Today Myspace, in partnership with Ben Silverman's Electus and Sprite®, premieres the first episode of the original dance web series, "Jerk All-Stars." Originating in Southern California, jerkin' is a street movement involving unique dance moves and fashions that has gained momentum virally through Myspace with groups like the New Boyz and Cali Swag District and is now spreading to the masses with everyone from NFL players to CNN anchors doing the dougie. The 14-episode documentary-style program will air every Tuesday starting today, and chronicles the lives of jerkin's top up-and-coming dance crews as they transform from underground dancers to jerkin' celebrities.
"Jerk All-Stars" uncovers the history of the jerkin' movement exposing those who have been passionate about the trend from the beginning and gives a glimpse into the phenomenon through the eyes of the show's judges and dance crews. The first episodes of the show give viewers a snapshot into the lives of each of the judges to see where they came from and the obstacles they've had to overcome in their journeys to success. Tune in to find out how they each got their start jerkin' and watch them share their skills as they teach the latest dance moves in the jerkin' world including how to dougie.
The jerkin' movement was revealed as a counter culture as it spread through the use of social media with teens sharing videos of themselves doing the dougie. Myspace is spotlighting trends discovered on the site and providing a platform for everyday people to gain notoriety and celebrity for their passion by exposing them to the masses. "Jerk All-Stars" will give millions of fans the ability to discover jerkin' through watching the weekly series gaining their interest through the show's core focus in dance, music, fashion and self expression.
"The stars of the jerkin' movement benefitted from using Myspace's platform to promote their music, fashion and dance videos, amassing a huge following. The launch of 'Jerk All-Stars' validates the power of Myspace and brings this movement full circle, capturing the essence of the jerkin' culture on film for the first time," said Shariff Hasan, social entrepreneur and executive producer of "Jerk All-Stars."
Earlier this month Myspace kicked off "Jerk All-Stars" by holding a nationwide competition to find the next big jerkin' crew encouraging fans to create videos that showcase their best moves and submit those videos to Myspace. The top jerkin' crews have been handpicked by a panel of judges from Myspace and Electus to compete in the battle portion of the series. "Jerk All-Stars" will be judged by the hottest talent in the jerkin' game representing the music, fashion, technology and business elements of the jerkin' movement including Young Ace, BB The Jerk, Indigo Vanity and J-Hawk. Visit www.myspace.com/jerkallstars to watch the premiere episode, how to videos, information on the show's judges and more.
About Myspace
Myspace, Inc. is a leading social entertainment destination powered by the passions of fans. Aimed at a Gen Y audience, Myspace drives social interaction by providing a highly personalized experience around entertainment and connecting people to the music, celebrities, TV, movies and games that they love. These entertainment experiences are available through multiple platforms, including online, mobile devices and offline events. Myspace is also the home of Myspace Music, which offers an ever-growing catalog of freely streamable audio and video content to users and provides major, independent and unsigned artists alike with the tools to reach new audiences. The company is headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA and is a division of News Corporation. (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV)
Contacts:
Myspace
Corinna Pieloch, 310-969-7280
cpieloch@myspace-inc.com
