CodeBlack Entertainment Inks Deal With 'The Dance Insider' to Release DVD Series Featuring Top Celebrity Choreographer Shane Sparks and More

CodeBlack Entertainment Inks Deal With 'The Dance Insider' to Release DVD Series Featuring Top Celebrity Choreographer Shane Sparks and More

Debut Release Dance/Fitness DVD 'The Dance Insider Presents: Shane Sparks' Dance Stylz' Scheduled for December 2009

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- CodeBlack Entertainment has united with premier dance brand The Dance Insider to develop and distribute a series of dance/fitness DVDs featuring some of America's top choreographers and dance crews, including popular personalities such as celebrity choreographers Shane Sparks (So You Think You Can Dance, America's Best Dance Crew) and Marty Kudelka (clients include Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez), dance crew The Beat Freaks (America's Best Dance Crew) and others. The debut release from this partnership will feature Sparks' "The Dance Insider Presents: Shane Sparks' Dance Stylz," scheduled to hit stores December 1, 2009.

Sparks is an award-winning, internationally-recognized and celebrated choreographer, perhaps best known for his work as a celebrity judge on MTV's Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew. He was handpicked by executive producer Nigel Lythgoe to serve as a celebrity choreographer on Fox's hit show So You Think You Can Dance and has earned numerous accolades, including an American Choreography Award for his work in the hit film "You Got Served," an Emmy nomination, and a BET Award. In addition, Sparks remains a favorite choreographer to chart-topping recording artists such as Lindsay Lohan, Corbin Bleu, Omarion, Marques Houston and others.

In 'Dance Stylz,' Sparks' renowned hip hop dance techniques serve as a high-energy cardio dance program designed to provide aspiring dancers, fitness buffs or anyone interested in burning a few calories a fun-filled workout. Accompanied by celebrity guest and co-instructor Francia Raisa (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Bring it On: All or Nothing), Sparks helps viewers dance, have fun and shed pounds all at the same time. With over 72 minutes of cardio-packed, customized dance fitness instruction, Sparks has choreographed 3 new dance routines exclusively for the program inspired by today's hottest dance styles.

In addition, Sparks offers a noteworthy bonus for both first timers and aspiring professional dancers alike, including an up-close-and-personal tutorial with tips on everything from how to perfect new moves to sharing key insights on how to establish a career in the dance industry for anyone considering dance as a full-time pursuit.

Sparks sees this new project as an extension of his work as an instructor, choreographer and mentor and is thrilled about the resurgence in popularity for the art form with so many dance-themed projects on television, film and other platforms.

"My mission is to change the world through dance, that's why I am excited to embark on this new adventure with 'Dance Stylz,'" said Sparks. "It's all about having fun while losing weight through dance. There's nothing like being confident in yourself and a star on the dance floor. . .that's what you'll get from this DVD!!"

CodeBlack Entertainment Executive Vice President and General Manager Quincy Newell is thrilled to partner with The Dance Insider to offer this series of dance-inspired projects, which will also include instructional iPhone and iPod Touch apps as well as DVDs.

"Our alignment with The Dance Insider provides us the unique ability to create compelling content that is authentic and leverages select celebrity talent, such as Shane Sparks, from today's popular dance TV shows," said Newell. "We are looking forward to the future of this exciting and creative new partnership."

For The Dance Insider, the deal with CodeBlack offers a perfect opportunity to leverage the current popularity and mainstream appeal for dance culture sweeping America. Executive Producer Kevin Columbus and partner Carrie Ann Inaba are delighted to bring these products to the dance audience and others interested in the dance world.

"We're excited about the partnership with CodeBlack Entertainment and Shane Sparks," said Columbus. "The Dance Insider brand provides an important platform for the industry on the web, television and through our branded offerings that's been created by dancers for dancers and dance enthusiasts."

The Dance Insider Presents: Shane Sparks' Dance Stylz DVD will be available at retail in December with an MSRP of $19.99. Prior to its availability in stores, the DVD will be available through a direct response consumer campaign.

ABOUT CODEBLACK ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

CodeBlack Enterprises LLC is the first African American-owned new media & entertainment company. CodeBlack Enterprises' reach is all-encompassing, from production and national distribution of feature films to its innovative e-commerce arm. The company's portfolio consists of CodeBlack Entertainment and CodeBlack Interactive. CodeBlack Entertainment is the first African American-owned film studio, engaged in the business of producing, acquiring, marketing and distributing quality content to today's urban consumer across a variety of traditional and digital platforms. The studio, which is both independent and vertically integrated, was created out of the necessity for the positive representation of African Americans in film. CodeBlack Interactive focuses on distributing content across digitally interactive platforms, including global distribution to mobile and digital carriers such as CodeBlackTV, a broadband on-demand channel, by which viewers can download, stream and deliver CodeBlack properties over the internet. The company's home on the Web is http://www.codeblack.com/.

ABOUT THE DANCE INSIDER

Recognizing the undeniable force of dance on popular society, Kevin Columbus and Carrie Ann Inaba teamed up to create The Dance Insider. The Dance Insider's goal is unite the dance community and the resources of that community to produce incredible content for the internet, television, films and DVDs. They realized there was a need to bring the dance community together in the online space so they launched this endeavor with TheDanceInsider.com, the premier dance social network. This network is supported by The Dizzy Feet Foundation as the official online social network of the dance community. TheDanceInsider.com is the new top resource for everything dance, which provides and creates compelling original dance programming and gives the popular dance community a place and platform to share its incredible talent. Its key component is the network, thedanceinsider.com. The goal of this network is to bring the dance community together by allowing dance professionals and dance fans to interact directly by sharing ideas and information related to dance. Members of the network can upload their favorite dance videos both original and mainstream, and share links to other dance websites as well as pictures, upcoming dance events and their thoughts on anything and everything dance. It also gives dance professionals the chance to grow their fan base, which will propel their own careers and further the strength of the voice of dance directors, choreographers, and dancers. For more information, visit www.thedanceinsider.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Universal Music Group

CONTACT: Seanna Hore of Vivendi Entertainment, +1-818-286-4523,
Seanna.hore@vivendient.com; or Tosha Whitten-Griggs of FrontPage
Communications, +1-202-246-7875, twhittengriggs@sbcglobal.net

Web Site: http://www.codeblack.com/
http://www.thedanceinsider.com/

---

Profile: International Entertainment