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The Greatest Dancer: Everything you need to know

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Watch the trailer (Pictures: 91Èȱ¬ One)

The Greatest Dancer is hitting our screens in January 2019.

The brand new Saturday night entertainment show will search the country high and low for - you guessed it - the nation's greatest dancer.

Alesha Dixon, who will be co-hosting the show, told Newsround: "If you love dance, you are going to absolutely love this show. It celebrates all things dance."

So here's everything you need to know about it!

Who's in the Greatest Dancer?

The show will have three dance captains - multi-platinum-selling singer Cheryl, Broadway and Glee star Matthew Morrison and Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse.

Meanwhile, BGT star Alesha Dixon and Diversity's Jordan Banjo will be hosting the programme.

And, of course, it will feature a whole host of dancers of all ages competing for the title of the nation's smoothest mover.

Cheryl said: "I'm so excited to be part of The Greatest Dancer! I'm looking for acts with real passion, who are going to push boundaries and give it their all, no matter what challenges are thrown at them."

How does the Greatest Dancer work?

The show is different because right from the beginning, the audience is in charge.

I can't wait for you guys to see what it's all about, I can't wait for you to see the talent. Trust me, you're gonna love it!

— Jordan Banjo, The Greatest Dancer co-host

A dancer will enter an audition room which is almost like a rehearsal space and dance in front of a panel of mirrors, as if they're on their own - but the audience can actually see them.

If enough audience members vote that they like the dancer, the mirrors will dramatically slide open to reveal a packed audience of around 2,500 people - including the three dance captains.

Jordan explains: "It doesn't matter if it's a trained dancer and I'm sitting there going "that's technically amazing." If someone comes on and they make you smile and they make you happy and you love what they do, then they can go through."

Image source, PA
Image caption,

The three dance captains are Broadway and Glee star Matthew Morrison, multi-platinum-selling singer Cheryl and Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse

Once the dance is over, the dancer will talk with the dance captains. "We can talk about what we liked and what could have been better in their performances, and then they go on to the next call-back stage," says Matthew.

At this point, the dance captains will have the difficult job of choosing just three acts each from everyone who went through, to mentor and take through to the live shows.

"That's going to be pretty hard!" Matthew added.

What dances are included?

In short, everything.

At the red carpet launch, Alesha told Newsround: "Whether it's ballet, tap, modern, contemporary, Latin, ballroom, hip hop or Bhangra. If you love it, we've got it."

Oti added: "I'm excited about all of the genres. I love that it's not just Latin and ballroom. There's a lot of street dance, a lot of musical theatre, some Breakdancing - all of those styles get to come together and be at the forefront. It's literally only and all about dancing. That's what's so exciting about it."

To Newsround viewers watching the Greatest Dancer, I hope you're inspired by the show, I hope it brings you joy and you can have fun, and I hope it teaches you that whatever you want to do in life, you can go and there and achieve it if you've got the determination.

— Alesha Dixon, The Greatest Dancer co-host

When is the Greatest Dancer on TV?

The Greatest Dancer starts on 91Èȱ¬ One at 8pm on Saturday 5th January 2019.