Dance Champions

Dance Champions is an Indian Hindi-language reality dance competition television series that premiered on 30 September 2017 on the Star Plus channel, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 PM.^[1] The program features winners and runners-up from previous dance reality shows, such as Dance India Dance and Dance Plus, who defend their titles against new challengers through high-energy dance performances and battles.^[2] Produced by Urban Brew Studios, the series emphasizes advanced choreography, team mentorships, and competitive eliminations to crown the ultimate dance champion.^[3] The show reunited acclaimed choreographers Remo D'Souza and Terence Lewis as primary judges, marking their first collaboration since Dance India Dance, with ace choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant joining as a third judge in subsequent episodes.^[4][5] It was hosted by popular dancer and actor Raghav Juyal alongside actress Ridhima Pandit, who guided contestants through themed challenges often influenced by guest appearances from celebrities like Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.^[6] Special episodes highlighted crossovers with Dance Plus captains, including Dharmesh Yelande, Punit Pathak, Shakti Mohan, and others, adding layers of rivalry and mentorship to the format.^[5] Despite its short run limited to one season with approximately 20 episodes, Dance Champions garnered positive reception for showcasing elite talent and innovative dance styles, achieving an IMDb rating of 8.4/10 based on viewer feedback.^[2] The series contributed to the evolving landscape of Indian dance television by focusing on inter-show rivalries and professional-level executions, influencing subsequent programs in the genre.^[7]

Overview

Concept and Format

Dance Champions is an Indian Hindi-language dance reality competition series that premiered on September 30, 2017, on the Star Plus television channel, with a 12-week run of 24 episodes concluding on December 23, 2017.^[8][9] The show's core premise pits established champions—winners or runners-up from prior dance reality programs—against emerging challengers, emphasizing high-stakes defenses of their titles through innovative and themed dance battles.^[2] This format highlights exceptional talent in various dance styles, including contemporary, hip-hop, and Bollywood fusion, fostering intense rivalries and showcasing technical prowess under pressure.^[5] A distinctive element of the series is its progressive entry system, where episodes begin exclusively with the champions competing to establish dominance, and new challengers are introduced week by week to directly "beat" them in head-to-head confrontations.^[2] Performances are organized as team-based routines, with groups mentored by renowned professional choreographers who guide preparation, refine choreography, and provide strategic input during rehearsals. Mentors included captains from previous seasons of Dance Plus, such as Punit Pathak, along with Dharmesh Yelande, Shakti Mohan, and Salman Yusuff Khan as guests. The main judging panel, comprising acclaimed choreographers Remo D'Souza, Terence Lewis, and Vaibhavi Merchant (who joined as the third judge starting from episode 2), evaluates performances based on criteria like technique, synchronization, innovation, and emotional impact.^[4][10] Episodes air on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 PM, featuring a structured flow of team performances, detailed critiques from judges and mentors, and eliminations determined by cumulative scores incorporating judicial feedback alongside audience votes via mobile app.^[4] This blend of expert assessment and public participation ensures dynamic progression, with lower-scoring teams at risk of elimination while higher performers advance toward the ultimate champion title.^[5] The format underscores endurance and adaptability, as champions must consistently outperform incoming threats to retain their status.

Production Details

Dance Champions was produced by Urban Brew Studios and Frames Production Company for the Indian television network Star Plus.^[11] The series premiered on September 30, 2017, as a one-season dance reality competition, airing episodes on weekends.^[2] The show was hosted by Raghav Juyal and Ridhima Pandit, with Juyal serving as the primary host responsible for announcements and segment transitions, while Pandit focused on engaging the live audience and adding energetic interactions.^[12][13] Developed as a spin-off concept from popular Indian dance shows like Dance Plus, Dance Champions aimed to reunite previous winners and runners-up to compete against new challengers, emphasizing high-stakes battles to crown an ultimate champion.^[11] Filming took place in studios in Mumbai starting from mid-2017, capturing live audience reactions to enhance the energetic atmosphere of the performances.^[5] The production emphasized elaborate dance sequences with professional lighting, sound, and staging to showcase diverse styles, drawing sizable viewership in India through its live-audience format, though no international broadcast or distribution was pursued.^[11] Specific budget figures remain undisclosed, but the scale reflected Star Plus's investment in premium reality programming. Following its 2017 run, the series has not returned for additional seasons, with episodes available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar as of 2025.^[5]

Participants

Returning Champions

The Returning Champions in Dance Champions comprise five established acts who previously excelled as winners in major Indian dance reality shows, entering the competition as title defenders tasked with upholding their prestigious status against incoming challengers. These acts, representing a blend of solo artists, a duo, and group performances, draw from diverse dance heritages including hip-hop, contemporary, and popping styles, thereby setting the stage for high-stakes battles that highlight technical mastery and creative innovation. Each returning champion assembles and mentors a team of 2-3 supporting dancers, fostering collaborative routines that amplify their leadership and performance dynamics while competing to avoid elimination and retain their elite ranking.^[14] Key profiles among the returning champions include:

• Bir Radha Sherpa: A dancer of Nepali origin based in Silchar, Assam, Sherpa rose to prominence as the winner of Dance Plus season 3 in 2017, where his seamless fusion of contemporary fluidity and B-boying precision captivated audiences and judges alike. Known for emotive storytelling through movement, he brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to the competition, emphasizing expressive and athletic choreography.^[15]
• Teriya Magar: Hailing from Nepal and trained from a young age, Magar secured victory in Dance India Dance Li’l Masters season 2 in 2014 and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9 in 2017, showcasing her expertise in hip-hop alongside versatile contemporary and folk influences. Her energetic style and rapid rise as a child prodigy position her as a formidable defender, often incorporating bold, rhythmic footwork in team-led performances.^[16]
• Faisal Khan and Vaishnavi Patil: This Bollywood-trained duo triumphed as winners of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 8 in 2015, with their graceful contemporary and classical fusion performances rooted in Mumbai's dance academies. Khan previously won Dance India Dance season 3 (2012), while Patil was a winner of Boogie Woogie and runner-up in Nachle Ve. As returning champions, they mentor teams in elegant, narrative-driven routines.^[17]
• V Company: This crew won Dance Plus season 1 in 2015 under captain Dharmesh Yelande, known for their synchronized hip-hop and contemporary group dynamics that emphasize unity and precision. As returning champions, they defend their title through powerful ensemble performances, mentoring additional dancers to enhance their crew's impact.^[14]
• MJ 5: This Mumbai-based quintet, comprising dancers inspired by global icons like Michael Jackson, clinched the title of India's Dancing Superstars in 2013 with their popping, locking, and wave techniques that blend precision with theatrical flair. As a cohesive group act among the returning champions, they mentor additional supporters to expand their ensemble routines, defending through synchronized, illusion-heavy spectacles.^[18]

New Challengers

The New Challengers in Dance Champions consisted of additional contestants introduced progressively from weeks 2 through 6, designed to inject fresh competition into the season by pitting newcomers against established champions. These challengers were primarily past runners-up or notable performers from prior dance reality shows, selected to represent a broad spectrum of styles and formats. Their entry was structured around weekly duels, where each challenger targeted a specific champion or team, required to outperform them in a head-to-head performance to secure a spot in the competition or potentially trigger an elimination.^[2] Among the prominent new challengers was Aryan Patra, an emerging solo hip-hop and contemporary dancer who gained recognition as the second runner-up in Dance Plus season 3. Hailing from a background in street and fusion dance, Patra brought dynamic solo routines influenced by urban Indian scenes to the show. Another key entry was Kings United, a high-energy street dance crew founded in 2009 and known for innovative choreography blending hip-hop, popping, and Indian elements; they challenged as a group act, notably battling V Company.^[19][20] The remaining challengers included acts such as Piyush Bhagat, who achieved second runner-up status in Dance Plus season 2 in 2016 with his signature ghetto dance technique—characterized by raw urban flair and intricate isolations—developed through early training at local academies in Jammu and Kashmir; as a challenger, he focused on street-inspired innovation in duels. Sushant Khatri, a Kathmandu-born Nepali artist specializing in hip-hop and freestyle, placed 4th in Dance Plus season 2 in 2016, later extending his talents to Bollywood via appearances in Street Dancer 3D (2020); his agile, crowd-engaging style emphasized power moves and improvisation during challenges. Other notable challengers were Wild Ripperz (runners-up crew from Dance Plus season 1 specializing in locking and popping), Abigail Pande and Sanam Johar (runners-up of Nach Baliye season 8), and Dipali & Yogesh (runners-up of Super Dancer season 1), ensuring a mix of solo, duo, and group representations across hip-hop, Bollywood, and contemporary genres. This diversity highlighted India's vibrant dance ecosystem, drawing from academies in major cities like Mumbai and beyond.^{[21][22][23][14]} The challengers' integration emphasized merit-based progression, with successful duels allowing them to join ongoing teams while underscoring the show's theme of evolution in competitive dance.^[2]

Competition Progress

Weekly Episodes

Dance Champions aired approximately 24 episodes every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 PM IST on Star Plus, spanning from the premiere on September 30, 2017, to the grand finale on December 23, 2017.^[1][24] The Week 1 premiere introduced the returning champions—winners and runners-up from prior shows such as Dance India Dance and Dance Plus—and featured initial battles against emerging challengers, establishing the core format of title defenses through high-stakes dance-offs.^[2][25] Subsequent episodes escalated the competition with new challenger entries, including the group Kings United in Week 3, who brought dynamic group choreography to confront the champions.^[26] Episodes featured various themes, such as Bollywood fusion and international styles, blending traditional and modern techniques. Special guest appearances enriched the episodes, such as Vaibhavi Merchant joining as a third judge in Week 2.^[27][28] Mid-season developments included format evolutions, such as wildcard rounds in later weeks that allowed select challengers re-entry or fresh participation, heightening unpredictability.^[5] Guest spots by figures like Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in late episodes further elevated production values with celebrity promotions and dance segments.^[5] Throughout the season, episodes emphasized conceptual themes and key performances, such as fusion acts and group battles, while briefly referencing contestant teams like the champions and challengers without delving into individual metrics. Detailed episode recaps remain limited in public archives, though viral moments from guest collaborations gained traction post-airing.^[5]

Eliminations and Rankings

The eliminations in Dance Champions followed a structured format where 13 initial acts—comprising established champions from prior dance shows and fresh challengers—competed in weekly battles judged primarily by Remo D'Souza and Terence Lewis, with outcomes determining survival based on performance scores.^[29] Progressive cuts occurred after each round of head-to-head competitions, reducing the field to five finalists by the season's end: Bir Radha Sherpa, the MJ5 group, Piyush Bhagat, Sushant Khatri, and the duo of Faisal Khan and Vaishnavi Patil.^[30] The first notable exit happened before official eliminations when challenger duo Sanam Johar and Abigail Pande withdrew due to Sanam's recurring back injury sustained during a rehearsal lift, which caused significant swelling and prevented further participation; they were promptly replaced by Sushant Khatri, a runner-up from Dance Plus season 2.^[31] This adjustment allowed the show to maintain its roster of 13 acts for the premiere episodes airing from September 30, 2017. In the second week, the first competitive elimination took place as challenger group 13.13 Crew was ousted after their performance fell short in the judges' scoring, despite a competitive showing against the champions.^[29] Subsequent weeks saw further reductions, with champion Teriya Magar—one of the show's high-profile entrants as the winner of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9—eliminated early after failing to advance past initial battles. Similarly, the V Company crew, winners of Dance Plus season 1, exited early in the competition following underwhelming scores in their defenses against challengers.^[32] Survival hinged on cumulative performance across challenges, where challengers aimed to dethrone champions by earning higher judge scores in themed battles, carrying over points to influence mid-season rankings and avoidance of the bottom positions. Representative mid-season cuts, such as those of Proneeta Swargiary (a Dance India Dance season 5 champion), occurred around weeks 5–6 as the field narrowed, emphasizing consistent execution over single standout moments. By week 8, the remaining acts included strong contenders like Sushant Khatri, who advanced despite intense face-offs, highlighting the role of judge revotes in resolving close rankings. The process ensured only the top performers reached the finale, with no full score tables released publicly but rankings updated weekly via broadcast recaps.

Results

Finale Outcomes

The grand finale of Dance Champions aired on December 23, 2017, on Star Plus, featuring the top five acts in their final routines to determine the ultimate champion.^[8][33] The finalists included returning champion Bir Radha Sherpa, solo performer Piyush Bhagat, group act MJ 5, soloist Sushant Khatri, and duo Faisal Khan and Vaishnavi Patil.^[34][35] Each contestant delivered high-energy performances showcasing their signature styles, with Bir Radha Sherpa captivating the audience through his signature blend of b-boying and contemporary dance.^[36][37] Bir Radha Sherpa was declared the winner, with Piyush Bhagat as 1st runner-up, MJ 5 as 2nd runner-up, and Sushant Khatri as 3rd runner-up; Faisal Khan and Vaishnavi Patil placed fifth.^[8][36] The 18-year-old from Silchar, Assam, who had previously won Dance Plus Season 3 earlier that year, marked his second major victory in six months through consistent, innovative routines that impressed judges Remo D'Souza and Terence Lewis.^[8][36] The finale concluded the single season of the show, which premiered on September 30, 2017, and pitted past dance winners against new challengers without announcement of a follow-up season.^[33] Bir's triumph highlighted his rising prominence in Indian dance television, building on his earlier success to solidify his reputation as a versatile performer.^[36]

Performance Scores

The scoring system in Dance Champions integrated evaluations from judges and audience participation to assess performances and determine progression. Judges Remo D'Souza, Terence Lewis, and Vaibhavi Merchant (joining in subsequent episodes) awarded scores based on technique, creativity, and execution during each episode, while audience votes—collected via missed calls (one vote per phone number per contestant)—factored into the overall tally. According to the official voting terms and conditions, scores for weeks 1 through 9 were calculated as the average of the previous week's judges' scores and public votes received; for weeks 10 through 12, this average incorporated the previous week's public votes and judges' scores along with the current week's judges' scores. The finale winner was selected solely based on the highest judges' scores among the top two finalists.^[38] Although mentors (known as grandmasters) guided teams throughout the competition, their role was primarily advisory rather than contributory to numerical scoring. Performances were evaluated per act, with averages used to rank contestants and trigger eliminations for the lowest scorers. The total possible points per performance were not explicitly detailed in public records, but the combined system emphasized balanced input from expert judgment and viewer engagement to identify the ultimate champion.^[2] Weekly performance scores across the 12 episodes progressively built toward the finale, with higher averages securing advancement for returning champions and standout challengers. Representative data from episode analyses indicate that top acts achieved consistent high marks, often impressing both judges and audience through innovative routines, while early eliminations occurred for those with lower combined averages—typically below the mid-range threshold established by the competition's format. Cumulative totals from these weekly evaluations determined overall rankings, culminating in the top five finalists: Bir Radha Sherpa, Piyush Bhagat, MJ 5, Sushant Khatri, and Faisal Khan and Vaishnavi Patil. Bir Radha Sherpa's sustained excellence led to the highest finale score, securing the win.^[36] Detailed numerical breakdowns for individual weeks remain limited in post-2017 sources beyond official broadcasts, with basic charts available in contemporary reviews but lacking judge-specific critiques or full act-by-act metrics. Expansion with verified episode transcripts could provide deeper insights into score variations.^[38]