Why Not Us: Southern Dance, the 3rd year of the acclaimed Why Not Us collection from Andscape and executive generated by NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Chris Paul, will premiere Thursday, August 11, solely on ESPN+. The new, eight-episode ESPN+ First will consider lovers at the rear of-the-scenes of Southern University’s dance line, the Dancing Dolls.
For more than 50 several years, the Dolls have established the common for collegiate dance lines nationwide. Run by the booming seems of the school’s marching band, the Human Jukebox, the Dancing Dolls drive the envelope with each and every overall performance, producing exceptional choreography stemming from their diverse dance backgrounds. Past the subject, the Dolls are job versions in their communities and characterize what it implies to be sturdy Black women, pushing the society with their expertise and artistry.
“The third year of Why Not Us will continue on to shine a spotlight on the great importance of HBCUs and celebrate the society and affect of these institutions,” stated Paul. “This time will emphasis on Southern University’s nationally acclaimed Dancing Dolls and will capture the drive, talent and eyesight of these effective black girls foremost the way.”
“We are so enthusiastic to showcase another unique facet of HBCU lifestyle in this year of Why Not Us,” said Brian Lockhart, Senior Vice President, Original Written content. “Over the past 50 several years, the Dancing Dolls have solidified their location in an elite tier of dancers and have demonstrated to be the foremost innovators amongst the nation’s prime dance groups. We are hunting forward to reaching additional sports admirers with their special tale.”
Like the very first two seasons of Why Not Us, which followed the North Carolina Central men’s basketball group and FAMU’s soccer plan, Why Not Us: Southern Dance will take a look at the distinct society, experiences and problems of an HBCU athletic application.
Coached by the magnetic Dr. Akai Smith, the Dolls navigate the rigors of practice, lessons and upholding the legacy of the Eternally Dolls that arrived in advance of them. Comprised of dancers from different locations throughout the region, the Amazing Dancing Dolls of Southern University mature in their craft, as students, and in lifetime.
Presented by Andscape, Why Not Us: Southern Dance is made by Roadside Amusement, Paul’s Ohh Dip!!! Productions, and ESPN+. The Why Not Us sequence highlights the ethos of remaining a scholar and university student-athlete at an HBCU. The collection spotlights the significance of these exceptional universities and who have done extra with considerably less.
Paul still left Wake Forest College early in advance of being picked No. 4 all round in the 2005 NBA Draft and is now operating towards a diploma at Winston-Salem Point out College. He has actively supported HBCUs for years, together with aiding with HBCU voting initiatives and partnering with Sour Patch Young ones and the Thurgood Marshall School Fund to produce The Mischief for Improve Scholarship, a faculty scholarship fund with a $1 million dedication in excess of the following 5 decades for students attending HBCUs. In November, he will host the next annual circuit of two HBCU occasions, the Raise Mobile HBCU Suggestion-Off and the Raise Cell HBCU Challenge Hosted by Chris Paul, in partnership with The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Paul was a short while ago appointed to President Biden’s advisory board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Paul partnered with Harvard Enterprise University to convey its Leisure, Media and Sports software to pick out HBCUs to build a pipeline for pupils pursuing professions in people industries.
About Andscape
Andscape is a Black media platform devoted to generating, highlighting, and uplifting the various tales of Black identity. Magnified by the power and attain of ESPN and The Walt Disney Corporation, the Andscape umbrella incorporates an editorial division, e-book publishing arm, film and television division, and new music publishing group – every united by the shared mission of illuminating the culture and working experience of Blackness. Founded in 2022, Andscape is a reimagination, enlargement and diversification of The Undefeated’s former platform.
About Ohh Dip!!! Productions
Ohh Dip!!! Productions collaborated with ESPN Films on Paul’s a few-aspect docuseries Chris Paul’s Chapter 3, which chronicles his offseason shift to the Houston Rockets in 2017, and the 2018 film Crossroads, which was generated by Roadside Leisure and follows a group of Black American boys in North Carolina who find a like for lacrosse and their team’s journey in overcoming adversity. Ohh Dip!!! generated Why Not Us: North Carolina Central College Men’s Basketball (ESPN+), an in-depth appear at the NCCU men’s basketball group, the issues they deal with on the courtroom, and what it indicates to engage in for an HBCU. In addition, Ohh Dip!!! manufactured Why Not Us: FAMU Soccer, the second year of the Why Not Us collection using fans guiding-the-scenes of Florida A&M Football as the Rattlers experience 1 of the most eagerly predicted soccer seasons in university history.
More assignments contain The Game Changers, an award-successful 2018 documentary about plant-dependent taking in, Quibi’s Blackballed (2020), the inside tale of Donald Sterling and the L.A. Clippers, and The Day Sporting activities Stood Continue to, a documentary from director Antoine Fuqua and Consider Documentaries about the shutdown of sports because of to Covid-19 for HBO and streaming on HBO Max.
Upcoming initiatives include American Sole, a element movie subsequent two characters played by Pete Davidson and O’Shea Jackson Jr. in the sneaker reselling industry, and 61, a biographical movie primarily based on Paul’s impending memoir that is in development for Disney+. Ohh Dip!!! co-provides Bloomberg Quicktake’s How I Got Below with Chris Paul, an in-depth weekly one-on-a single interview series hosted by Paul and featuring guests from the many worlds he touches — sports, organization, leisure and politics. In addition, Ohh Dip!!! generates PlayersTV’s Entrance Office environment, a collection showcasing a behind the-scenes appear at athletes producing strategic investments in their fans’ organization strategies.
About Roadside Leisure
Started in 2004 by Emmy Award-winning producer/directors John Hirsch and Ron Yassen, Roadside Entertainment has a basic purpose: Obtain excellent stories and provide them to lifestyle, in search of out figures who via force of will or the dynamics of circumstance rise up and encourage us in amazing strategies. As filmmakers, Hirsch and Yassen take nothing for granted and try to convey creative storytelling, honesty and integrity to almost everything they do. Hirsch co-makes the ESPY Awards on ABC and is an Govt Producer and Showrunner on Marvel’s Hero Job, on Disney+. Yassen’s credits consist of additional than 30 documentary films, like Roger Maris: Hesitant Hero, Glory in Black and White, Kareem: Minority of Just one, and 50 Cent: Origin of Me. In addition to the ESPYs, Roadside formerly collaborated with ESPN on the Emmy-nominated documentary Crossroads, which premiered at the Tribeca movie pageant in 2018
Chris Paul, Ohh Dip!!! Productions and Roadside Enjoyment are represented by CAA.
About Southern University and A&M University
Southern University and A&M School, a Carnegie Analysis 2 institution, is the flagship of the Southern College Technique, the only traditionally black school and college program in the nation. Positioned in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Southern is house to more than 7,000 assorted college students majoring in a extensive array of applications main to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Master more about Southern at www.subr.edu.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the market-leading sporting activities streaming assistance that provides lovers in the U.S. thousands of reside sports occasions, initial programming not out there on ESPN’s linear Television set or electronic networks and unique editorial articles from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to a lot more than 22.3 million subscribers.
Enthusiasts signal up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a thirty day period (or $69.99 per yr) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN Application (cellular and related devices). It is also out there as element of The Disney Bundle that presents subscribers accessibility to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/advertisements) or $19.99/thirty day period (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Stay Tv set also get ESPN+ at no added cost.
###
Media Contacts
ESPN+:
Kevin Ota | [email protected]
Olivia Wilson | [email protected]
Andscape:
Cecile Cross-Plummer | [email protected]
Mac Nwulu | [email protected]
Chris Paul:
Amy Jacobs | [email protected]
Alexis Reynolds | [email protected]
