Battle of the Dance facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Fate | Closed |
| Founded | Anaheim, California, United States (February 2, 2011) |
| Founder | Andrés Gelabert |
| Defunct | June 18, 2012 |
| Headquarters | 33°47′30″N 117°54′50″W / 33.79167°N 117.91389°W,
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United States
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Number of locations
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1 |
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Area served
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Southern California |
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Number of employees
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200 |
Battle of the Dance was a special kind of restaurant and show called a dinner theater. It was located in Anaheim, California. The show featured exciting dance styles, mainly flamenco and Irish folk dancing. Over 40 dancers performed in the show.
The idea for Battle of the Dance came from popular TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. Andrés Gelabert, who started Medieval Times, created the show. Investors put $10 million into the project. The show took place in a huge building, about 40,000 square feet.
Battle of the Dance opened in February 2011 with a lot of excitement. Critics really liked it. For example, the Orange County Register newspaper said it had "some of the best flamenco and Spanish dancers you'll ever see." They also called the dance moves "masterful." However, not enough people came to see the show. It closed down just 16 months later, in June 2012.
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How Battle of the Dance Started
Battle of the Dance was the idea of Andrés Gelabert. He was a very successful businessman in entertainment. He had already created the popular Medieval Times dinner theater chain in the U.S. He also had a successful flamenco dance show called "Son Amar" in his hometown of Majorca, Spain.
With dance TV shows being so popular in the U.S., Gelabert believed it was the perfect time for a live dance show. He chose Anaheim, California, for his new project. He said, "I'm here to show people first-class dancing." He felt Southern California was a great place for this.
In 2010, construction began on the site of an old Toys R Us store. This spot was close to Disneyland. Most of the dancers were hired from the local area. The main choreographers, Francisco Javier Valverde Hidalgo and Paloma Aznar Mendez, were surprised and happy with how much dance talent they found in Orange County.
The Show's Performances
Many people were excited about Battle of the Dance opening. For example, a popular guide called "Where Guestbook: Orange County" listed it as a top attraction in Anaheim in 2011. It was mentioned alongside famous places like Disneyland Resort and Angel Stadium.
The show officially opened on February 1, 2011. Tickets for adults cost between $60 and $90. When guests arrived, dancers greeted them in the lobby and posed for photos. Besides the large theater and restaurant, which could seat 950 people, there was also a gift shop. The shop sold everything from t-shirts to full flamenco dresses. The show itself lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The story of the show was set in the year 1588. It began with a scene of a Spanish Armada ship crashing on the Irish coast. This brought the two cultures together. They then tried to out-dance each other with their traditional styles. This allowed the show to feature its two main dance forms: flamenco and Irish folk dancing. The performance also included musicians, magicians, comedians, and acrobats.
Why the Show Closed
Even though the show was praised by critics, it never attracted large crowds. One reason might have been the food. Some early reviews said the food was just "so-so." Later, people described it as "terrible." One reviewer even called a fish dish "criminally dry." Some also felt the theater's decorations looked cheap, wondering where the $10 million investment went.
The management tried hard to keep the show going. They arranged for performances in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Casino in late 2011. They also rented out their large Anaheim theater. However, these efforts led to more problems.
First, a comedy and magic show called "Blink!" started performing in the theater. But it closed quickly because of disagreements. Later, attempts to rent the space for late-night dances and concerts caused many complaints about noise. The city of Anaheim eventually stopped these events because they didn't follow the theater's rules. A company representative even said they were "ashamed" of some of the acts. The company also faced lawsuits from performers who were let go to save money.
In its last few months, even big discounts and special deals couldn't fill the theater. This was true even on weekends. Finally, all remaining shows were canceled. People with tickets were told by signs at the entrances and an email address for refunds. The closure left many unpaid bills. These included money owed to choreographers, contractors, and performers.
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait made a public statement about the closing. He said it was "always sad to see a local business close." He hoped the property would soon be used for a new business in the Resort area.
What Happened to the Building Next
In 2014, the theater reopened as the Centro del Mariachi dinner theater. This new show focused on mariachi music. It featured the Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, who had won two Grammy awards. They are well-known performers at the nearby Disneyland Resort.
As of July 2015, the building is used for private events. It is called the M3Live Anaheim Event Center. People can rent it for weddings, parties, and meetings.
