MTV's Dances Moves from Mobile to TV

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/14/2007 7:07:00 PM

MTV is following in the footsteps of its sibling network Comedy Central and transitioning an original mobile series into a linear TV property. Dances From Tha Hood, a half-hour TV special on June 17 at 8 p.m., will mix dance party footage, instructional segments and consumer-submitted clips.

The special is inspired by a short-form mobile series of the same name that MTV launched on various mobile carriers April. It comes out of a three-year multiplatform production deal MTV’s on-air talent Sway Calloway signed with the network in May. Calloway is an executive producer on the series.

Hosted by dancer/choreographer Tweetie, who hosts the mobile version, the show will juxtapose how-to dancing segments from current hip-hop and R&B talent with self-shot dancing footage viewers can submit and vote on through dancesfromthahood.mtv.com. The highest-rated clips will be included in a segment called “Getting It In.”

Dances comes at a time when MTV is trying to add user-submitted content to key programs in an effort to establish itself as a brand that thrives on platforms other than just linear TV. Earlier this month, fellow Viacom-owned cable network Comedy Central debuted Lil’ Bush, a half-hour TV series that began as five-minute cell phone segments in September.

Dances is also executive produced for MTV by Sean Lee, Dave Sirulnick and Ocean MacAdams.