Keep ‘em guessing
Fox introduces ‘The Masked Dancer’
Who’s
behind the mask? Find out with Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine,” 2010) as he hosts the series premiere of “The Masked Dancer,” airing Sunday, Dec. 27, on Fox.
A spinoff of the network’s hit series “The Masked Singer,” “The Masked Dancer” shares more with its mother show than just a similar name. Based on the same premise but featuring a different art form at its core, this new series shines the spotlight on heavily disguised celebrity contestants performing dance routines while a team of superstar panelists tries to guess their identity. It won’t be an easy task, though; every contestant will be wearing both a mask and a full-length costume to conceal any potentially distinguishing features.
The panelists include singer Paula Abdul (“American Idol”), actor and former “Masked Singer” contestant Brian Austin Green (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”), actress Ashley Tisdale (“High School Musical,” 2006) and comedian Ken Jeong (“The Hangover,” 2009), who’s been a staple of “The Masked Singer” since its conception in early January 2019.
A toe-tapping phenomenon, “The Masked Dancer” — like the “Singer” series — relies on more than just the cunning guesses of its esteemed panelists. Following a video full of clues to further confuse the panelists, they wager their guesses on the megastar behind the mask. While the panelists rack their brains to make sense of the clues they were given, the audience votes for their favorite contestants with the hope of seeing them move forward in the competition. Each week after the votes are tabulated, the losing singer is unmasked, revealing their true identity.
For those of you familiar with “The Masked Singer,” no doubt this all sounds very familiar to you, but do not panic — there are still some changes to be had beyond the name and the art form. Fox has announced that each contestant on “The Masked Dancer” will perform a different style of dance with their own masked partner (à la “Dancing with the Stars” … kind of).
Interestingly enough for those of you who may be less familiar with the show’s concept, although both series are current U.S. productions, the concept for these masked shows is actually based on a South Korean television series called “King of Mask Singer.” Spotting the gem while travelling in Thailand, executive producer Craig Plestis (“Minute to Win It”) was intrigued by the format and, after lengthy chats with the show’s production company, he secured the rights to produce an American version of his very own.
Throughout its four seasons to date, “The Masked Singer” has proven to be incredibly popular, having become one of the highest-rated, non-sports, unscripted programs in the United States. Apart from its American (and, naturally, South Korean) cult following, the show has spread worldwide, although it’s usually modified to fit each country’s culture during production. Some of the countries where the series has really taken off include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Slovakia, Israel, Russia, Greece, Ukraine and Finland.
And while the idea for “The Masked Singer” came to Plestis while immersed in Asian culture, the idea for “The Masked Dancer” came about in a much more roundabout way. After the first episode of “The Masked Singer” aired, Ellen DeGeneres (“The Ellen DeGeneres Show”) introduced a spoof version of it called “The Masked Dancer” on her talk show. The segment was an instant hit, with some of the panelists from “The Masked Singer” — including Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger (“Men in Black 3,” 2012) — joining in the fun. Even the show’s host, Nick Cannon (“Drumline,” 2002), participated.
After DeGeneres’ show aired the spoof, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” producers were contacted by Fox about the possibility of a television series based on her “The Masked Dancer” segment. In January 2020, at its winter Television Critics Association press tour, Fox announced a co-operative production between itself and Warner Brothers, and thus “The Masked Dancer” was born as a standalone series.
Casting for “The Masked Dancer” started in January 2020, and filming followed shortly thereafter. The format of the show, as mentioned, remained true to its parent program — from the premise to the costumes and the clues — though it was, in some ways, much trickier than the “The Masked Singer.” As singing can easily be done solo, it is not uncommon for dance routines to be performed in pairs or in a team (not to mention that it also brings an element of pizzazz and added confusion to the piece when it features multiple moving parts). So, although we might see a couple of solo performances throughout the pioneer season, be prepared for most dances to be performed in a coupling or group.
Also crucial to the show’s main format is secrecy — an element that goes beyond the stage and penetrates the very fabric of the show’s production. To safely ensure that a celebrity’s identity isn’t revealed prior to a pre-recorded show being aired, non-disclosure agreements are standard issue for all those involved. And because the panelists might be able to identify several stars by their management team and assistants, costumes and makeup are necessary for the team of the performing star at all times on set as well.
A-list celebrities are all set to take the stage in “The Masked Dancer,” and you can rest assured that the same amount of care and thought will go into designing and handcrafting the costumes for this show as went into the costumes for all four seasons of “The Masked Singer.” And since the show’s contestants will be performing a dance number, the costumes must also be appropriately designed to accommodate freedom of movement.
According to the trailer for the upcoming series, released in November, some of the disguises you’ll see on this new show will include cotton candy, an exotic bird, a sloth, a zebra, a tulip and a cricket. Any guesses yet?
Make sure you don’t miss out on the series premiere of “The Masked Dancer” airing Sunday, Dec. 27, on Fox.