Superstars of Dance

On November 17, 2008 NBC announced it had ordered a new reality program titled Superstar Dancers of the World, which would feature competitors from eight international teams and would be produced by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe of American Idol fame.[1] NBC billed the show as "equal parts sporting event, rock concert, and artistic exhibition" and Lythgoe called it "the most challenging and exhilarating project I've ever done."[1] By mid-December, the show was renamed Superstars of Dance and the debut was set for January 4, 2009. Michael Flatley was chosen to host, and Susie Castillo was given a co-hosting position.

Superstars of Dance differs from similar TV dance competitions in a number of ways. It features professionals instead of amateurs, including several world champions. Additionally, the contestants were chosen by their respective countries, rather than by the show's producers. Flatley has said Superstars is a lot like a sporting competition, even comparing it the Olympic Games.[2]

The winners are not decided by audience votes, but rather by a panel of eight judges. The producers felt that it would be unfair to decide the winner by phone-in votes, assuming the American public would probably just vote for the American team.[3] Furthermore, unlike most reality-based competition shows, Superstars does not have a live component.

The show was heavily promoted by NBC and widely anticipated, making several "best bets" programming guides.[4][5][6][7] The promotion paid off, as the show debuted with a 6.3 rating share representing an estimated 10.5 million viewers in a difficult time slot against ABC's mega-hit Desperate Housewives.

The teams

Superstars of Dance features a group, a duet, and two soloists from each of eight countries - Argentina, Australia, China, India, Ireland, Russia, South Africa and United States. Most of the contestants perform professionally as dancers full-time and several are world champions, or have otherwise achieved the highest honor available in their respective genres. Many of the contestants took time off their world tours in order to participate.

Several participants have connections to a previous Lythgoe and Fuller dance show, So You Think You Can Dance. Anya Garnis, Pasha Kovalev, Giselle Peacock, and Robert Muraine were all contestants on that show, while Jason Gilkison[8] and Nakul Dev Mahajan choreographed for it. Henry Byalikov was a contestant on the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance.

Team/Country	Soloists	Duet	Group	Coach
Argentina	Carolina Cerisola, Miriam Larici	Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo	Los Huincas Gauchos	Sandar
India	Amrapali Ambegaokar, Mythili Prakash	Nishi Munshi & Sangita Sanyal	Bollywood Dancers	Nakul Dev Mahajan
Australia	Sean Robinson, Reed Luplau	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock	Australian Dance Theatre	Jason Gilkison, Garry Stewart
South Africa	Sduduzo Ka-Mbili, Mamela Nyanza	Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides	Umojo	Tandinkosi "Tandi" Bhengu
USA	Robert Muraine, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards	Georgia Ambarian & Eric Luna	Groovaloos	Marguerite Derricks
Ireland	Damien O'Kane†, Kelly Hendry	Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn	Irish Stepdancing Team (from Lord of the Dance)	Marie Duffy Pask
Russia	Julia Bantner, Maria Kochetkova	Anya Garnis & Pasha Kovalev‡	The Cossacks	Stanislav Issaev
China	Bei Zheng, Yang Yanan	Zhen Zhu Zheng & An Na	Shaolin: Wheel of Life	Matthew Ahmet

^†Damien O'Kane was replaced by Bernadette Flynn for the semi-final round of the competition.
^‡Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis was replaced by Pasha & Aliona Riazantsev for the semi-final round of the competition
Competitors in bold won their respective categories.

The judges

The panel of eight judges rank each contestant on a 1-10 scale. Each participating country has one judge on the panel, but judges are forbidden from voting for their own country's contestants. The panel is made up of highly respected choreographers and retired dancers.

Team/Country	Judge
Argentina	Maria Pogee
India	Shirish Dayal
Australia	Kelley Abbey
South Africa	Harold Van Buuren
USA	Tony Selznick
Ireland	Daire Nolan
Russia	Mikhail Smirnov
China	Master Wang Haiyang

The first episode of Superstars of Dance, was aired on Sunday, January 4, 2009. After, host Michael Flatley introduced the show's format, co-host, and judges competition got underway with a Lord of the Danceesque number from the Irish group entry. The crowd reacted enthusiastically and the judges awarded 65 points out of a possible 70.[9]

Next to perform was popper Robert Muraine from the United States. His routine brought a standing ovation but the judges weren't sure what to think and gave 57 points. Carolina Cerisola followed with a Tango-influenced Jazz routine using a top hat and chair, earning 58 points for Argentina. Russian couple Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis took the stage next and did a Latin-inspired ballroom number. The crowd loved it and the judges award 64 points. Next Indian duo Nishi Munshi and Sangita Sanyal performed a Bollywood style dance about two sisters who are in love with the same guy. The judges give them just 51 points. South African judge Harold Van Buuren remarked that they weren't up to competition level standards.[9]

Tap dancer Sean Robinson, representing Australia, and ribbon dancer Bei Zheng, representing China, followed. Robinson earned 57 points, while Zheng got just 51, causing protests from the crowd. South African group Umojo then took the stage to perform a gumboot dance inspired by the country's history. Wearing miners' costumes, the group accentuated their performance with trash can drums and chanting/singing. They received 57 points for their efforts. A group from the Australian Dance Theatre dance company follows, performing a contemporary routine which mixes several styles. They also received 57 points. Next, Damien O'Kane performs a solo hardshoe routine with a contemporary spin. The judges give mixed reviews and he ends up with 58 points, tying him for first thus far. Next, it is Sduduzo Ka-mbili's turn. Representing South Africa, he does a Zulu warrior dance called the "Power of Juxta."[10] The routine features athletic kicks and jumps, and is awarded 55 points.[9]

The climactic scene of the Shaolin Monks' performance, in which a monk is suspended on four sharp spears

American duo Georgia Amabarian and Eric Luna then performed a Cabaret number. The routine featured several difficult lifts, but not as much foot work. The judges' opinions are mixed, ranging from several 7s to a 10 from Ireland, for 57 total points. Next is a traditional tango, performed by Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo of Argentina. Their routine was loved by the audience and the judges award two 10s and 65 points overall. Russian soloist Julia Bantner followed with a contemporary dance number that earned just 50 points.[9] Amrapali Ambegaokar, representing India, did a traditional North Indian dance wearing traditional clothing, including bells on her feet. The number ended with a long spin sequence causing an enthusiastic crowd response. The judges award her 62 points — the highest solo score of the night.[9]

Last, the Shaolin Monks performed their group effort. They combined Kung Fu, acrobatics, weaponry, and music to create a unique dance experience. The routine featured jumps, kicks, rolls, and mock fighting. The number ended with one group member being suspended in mid-air on four sharp spears. The crowd went wild and the judges were impressed as well. Judge Harold Van Buuren called it "the performance of the evening" and the monks receive 66 points, the highest score given to any act.[9]

Country	Dancers/Style	Judges' Scores								Totals			Grand Total
										Solo	Duet	Group
Argentina	Carolina Cerisola (Jazz Solo) Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo (Tango Duet)	N/A	8 9	8 9	7 10	9 10	9 9	9 9	8 9	58	65	N/A	123
India	Nishi Munshi & Sangita Sanyal (Bollywood Duet) Amarpali Ambegaokar (Kathak Solo)	9 9	N/A	7 9	6 8	7 9	7 9	8 9	7 9	62	51	N/A	113
Australia	Sean Robinson (Tap Solo) Australian Dance Theater (Group)	9 9	8 8	N/A	8 9	8 8	8 7	8 8	8 8	57	N/A	57	114
South Africa	Umojo (Gumboot Dance Group) Sduduzo Ka-Mbili (Zulu Dancer Solo)	8 8	8 8	9 7	N/A	8 9	8 7	8 8	8 8	55	N/A	57	112
USA	Robert Muraine (Popping Solo) Georgia Ambarian & Eric Luna (Cabaret Duet)	8 7	7 9	9 7	9 7	N/A	8 10	8 9	8 8	57	57	N/A	114
Ireland	Irish Stepdancing (Group) Damien O'Kane (Irish Step Dance Solo)	10 9	9 9	9 8	9 7	10 8	N/A	9 8	9 9	58	N/A	65	123
Russia	Pasha Kovalev & Anya Garnis (Latin Ballroom Duet) Julia Bantner (Contemporary Solo)	8 7	9 7	9 7	9 7	10 7	10 8	N/A	9 7	50	64	N/A	114
China	Bei Zheng (Ribbon Solo) Shaolin Monks (Group)	8 9	7 9	7 10	7 10	8 10	7 9	7 9	N/A	51	N/A	66	117

The second episode of Superstars of Dance aired on January 5, 2009. The show marked the end of the quarterfinals and with it the first eliminations. At the end of the evening, eight soloists, two duos, and two groups were eliminated.

The evening started with a high-energy group number from the Argentinian trio "Los Huincas Gauchos." Their routine mixed weaponry, drum playing, and hand clapping, but was relatively low on dance steps. The Argentinian judge, Maria Pogee, remarked that the group "didn't do everything they were supposed to." The trio received 48 points, the lowest score of the competition to that point. India's second soloist, Mythili Prakash, went next, performing a traditional South Indian routine. Her performance earned 58 points. Indian coach Nakul Dev Mahajan is baffled by the score, saying Prakash "sets the standard" for her style of dance". South African judge Harold Van Buuren replies that "there is always room for improvement." Next, Irish step-dancer Kelly Hendry performed a traditional dance with a bit of a contemporary twist. The judges gave her 56 points.

The Australia duo Henry Byalikov and Giselle Peacock went next, and scored 56 points for a Latin-inspired ballroom number. Following them was another ballroom duo — Victor Da Silva and Claudia Savvides of South Africa — who choose to do a "show piece" rather than a typical ballroom routine. Their lift heavy Rumba-esque dance scored 59 points. Following the ballroom acts, Yang Yanan took the stage to perform with single and double whips. The crowd is enthused by his use of the weaponry, but the judges feel the act lacks in actual dancing. In the end, Yang received only 51 points, causing the audience to boo loudly.

Next up was American tap dancer, Dormesia Sumbry-Edwards. She did a classic routine to typewriter sounds that was originally from a Jerry Lewis movie.[11] The crowd liked it, but was again disappointed as the judging panel awarded just 55 points. Following her, a group of Russians performed a traditional Cossack dance. According to the judges, their act was acrobatic and full of energy, but lacked in technical precision. They earned 51 points for their efforts.

The show continued with the India group entry. Their coach describes the act as a big celebration that makes the audience want to get up and join in but the judges are unimpressed. The group does, however, score enough to advance to the next round: 54 points. Next Mamela Nyamza, representing South Africa, performed a tribal piece about a woman frustrated with her marriage and life. Her interpretive routine featured a lot of screaming and writhing around on the floor, stunning the studio audience — little applause is heard. The judges, however, loved the number and award Nyamza with 58 points.

Miriam Larici then returned for a solo performance (she had a duet the previous night) in which she attempted to create a one-person tango. She brought in 57 points for Argentina, 8 less than she and partner Leonardo Barrionuevo received the night prior. Ireland's duo was up next, with married couple Damien O'Kane and Bernadette Flynn attempting to bring a romantic twist to traditional Irish step-dancing. For the most part, the judges liked what they saw and gave the couple 58 points.

The final duo to perform was Zhen Zhu Zheng and An Nan of China. The two are part of an acrobatic troupe and incorporate that training into their routine. Among other moves, An does a full turn en pointe atop Zhen's shoulders. The crowd cheered loudly, but the judges gave mixed reviews. A few judges gave high marks for the incredible difficulty of the routine, but most said it was not actually a dance routine. The duo ends up with 53 points.

Russian ballerina Maria Kochetkova came next with what the judges call a beautiful and technically precise number. The performance ended with a long spin sequence and received 9's across the board, for a total of 63 points, making it the highest scoring solo of the competition to date. Reed Luplau followed with the final solo of the quarterfinals. His routine featured several high leaps across the stage and garnered a strong audience reaction. The judges awarded 65 points, highest among all soloists. At this point the eight highest soloists are to be advanced into the semi-finals. Lauplau and Kochetkova advances, as well as dancers from Argentina, South Africa, Ireland, and both soloists from India. However, there was a three-way tie for the eighth spot. A tie breaking vote was called for and Robert Muraine received 4 of the 5 tie-break votes to advance.

The final act of the quarterfinals is the United States' group entry, The Groovaloos. The group consists of one girl and nine guys, including one member, Steven, who was recently hit by a stray bullet and told he would never walk again.[11] Their street dance number began with Steven being rolled out on a stretcher. The other nine start running, leaping, and dancing about the stage and pretty soon Steven gets up and joins in the action. The studio audience cheered loudly and the judges award 67 points, including four 10s. It is the highest score given to any act in the competition to date.

Country	Dancers/Style	Judges' Scores								Totals			Grand Total
										Solo	Duet	Group
Argentina	Los Huincas Gauchos (Group) Miriam Larici (Tango-style Solo)	N/A	7 8	7 8	6 8	7 8	6 8	8 9	7 8	57	N/A	48	105
India	Mythili Prakash (Bharata-Natyam Solo) Bollywood Dancers (Group)	9 7	N/A	8 8	8 7	9 9	8 8	8 7	8 8	58	N/A	54	112
Australia	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock (Ballroom duet) Reed Luplau (Contemporary solo)	8 9	8 10	N/A	8 9	8 9	8 9	8 10	8 9	65	56	N/A	121
South Africa	Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides (Ballroom duet) Mamela Nyamza (Afro-fusion solo)	8 9	8 8	8 9	N/A	9 8	8 8	9 8	9 8	58	59	N/A	117
USA	Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (Tap Solo) The Groovaloos (Street dance group)	7 9	8 9	8 10	7 10	N/A	9 9	8 10	8 10	55	N/A	67	122
Ireland	Kelly Hendry (Irish step dance solo) Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn (Irish step dance duet)	8 8	8 8	8 8	8 8	8 8	N/A	8 9	8 9	56	58	N/A	114
Russia	The Cossacks (Group) Maria Kochetkova (Ballet solo)	7 9	7 9	7 9	7 9	8 9	7 9	N/A	8 9	63	N/A	51	114
China	Yang Yanan (Weaponry solo) Zhen Zhu Zheng & An Nan (Acrobatics duet)	8 7	7 7	7 7	7 8	7 8	7 7	8 9	N/A	51	53	N/A	104

Standings after the quarter-finals

Overall standings

Place	Team	Ep. 1	Ep. 2	Total	Teams Remaining
1	Ireland	123	114	237	3 (solo, duet, group)
2	USA	114	122	236	3 (solo, duet, group)
3	Australia	114	121	235	3 (solo, duet, group)
4	South Africa	112	117	229	3 (solo, duet, group)
5 (tie)	Argentina	123	105	228	2 (solo, duet)
5 (tie)	Russia	114	114	228	2 (solo, duet)
7	India	113	112	225	3 (solo, solo, group)
8	China	117	104	221	1 (group)

Solo Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	Reed Luplau	Contemporary	65
2	Maria Kochetkova	Ballet	63
3	Amarpali Ambegaokar	Kathak	62
4 (tie)	Carolina Cerisola	Jazz	58
4 (tie)	Mythili Prakash	Bharata Natyam	58
4 (tie)	Mamela Nyanza	Afro-Fusion	58
4 (tie)	Damien O'Kane	Irish Step	58
8 (tie)	Robert Muraine	Popping	57	1
8 (tie)	Sean Robinson	Tap	57	Eliminated 1
8 (tie)	Miriam Larici	Tango	57	Eliminated 1
11	Kelly Hendry	Irish Step	56	Eliminated
12 (tie)	Dormesha Sumbry-Edwards	Tap	55	Eliminated
12 (tie)	Sduduzo Ka-Mbili	Zulu Warrior Dance	55	Eliminated
14 (tie)	Bei Zheng	Ribbon Dance	51	Eliminated
14 (tie)	Yang Yanan	Shaolin Weapon	51	Eliminated
16	Julia Bantner	Contemporary	50	Eliminated

¹Miriam Larici, Robert Muraine, and Sean Robinson were tied for 8th with 57 points going into the first elimination. Since only 8 could advance, a tie-breaking vote was called for from the five countries not involved. Muraine won four votes from South Africa, Ireland, Russia, and China, which put him through to the semifinal round. Robinson received one vote from India, while Larici received no votes.

Duet Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	Miriam Larci & Leonardo Barrionuevo	Tango	65
2	Pasha Kovalev & Anya Garnis	Ballroom	64
3	Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides	Ballroom	59
4	Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn	Irish Step	58
5	Georgia Ambarian & Eric Luna	Cabaret	57
6	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock	Ballroom	56
7	Zhen Zhu Zheng & An Nan	Acrobatics	53	Eliminated
8	Nishi Munshi & Sangita Sayal	Bollywood	51	Eliminated

Group Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	The Groovaloos	Street	67
2	Shaolin Monks	Kung-fu	66
3	The Irish	Irish Step	65
4 (tie)	Australian Dance Theater	Contemporary	57
4 (tie)	Umoja	Traditional Gumboot Dance	57
6	Bollywood Dancers	Bollywood	54
7	The Cossacks	Cossack Dance	51	Eliminated
8	Los Huincas Gauchos	Argentine Weapon	48	Eliminated

The third episode of Superstars of Dance aired on January 12, 2009. Three groups, three duos, and four soloists took the stage to compete in the first half of the semi-finals. Scores from the first round don't carry over, except for the master score board, so everyone started with a clean slate.

Leading off the show is the group entry from Australia. They bring a high-energy athletic number filled with countless spins, jumps, and rolls. The crowd enjoys it, as do the judges, awarding 62 points including a 10 from Russia. It's a marked improvement over the group's first round score of 57. Next up is the Irish duo Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn. They choose a sassier number which involves more movement from O'Kane than the duo's earlier performance. The judges' opinions are split with some enjoying it and others saying it "lacked fire," and the duo has to settle for 58 points.

The first soloist of the evening, Maria Kochetkova, is the next to take the stage. The Russian ballerina turns in a classic ballet number with clean, crisp lines, and countless pirouettes. Asked how she can do so much spinning without getting dizzy, she simply replies "practice makes perfect." The judges again love her performance and award 63 points — identical to her first round number. Next up is American popper Robert Muraine, the last soloist to make it into the semi-finals. His intro claims he never choreographs his numbers because he feels popping is a freestyle art. Muraine's semi-final performance involves noticeably more variation and movement then his previous set. The studio audience again enjoys his performance and this time the judges agree, awarding him with 61 points.

The South African group entry, Umojo, is the next act to return. They hit the floor with a powerful dance based on Zulu tribal war dances. Several members play drums, while others chant and sing. After the number concludes, a member is asked to explain the significance of the dance. He then demonstrates some traditional hunting and pre-war dance moves that they've incorporated into their performance. The judging panel awards 58 points. Next up are Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo of Argentina. They turn in a scorching hot tango, that brings praise and high scores from six of the seven judges. South African judge Harold Van Buuren is the lone dissenter, saying that Barrionuevo is not at the same level as Larici. The couple is questioned about the remark, and Barrionuevo essentially agrees with the critique saying he appreciates the advice. The couple ends up with 63 points.

Amrapali Ambegaokar is the first of India's two soloists to return to the stage. Her spins, bells, and smile again light up the stage as she performs another traditional North Indian piece. The judges give her 59 points for her efforts. Following her is the final soloist of the evening — Reed Luplau of Australia. He opts for a more powerful, rock-and-roll flavored number this time around. When he is done flipping and spinning about the stage, Ambegaokar is called back out - with four soloists performing this evening and only three spots available in the finals, one of them will have to go home. Amegaokar has the lowest score thus far, so it'll be either her or Luplau who departs. The judges are unimpressed by Luplau's performance and he ends up 1 point short of Amegaokar, with 58 points. Everyone is shocked to see the first round standout going home so soon and Luplau is not quite sure what to say in his final interview.

As the shock starts to wear off, it's time for the final duet of the evening. The honor belongs to Victor Da Silva and Claudia Savvides of South Africa. The couple decides to put it all on the line, bringing a brand new trick-laden piece to the floor. Savvides barely touches the floor, as Da Silva is constantly lifting her high in the air, often with only one arm. The number ends with Da Salva spinning his partner around several times above his head, much like a helicopter, then throwing her above his head; she lands completely wrapped around his body and slides down his body to the floor, holding the same position the whole way down. The judges appreciate the difficulty demonstrated but feel the tricks took away from the natural flow of the dance. The couple has to settle for 59 points and second place among duos thus far.

The night concludes with the return of the Groovaloos. Their introduction shows the American group getting a ballet lesson from the Russian coach. "About the only similarity [between the styles]," a group member quips, "is that both take years to get good at." The theme of tonight's performance is going to work. First they ride the subway, then the elevator; they clock in and begin work. The routine features several innovative movements including the girl of the group standing in for a robot that is being fine-tuned by the workers. Soon it's "break time" and the action really starts to pick up. Group members fly about the stage, rolling and jumping over each other at a break-neck pace. The group goes through several dance steps before the performance concludes with one member doing six consecutive back-flips in place.[12] The Groovaloos receive a standing ovation and 66 points from the judging panel.

During the Groovaloos post-performance interview, co-host Susie Susie Castillo brings up the idea of a skills battle between the Groovaloos and the Shaolin Monks. The American team is very enthusiastic about the idea and a showdown with the Shaolin Monks is set for next week's show.

Country	Dancers/Style	Judges' Scores								Totals			Grand Total
										Solo	Duet	Group
Argentina	Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo (Tango Duet)	N/A	9	9	7	10	9	10	9	N/A	63	N/A	63
India	Amarpali Ambegaokar (Kathak Solo)	9	N/A	8	8	8	8	9	9	59	N/A	N/A	59
Australia	Australian Dance Theater (Group) Reed Luplau (Contemporary Solo)	9 9	8 8	N/A	9 8	9 8	8 8	10 9	9 8	58	N/A	62	120
South Africa	Umoja (Gumboot Dance Group) Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides (Ballroom duet)	9 8	8 8	8 8	N/A	8 8	8 9	9 9	8 9	N/A	59	58	117
USA	Robert Muraine (Popping Solo) The Groovaloos (Street dance group)	8 10	9 9	9 10	9 9	N/A	8 9	9 10	9 9	61	N/A	66	127
Ireland	Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn (Irish step dance duet)	8	9	7	7	8	N/A	9	8	N/A	56	N/A	56
Russia	Maria Kochetkova (Ballet solo)	9	9	9	9	9	9	N/A	9	63	N/A	N/A	63
China	No competitors participating								N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0

The fourth episode of Superstars of Dance aired on January 19, 2009. The other three groups, the other three duets, and the other four soloists:

Country	Dancers/Style	Judges' Scores								Totals			Grand Total
										Solo	Duet	Group
Argentina	Carolina Cerisola (Latin Solo)	N/A	7	6	4	8	10	10	8	53	N/A	N/A	53
India	Bollywood Dancers (Group) Mythili Prakash (Bharata Natyam Solo)	8 8	N/A	7 7	7 7	8 8	7 8	8 8	8 8	54	N/A	53	107
Australia	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock (Ballroom Duet)	8	9	N/A	8	8	8	9	9	N/A	59	N/A	59
South Africa	Mamela Nyamza (Afro-Fusion Solo)	7	8	8	N/A	8	8	8	8	55	N/A	N/A	55
USA	Georgia Ambaria & Eric Luna (Cabaret Duet)	8	7	7	5	N/A	8	8	7	N/A	50	N/A	50
Ireland	Bernadette Flynn (Irish Step Dance Solo) The Irish (Group)	8 9	7 9	7 8	8 8	7 9	N/A	9 10	8 9	54	N/A	62	116
Russia	Pasha & Aliona Riazantsev (Magical Dance Duet)	7	8	6	3	8	10	N/A	9	N/A	51	N/A	51
China	Shaolin Monks (Group)	10	9	9	10	8	9	10	N/A	N/A	N/A	65	65

Standings after the semi-finals

Overall standings

Place	Team	Ep. 1	Ep. 2	Ep. 3	Ep. 4	Total	Teams remaining
1	Australia	114	121	120	59	414	2 (duet, group)
2	USA	114	122	127	50	413	2 (solo, group)
3	Ireland	123	114	56	116	409	0
4	South Africa	112	117	117	55	401	1 (duet)
5	India	113	112	59	107	391	1 (solo)
6	Argentina	123	105	63	53	344	1 (duet)
7	Russia	114	114	63	51	342	1 (solo)
8	China	117	104	0	65	286	1 (group)

Solo Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	Maria Kochetkova	Ballet	63
2	Robert Muraine	Popping	61
3	Amarpali Ambegaokar	Kathak	59
4	Reed Luplau	Contemporary	58	Eliminated
5	Mamela Nyamza	Afro-Fusion	55	Eliminated
6 (tie)	Mythili Prakash	Bharata Natyam	54	Eliminated
6 (tie)	Bernadette Flynn	Irish Step	54	Eliminated
8	Carolina Cerisola	Latin	53	Eliminated

Duet Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo	Tango	63
2 (tie)	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock	Ballroom	59
2 (tie)	Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides	Ballroom	59
4	Damien O'Kane & Bernadette Flynn	Irish Step	56	Eliminated
5	Pasha & Aliona Riazantsev	Magical Dance	51	Eliminated
6	Georgia Ambarian & Eric Luna	Cabaret	50	Eliminated

Group Standings

Place	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score	Notes
1	The Groovaloos	Street	66
2	Shaolin Monks	Kung-Fu	65
3 (tie)	Australian Dance Theatre	Contemporary	62	1
3 (tie)	The Irish	Irish Step	62	Eliminated 1
5	Umojo	Traditional Gumboot Dance	58	Eliminated
6	Bollywood Dancers	Bollywood	53	Eliminated

¹The Australian Dance Theatre and The Irish team were tied in 3rd place with 62 points going into the first elimination. Since only 3 could advance, a tiebreaking vote was called for from the six countries not involved. The Australian Dance Theater won five votes from Argentina, India, South Africa, USA, and Russia. The Irish won one vote from China.

Every performance is counted toward a country's overall standing, thus countries with multiple contestants advancing through the competition have a substantial advantage over countries with just one or two. The country with the most points at the end of the competition will be declared the winner and awarded the Superstars of Dance trophy.

Place	Team	Ep. 1	Ep. 2	Ep. 3*	Ep. 4*	Ep. 5	Total
1	USA	114	122	127	50	117	530
2	Australia	114	121	120	59	111	525
3	South Africa	112	117	117	55	59	460
4	India	113	112	59	107	56	447
5	Argentina	123	105	63	53	66	410
6	Ireland	123	114	56	116	0	409
7	Russia	114	114	63	51	65	407
8	China	117	104	0	65	57	343

^*The semi-finals were split over episodes 3 and 4, with an unbalanced number of contestants from each country participating in each episode.

• Bold font indicates the highest scoring team on a performance show.
• Italic font indicates the lowest scoring team on a performance show.

Solo Medals

Medal	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score
Gold	Maria Kochetkova	Ballet	65
Silver	Amrapali Ambegaokar	Kathak	56
Bronze	Robert Muraine	Popping	51

Duet Medals

Medal	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score
Gold	Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo	Tango	66
Silver	Victor Da Silva & Claudia Savvides	Ballroom	59
Bronze	Henry Byalikov & Giselle Peacock	Ballroom	58

Group Medals

Medal	Contestant(s)	Style of Dance	Score
Gold	The Groovaloos	Street	66
Silver	Shaolin Monks	Kung-Fu	57
Bronze	Australian Dance Theatre	Contemporary	53

• Episode recaps by Tamara Brooks at Zap2it.com: Episode 1 2 3
• Episode recaps by Sammi-T at TVgrapevine.com: Episode 1 2 3
• Episode recaps by Iguanachocolate at FansOfRealityTV.com: Episode 1 2

• Official website
• Superstars of Dance at IMDb
• Superstars of Dance at TV.com