Dance Brothers will be available on Netflix on Wednesday, May 10. The next dance drama is expected to premiere on the streaming site at 3 a.m. ET. The drama series, which stars Roderick Kabanga, Samuel Kujala, and Jeanerick Muyima, among others, has Max/Mahsa Malka as the creator and producer. According to the OTT giant, the Finnish series is about two dancer brothers who are aiming to build a dance club.
According to the summary published by the streamer:
“Over time, their artistic drive clashes with their new business and what it requires to succeed.” Their fraternal friendship grows strained as they attempt to strike the perfect balance between staying afloat and pursuing their aspirations.”
Dance Brothers were written by Malka, Reeta Ruotsalainen, and Leo Viirret and have been described as “inspiring, bittersweet, and heartfelt” by Netflix. The future performance will be directed by Taito Kawata. In addition to the aforementioned actors, the drama’s cast also features Cristal Snow, Oksana Lommi, Lauri Lohi, Fanni Noroila, Josefiina Kotajärvi, Andrew Taua’i, and Pietari Kauppinen.
Dance Brothers will showcase “the very best of Finnish creativity,” according to its founder.
Dance Brothers is apparently the first Finnish series to premiere globally on the streaming service. According to Variety, the yet-to-be-released show was shot in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki in March of last year. Endemol Shine Finland’s inaugural written production is billed as a young-adult drama series.
Malka described it as a “special project,” telling the publication:
“(Dance Brothers is) a blend of high-quality drama, exciting dance, and a diverse cast of performers.” Not only is it a unique and ground-breaking perspective on the dance genre, but it is also a particular endeavor…We’ve established a series that will highlight the finest of Finnish inventiveness on all levels.”
According to The Futon Critic, season one of the planned series will include ten episodes and will broadcast from 3:01 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. EST. However, it is unclear if all of the episodes would be available at the same time. Dance Brothers will also be carried on YLE, the Finnish state broadcaster, in addition to Netflix. Endemol Shine Finland’s Head of Scripted Programs, Malka, is also an executive producer, with the company’s MD, Unne Sormunen.
When questioned about the project, Banijay’s head of narrative, Lars Blomgren, told Variety:
“It’s an ambitious show with a unique story, so finding the right partners was critical, and Max Malka was able to do it thanks to her stellar track record.”
It’s worth noting that, despite the fact that the new Netflix series is a dance drama, the music department has some fresh faces. Elja Markkanen and Elias Salmenkallio, recognized for their work on Into the Forest I Go (2017), have been tapped to compose the music for Dance Brothers.
Not to mention Dance 100, the reality series Dance Monsters: A Dance Competition, the ballet drama Tiny Pretty Things, the junior competitive dance show Baby Ballroom, Dancing Queen (2018 docuseries about Alyssa Edwards aka Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson), and the five-episode series We Speak Dance, among many others.
