Fox Developing Couples Dancing Show As ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Awaits Renewal Decision

Fox has put in development a couples dancing competition show from former The Voice executive producer Stijn Bakkers and American Idol producer FremantleMedia North America. Created/executive produced by Bakkers and Toby Gorman, EVP Alternative at FMNA, the untitled show highlights the lives of real-life couples who, each week, will participate in intensive training, rehearsals and live performances until one couple is crowned the winner. FMNA’s Jennifer Mullin also executive produces.
Fox has yet to decide whether to order a 13th season of its dancing competition series So You Think You Can Dance. Insiders stress that a pickup for the new project won’t necessarily affect SYTYCD‘s renewal chances as one focuses on couples and their relationships and the other on discovering young dancing talent. Fox already has one of the top dance show producers in its fold, after recently signing a development deal with longtime Dancing With The Stars showrunner Conrad Green.

Fox’s deal for the couples dance show comes as John de Mol’s Talpa Media USA is shopping another dancing format featuring real-life couples who are not professional dancers, Dance, Dance Dance, following its debut in the Netherlands. (On it, one of the dancers in each couple is a celebrity.) Bakkers formerly was chief creative officer of Talpa Media USA.