MUMBAI: Indian dancer Shakti Mohan travels from her home in Mumbai to New York to collaborate with Arab-American classical composer Mohammed Fairouz as part of the series Collaboration Culture broadcasting on the BBC?s international 24 hour news channel BBC World News. Collaboration Culture pairs fourteen creative and celebrated figures from the worlds of fashion, dance, music, food and art and invites them to collaborate on a new, innovative project including collaborations in New York, Lima, and Accra. The series broadcasts globally on BBC World News.

The New York collaboration sees these two supremely talented young artists, one a composer and one a dancer; born in the same year but on different continents, come together to create a dazzling new performance in one of the world?s greatest cities.

Shakti Mohan is a star in India. Based in Mumbai, she won a nationwide TV talent show called ?Dance India Dance? in 2010, wowing the judges with her natural and elegant style. Trained in both traditional and contemporary Indian dance, Shakti is also influenced by Western culture and performance techniques. Recently she has appeared in an Indian soap opera ? but is now solely focusing on her dance studies and Bollywood dancing after winning a scholarship.

Mohammed Fairouz is a prolific Arab-American classical composer. Aged 26, he has written numerous orchestral and symphonic works which straddle both Eastern and Western influences. He is one of the most frequently-performed composers of his generation, and his music has been received at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston?s Symphony Hall, the Kennedy Center and internationally throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. In 2008 he was honoured with a national citation from the Embassy of the U.A.E in Washington D.C. for outstanding achievement in artistry and scholarship. He is no stranger to intriguing collaborations, having worked in the past with celebrated Arabic poets and most recently, the Irish literary giant Seamus Heaney.

This episode will follow Shakti as she experiences New York for the very first time, and as she and Mohammed work closely together, sharing ideas and inspiring one another. He will compose a brand new piece of music to which Shakti will choreograph her own routine. The collaborative process will culminate in a one-off performance in front of an invited audience, with Shakti dancing backed by a top American string quartet and a Klezmer clarinettist playing Mohammed?s new composition.

Mohammed Fairouz says ?Music means the world to me, it?s the lifeblood of human connection, it?s a source of incredible energy and it?s the most immediate art form and the one in which I find my expression most naturally.? And on the collaboration itself, ?Three days to work on the music and two days to work on the choreography? Theoretically no. Practically we did it! We did it.?

?When I first heard [Mohammed?s] music I was so nervous because I couldn?t imagine dancing at that pace for long? Said Shakti Mohan, talking the day before their performance, ?But I?ve worked through it? and now I can dance it twice all the way through without getting tired. Because I?m really feeling it ? this music is magical.?

Collaboration Culture, broadcast in association with Emirates, will TX weekly on BBC World News from onSaturdays at 6.00am & 1.00pm and Sundays at 6.00pm & 12.00am

MUMBAI: Zee TV proudly announces the winner of the largest dance reality show, ?Maruti Suzuki DANCE INDIA DANCE?. The show that created history in Indian television industry went LIVE from Shahaji Raje Krida Sankul (Andheri Sports Complex), Mumbai on April 21st on Zee TV from 8 pm onwards. In an intense, nerve-racking finish Rajsmitha Kar was voted the winner by millions of viewers from across the nation. Superstar Anil Kapoor was the star attractions at the glitzy evening and they presented the coveted Sunehri Taqdeer ki Topi to the talented winner.

Vote count:

Rajsmita Kar (Geeta Ki Gang) - 458930

Pradeep Gurung (Terence Ki Toli) - 3494361

Raghav Juyal (Terence Ki Toli) - 3481685

Sanam Johar (Remo Ke Rangeelay) - 1577511

Mohena Singh (Remo Ke rangeelay)- 851335

The Grand Finale of ?Maruti Suzuki DANCE INDIA DANCE? marked the end of a thrilling dance journey of 17 weeks for 18 bright contestants from across the country who dazzled your TV screens with performances that established them as the Biggest Dancing Stars. Some of the key highlights in this finale were the ?Mardi Gras Carnival act? by anchor Jay Bhanushali and Saumya Tandon. Master Terence Lewis?s Jim Morrison act on the track ?Sadda haq?. Master Geeta Kanpur?s grand entry was on a huge crown. Master Remo D Souza?s hard hitting Hip Hop infused freestyle act on the song ? Zara Dil ko Tham lo? from the movie Don 2. One astounding act was by Rajasmita Kar from Geeta ki Gang where 24 dancers along with Rajasmita hung in mid air with the help of a truss. Sanam Johar did a jaw dropping mirror ball act. Dil Ki Rani, Mohena?s act with a huge Venetian mask. Raghav Crockroaz Juyal?s performed with a huge crocodile?s face as a prop. Pradeep Gurung?s ?Shaolin? act infused with freestyle and parkour. To add a touch of comedy this year?s finale also saw gags by Ali Asgar. Ali dressed himself like Aamir Khan?s character in the movie Delhi Belly and became the first ever item boy - the disco fighter! Along with Jay Bhanushali and Saumya Tandon, Manish Paul also co-anchored the event. For the very first time, Remo pledged his MJ band to an audience who matched his steps the best! The audience frenzy was to be seen to be believed!

Commenting on the finale, Mr. Ashish Golwalkar, Non Fiction Head, Zee TV said, "Our heartiest Congratulations to Rajsmitha Kar and other runner up?s. Dance India Dance, as a brand, has set new benchmarks in the realms of reality programming. The superlative talent that DID brings to the forefront season after season is unmatched in this country. Groomed by Masters Remo D Souza, Terence Lewis and Geeta Kapur, the contestants entertained India with the right attitude and flawless, jaw dropping performances. Grand Master Mithun Chakravarty?s steady guidance and impartial decisions has helped us to get the best as Top 5 Finalists and the show a grand success. This season has been a memorable journey of dance. My best wishes to all the finalists in all their future endeavors."

Apart from the priceless exposure and the golden opportunity to showcase their talent in front of the country, the finalists of Maruti Suzuki DANCE INDIA DANCE walked away with many prizes. The winner apart from winning the coveted Sunheri Taqdeer Ki Topi (the golden hat), walked away with a brand new Maruti Ertiga LUV car and 2- year contract with Zee TV. The ?Most Desired Performer? of the season got a cash prize worth Rs. 3 lacs from Maruti!

The channel did many innovations this season to take the brand a notch higher. Thanks to the one of its kind missed call voting system; more than 3 crore votes were registered through the entire season. The unique App/ WAPP feature that was developed for this season ensured that the tech savvy youth of today remained hooked to the show. The exclusive DID Reebok merchandise created for the very first time saw a whopping sale of more than 2000 pieces and last but not the least, the season made the entire Nation dance when a crowd of 4428 dancers gathered at one place to break the Guinness World record for the Largest Bollywood Dance. All this coupled with the innovative choreography by the Masters and some mind-blowing acts by all the contestants ensured that Dance India Dance Season 3 was nothing but phenomenal!

MUMBAI: DID did it....!!! Mumbai witnessed an euphoric moment when a massive crowd of more than 5000 people along with Dance India Dance mentors and contestants broke the prestigious GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the largest Bollywood Dance!! The adrenaline rush of participating and watching a live record breaking event along with the thrill of seeing live performances by Dance India Dance contestants had everyone heading to Mumbai?s KJ Somaiya College Grounds. Preparations were underway weeks in advance at hundreds of dance classes and every street corner as lakhs of viewers learnt the dance act to perform it precisely at the same time to make a world record. Time stopped still at 7:45 pm on 1 March 2012 as 4428 dance lovers in India successfully broke the Guinness World Records for the "Largest Bollywood Dance?. Zee TV created a historic moment by breaking the Guinness World Record with the objective to set a new benchmark for Indian television?s No 1 dance reality show, Dance India Dance! With this world record, Zee TV?s brand positioning ?Umeed Se Saje Zindagi? resounded strongly with its mission to entertain, educate and inspire its viewers!

Nearly 10000 people had already filled their entries online to rehearse the dance step while thousands more thronged the grounds be a part of this historical moment even before the doors opened at KJ Somaiya College Grounds,(Ghatkopar). The Masters, Terence Lewis and Remo D?Souza, along with DID Season 3 Terrific 13 contestants led the crowd through a rendition of "Dhinkachika Dhinkachika". The participants were invited through a free of cost registration process and received a quick two-hour dance lesson from the three Masters before doing the final jig in front of the Guinness officials.

Once the participants were schooled in these moves, the official attempt began. The previous record was 1336 participants, set by Master Terence in Mumbai in 2011. And, to break that record a head count of more than 1336 participants were expected to dance for three minutes in unison. The Masters had a challenging task to teach the teeming thousands of dance enthusiasts to gyrate on a Bollywood number in a single file for 3 minutes. DID anchor, the gorgeous Saumya Tandon, cheered and rooted for the participants who were rehearsing for hours to get the moves right.

The decibel level at the venue skyrocketed when Mr. Nikhil Shukla, the official adjudicator from Guinness, went up on stage and announced that Zee TV has successfully broken the record for the largest Bollywood dance at one place. The sheer number sounds daunting and achieving the feat was nothing less than exhilarating for everyone present! The energy was electric and after the record was broken, the crowds who participated to make the record attempt a success were treated to an entertaining concert by the fabulous Dance India Dance Season 3?s Terrific 13 - Sanam Johar, Mohena Singh, Vaibhav Ghughe, Neerav Bavlecha, Raghav Juyal, Sneha Gupta, Piyali Saha, Rajasmitha Kar, Abhik Bau, Paul Marshall and Pradeep Gurung.

Commenting on this world record breaking moment, ZEEL MD & CEO, Mr. Punit Goenka said, "It?s a proud moment for Zee TV, Dance India Dance and our viewers. With every new season of DID, we have always tried something innovative. I take immense pride in announcing that DID has accomplished a great feat today by attempting to enter the prestigious Guinness World Records. And, together we have broken the incredible Guinness World Record for the largest Bollywood Dance! My heartiest congratulations to every participant who has made it possible!"

"Through this initiative, our aim was to bring all dance lovers and DID supporters on one platform and give them an opportunity to dance with their favorite DID icons and win a Certificate from Guinness World Record Ltd. Dance India Dance as an iconic brand has set new benchmarks in the realms of reality programming. The superlative talent that the current DID Season 3 has is unmatched on Indian television. This new Guinness World Record will definitely go down in history and we can only promise that DID as a brand will only get bigger and better!"added ZEEL Head Marketing, National Channels, Mr. Akash Chawla.

The Masters could not believe that they along with enthusiastic dance lovers had created history. Terence Lewis, stumped at having broken his own record by a huge margin, said, "This has been one of the happiest moments of my life. I feel like dancing to Oops I did it again (grins)." An ecstatic Master Remo said, "Wow!!! I had never experienced such frenzy and huge crowds! The record breaking attempt is going to be etched in my memory forever and I?ve gone hoarse screaming that my show, Dance India Dance has set a Guinness World Record! The impressive efforts of all the participants present here proves that there?s no bigger brand for dance in India than Dance India Dance. Congratulations to Zee TV and everybody who made it happen!"

MUMBAI: DID 3 auditions are just a ?click? of a mouse away! For all the tech savvy people, Dance India Dance Season 3 has devised a new way to make life easy! For the very first time, a dance enthusiast can escape the long queues and audition online!

A participant can record his/her dance moves on any form of video format and upload it on the micro site www.danceindiadance.zeetv.com and get a chance to jump the queue and perform in front of the judges. With 2 easy steps one can upload videos of their performance, share it online with anybody and everybody under the sun. The top 3 performers who get maximum ?likes? will get a chance to perform directly in front of the three mentors - Remo, Terence and Geeta, at the Mumbai Mega Auditions.

It?s a first of its kind initiative taken up by DID to allow contestants to submit videos of their performance on their micro site giving aspiring dancers residing in remote parts of the country a fair chance to participate in the auditions. This site will also provide all the details (Dates, Venue, latest updates, and news stories) regarding the auditions.

So don?t get upset if you missed your chance to participate in the city auditions or could not make it to the nearest audition venue. Simply get your video recorded and click the computer mouse. Says who that life does not give a second chance? Just log on, share and prove that you were "BORN TO DANCE."