (not to mention made-for-TV movies Lemonade Mouth, Camp Rock, and the High School Musical franchise). But the Disney Channel’s recent foray into the world of popular music, Shake It Up, is the first to focus on dancing rather than singing.
Promotional image for Disney Channel's Shake It Up, copyright Disney
Shake It Up is a sitcom that follows the adventures of best friends CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue (played by stars Bella Thorne and Zendaya) who pursue their dreams of becoming professional dancers when they land dancing roles on a local series, Shake It Up Chicago.
And now the Disney Channel is offering an opportunity for other aspiring young dancers to follow in the footsteps of CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue by launching a kid/tween talent competition, Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off ‘Shake It Up’ Edition. The winner of the competition will appear on an episode of Shake It Up which has just begun production on its second season.
From Friday, July 1st through Wednesday, August 3rd, aspiring dancers aged 8-16 (with parental permission) can go to MakeYourMark.disney.go.com/ to create and submit a 45 second dance video featuring up to five performers showing off their choreographed or freestyle dance moves. Other kids will be able to “like” their favorite videos with the most popular being featured weekly online and on TV.
The five-city talent search for dancers for the series begins in LA (on July 7th) and then heads to Chicago (July 9th), San Francisco (July 16th), Atlanta (July 23rd), and Detroit (July 30th). In August, six finalists will be announced on the Disney Channel and those finalists will compete head-to-head in front of celebrity judges when Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off premieres in October. Viewers will be able to vote on the winner from the three final contestants.
The Make Your Mark site hasn’t officially launched yet, but in the meantime, dancers can practice their moves with online step-by-step instructional dance videos from the Shake It Up choreographer. There are already ten instructional videos online, with new videos posted on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
“Watch Me”, a new music video featuring Shake It Up stars Bella Thorne and Zendaya, will premiere on the Disney Channel on Friday, June 17th, with the digital single becoming available for purchase the following Tuesday. The Shake It Up: Break It Down CD and DVD combo pack which includes the first series soundtrack, the “Watch Me” music video, and a series of instructional dance videos, will be released on July 12th.
Screenshot from the Shake It Up website, image copyright Disney
The online Shake It Up Dance Video Creator lets players create their own music videos by setting character dance sequences, backgrounds, and special effects to songs from the series. The controls aren’t very sophisticated and there’s only a handful of dance sequences and backgrounds to choose from, but it’s a fun diversion to try along with the Dance Burst (aka: “click the glowing squares”) game.
And even if dancing’s not your thing, it’s all but impossible to watch the Shake It Up cast having a blast, without wanting to groove along with them.
i <3 AKsquared!! but i aslo really like casy and sam. i found this video of them on youtube- http://www.youtube.com/user/YourDanceChannel?feature=chclk#p/u/2/3fmcsPQpusI
Casey And Sam!
You can still vote!!!
I voted for AKsquared 2 minutes ago
If you love AKsquared, well there is a fan club!!!! Just go to google and type in AKsquared fan club. Click on the first one. There are only 3 on there. I am already apart of it.
hope you guys win!
If you love AKsquared, well there is a fan club!!!! Just go to google and type in AKsquared fan club. Click on the first one. There are only 3 on there. I am already apart of it.
HHHOOOPPPEEE you guys win!
Jade is awesome! And I’m “pretty sure” she will win 😉
I luv arjang he is hot!!!!! im voting 4 him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 wish he was my bf!!!!!!!!!!! 😛
Casey and Sam for SURE!!!!!<3
Casey and Sam for sure best! No comparison! Hope America vote based on dance off!!!
i vote for aksquerd on disneychannel make your mark
Arjang was amazing!!! So was Amir!! On top of the fact they can dance, they r adorable and I wish I culd adopt them as my little brothers!!!
jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee JADE vote for her
I really want aksquare to win
GO AMIR
HEYYY! i missed the show… is there a way i can see the dances somewhere??? i really want to see!!!!! 🙁
wait i already saw her
cant wait to see my friend on shake it up
how do i vote
GO EVERYONE WOW!!!!!! 🙂
Aksquare rocks and i’m voting for them!
Hey I love Shake it up!
go to disney channel make your mark.com
jade scares me…needless to say i will NOT be voting for her.
i found it but votings not open yet. thnx anyway!
I want jade to win i luv u selena
I LOVE Arjang Jade and Amir because they are the best dancers i,v ever seen and i loved it
i know halie what website tio vote
hey howdo you vote never mind im just saying they were awsome on shake it up make your mark i dont nknow how to do eneything of that and i dont know who to vote because all were good
AKSQUARED
AKSQUARED
AKSQUARED
I like the most is Jade you are great
vote for ak squared! i cant. idk the website 😛
what is the website to vote lol.!
i love them all
i love everybody
WHATS WRONG YOU CRAZY
WHOS YOUR SISTER I’LL VOTE
HEY Katie D. NICE TOO MEET YOU
my sis is going to be on shake it up make your mark man soo happy she won man plz vote for her plz do
WHO IS YOUR COUSIN ANGELINA???????/
VOTE FOR JADE FROM IL!!!!!!!!!!1
12 IS AWESOME
SO IS JADE
i won omg!!! i cant believe it
I CANT WAIT TO SEE MY CUSIN DANCE ON SHAKE IT UP SO HAPPY
heyy im writting!!!
for example one dance was almost exactly the same but what was worn was two dif outfits.
Just googled some of the videos of the winners and it seems like at least two contestents broke the rules.. I saw multiple videos with almost the same dances submitted on different dates. I am surprised that the producers didn’t catch this.
Don’t worry!You can still have the chance to see if your video made the top ten,and will be featured on disney channel.
Will disney channel make this contest again? It Was totally fun even thoughI didn’t win!
Are you serious… Like why have all the little children tryout and not one is picked. It should have been for the age 13 and up!
Congratulations to the final two semi-finalists!
Arielle, Kailey, Alyssa, and Kalani from Arizona: http://makeyourmark.disney.go.com/s/21e632
Christine and June from New Jersey: http://makeyourmark.disney.go.com/s/5f6hgp
We can’t wait to see you perform on TV!
If anyone is wondering you will not be notified by email or asked for a personal picture.The pictures you see are clipped from the audition video and posted for everyone to see.The semi finalists that have already been chosen found out by suprise and watching disney channel on the time the semi finalists were being announced.