Canine Choreographers Dance Their Way Into Viewers' Hearts in Animal Planet's DANCING WITH DOGS

Canine Choreographers Dance Their Way Into Viewers' Hearts in Animal Planet's DANCING WITH DOGS

- Actor and Comedian Alec Mapa Hosts the Canine Freestyle Event on December 6 at 9 PM -

SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Animal Planet's new special DANCING WITH DOGS introduces viewers to a different kind of dance competition, where two legs are optional, wacky wardrobes are encouraged, and incidental bathroom breaks are common. Centered around the sport of musical canine freestyle, DANCING WITH DOGS features dog-and-owner dance teams at all levels -- beginner through advanced -- as they dance to rock 'n'roll, hip-hop, classical and country. Hosted by actor and comedian Alec Mapa, this international competition showcases the bond established between dog and owner on their quest to conquer top prize. From poodles to Newfoundlands to golden retrievers, all types of dogs are represented, and while some may have four left feet, their spunk and personalities make up for what they lack in grace. These teams come from all over the world, putting their heart and soul into their performances in hopes of winning the World Canine Freestyle Organization's International Competition and the coveted Animal Planet Cup.

Serving as host and commentator for DANCING WITH DOGS is actor and comedian Alec Mapa, who has appeared on Broadway and in such series as Friends, Roseanne, NYPD Blue, Seinfeld and Melrose Place. Most recently, Alec has made appearances on the hit comedies Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty. Alec is a dog lover, and he's taken the new canine freestyle moves he learned during DANCING WITH DOGS back home to his two dogs Ozzy and Sweet Pea. "I've been dancing with my dogs for years," says Alec. "At last, it's so exciting to know that I'm not alone. There are others out there dancing with dogs, and it's time to go public!"

Premiering on Saturday, December 6, at 9 PM (ET/PT), DANCING WITH DOGS is a two-hour celebration of musical canine freestyle as it follows 28 dance teams from their months of preparation before the competition through their pre-performance jitters ... up to the very moment they take the stage. After every unique performance, our panel of canine freestyle experts judges each team on their technical and creative merits. With intricate moves like spins, weaves, jumps and distance work, contestants practice for months to attain technical perfection in their heelwork, but they also must exude creativity in costumes and props to earn a top creative score. This is a serious competition, and any missteps, such as "fouling" in the ring (bathroom accidents), or baiting the canine contestants with treats can lead to disqualification.

This year, the competition is steep as favorites Vera, a seven-year-old English golden retriever, and her owner Cassandra Hartman face up against rivals Laurie Sullivan and her eight-year-old golden retriever Timber. Also in the running are Carrie Neri and her Australian Shepherd, Callaway; they might not be the most technically sound team, but with Carrie and Callaway's sequins and spandex, their creative score is unrivaled. The juniors also have a competitive race as International Junior Champion Natasja Muskee of Holland battles veteran competitor Nick Massey for the junior title.

DANCING WITH DOGS takes place at a World Canine Freestyle Organization (WCFO) competition. Founded in 1999, the World Canine Freestyle Organization strives to promote the joys of pet ownership through this unique activity in hopes of raising worldwide awareness for this team sport. Founder, Patie Ventre, is a trained skater and ballroom dancer; she is featured in DANCING WITH DOGS with her mixed breed Sassy and her border collie Dancer.

DANCING WITH DOGS is produced for Animal Planet by World of Wonder. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato and Tom Campbell are the executive producers for World of Wonder, and Mick Kaczorowski is the executive producer at Animal Planet.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 95 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

Source: Animal Planet

CONTACT: Erin Pryor of Animal Planet, +1-240-662-6781,
Erin_Pryor-CW@discovery.com

Web site: http://www.animalplanet.com/
http://www.discovery.com/

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