Local prime time talent show Brillanti Dance has reached a critical stage in the competition. Presenter JOSEPH CHETCUTI sits with Lara Zammit to discuss the upcoming semi-finals.
LZ: How would you describe the reception of Brillanti Dance with the public after this second season kicked off last February?
JC: Brillanti Dance has truly taken Malta by storm. It is the first-ever televised dance competition to have managed to encompass all the different genres of dance styles, bringing together a wide array of interesting and talented youth who live for dance.
I would describe Brillanti Dance as a blend of talent, emotion and competitive spirit that leaves televiewers in awe with each consecutive airing every Friday.
The now 14 semi-finalists are all true artists in their own right and deserve nothing but our respect. They make us truly proud to be Maltese like us.
It is truly incredible that in this micro country of less than half a million people, dance is buzzing within souls that give their all for what they truly love.
LZ: What have been some of the highlights of the season thus far?
JC: Every week is indeed a highlight in itself.
One such instance is when the young 10-year-old Mattia danced to the wrong music but continued flawlessly with the greatest of confidence.
Another is when hip-hoppers Chloe and Miguel danced so emotionally to the tune of Charles Gounod’s Ave Maria or the talented Benjamin – a classically trained ballet dancer – danced beautifully to a hip-hop tune.
Now, however, is when the going gets tough and true precious moments come up as the semi-finalists battle each other in various weekly challenges, with one semi-finalist being eliminated each week.
LZ: How hard have the semi-finalists worked to get to this position?
JC: Our semi-finalists have to work very hard week after week in to reach the standards expected by our three judges Andrea Attila Felice, Patrick Odametey and Brenda Lee Grech.
Our semi-finalists have to work very hard week after week in to reach the standards expected by our three judges
Their commitment is truly commendable though some instances do reveal some slips and slacks that will lead to various controversies and emotional moments. These will give our televiewers insight into what our semi-finalists have to go through in order to surpass the weekly challenges.
It is also an honour for us to have members from the national dance company ŻfinMalta as mentors to the semi-finalists, under the direction of Paolo Mangiola.
They have proved to be not only professional in their work but also dedicated to our semi-finalists, giving them the required insight to enable their dance routine to excel.
LZ: What format will the semi-finals take and what are some of the tasks the semi-finalists will be tasked with to hopefully enter the finale?
JC: This is now the stage where our semi-finalists are given weekly challenges which in many instances will push them out of their comfort zone.
Each semi-final is themed: ‘Brillanti goes Group’ will test their ability to work in a team, for example, with other themes such as ‘Brillanti goes Film’ and ‘Brillanti goes Social Media’ proving equally challenging.
In each semi-final, our three judges are joined by an external judge. Guest judges include Davide Tucci, Aiden, Jes Sciberras, and other artists in their own right.
In addition to ŻfinMalta, Brillanti also provided other mentors to aid the semi-finalists, such as Henry Galea and Gaia, adding to the spice of the game.
Only those who manage to survive the six semi-finals will then qualify as finalists and compete in the finale.
This will take place at the Manoel Theatre with the ultimate winner taking home €15,000 and the opportunity to participate in a concert organised by the Malta Tourism Authority.
Brillanti Dance shows every Friday at 8.30pm on ONE TV. Brillanti is supported by the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC) and the Malta Tourism Authority.