After Covid-19 delays, The Masked Dancer is finally happening on FOX. It premieres in December, so it appears to be a short-term holiday series, but the FOX press release doesn’t really say. American Idol and SYTYCD’s Paula Abdul is set for the panel!
Based on the hit FOX series The Masked Singer and inspired by a popular segment featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, all-new celebrity competition series The Masked Dancer will be hosted by comedian Craig Robinson. Joining the show as panelists are The Masked Dancer and I Can See Your Voice’s Ken Jeong, world-famous choreographer and singer Paula Abdul, actor and the former “Giraffe” Mask on The Masked Dancer Brian Austin Green and actress and singer Ashley Tisdale.
Costumed celebrities will dance routines
The Masked Dancer will feature celebrity contestants dancing routines, while covered from head-to-toe in elaborate costumes and face masks, leaving audiences to guess their identities. Costumed celebrities will be joined on stage by masked partners and back-up dancers, as they perform a series of dances together; spanning from hip-hop to salsa, jazz to tap dancing and more.
Each week, a series of clues will be sprinkled throughout packages, costumes and routines, leading the panelists one step closer to figuring out which famous faces are freestyling behind the masks. Dancers will be harder to guess than singers? On Masked Singer, contestant’s voices are disguised, but their singing style often gives them away. I guessed Dionne Warwick within about a minute of her first performance.
Between all of the celebrity competitors on the show, they’ve amassed more than 38 million albums sold worldwide, 20 Emmy® Award wins, 20 Grammy® Award nominations, 10 World Dancing titles, five New York Times Best-Selling Author titles, four Olympic gold medals and three Broadway show appearances. Guest judges and premiere date to be announced soon.
The Masked Dancer has already begun production
“We’ve begun filming The Masked Dancer with incredible new talent on both sides of the mask, and can’t wait to share the series with viewers,” said Rob Wade, President, Alternative Entertainment & Specials, FOX Entertainment. “Craig Robinson is hilarious as always in his role as host, and Ken, Brian, Ashley and Paula are the perfect blend of personalities to lead our awesomely weird world of masks into a whole new genre!”
