''Bailando por un Sueño'' is a franchised TV series in various Latin American countries. Meaning "Dancing for a dream", it is a

reality series Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

that commenced on the Mexican television network

Canal de las Estrellas Las Estrellas ("The Stars"; previously El Canal de las Estrellas, or "The Channel of the Stars") is one of the cornerstone networks of TelevisaUnivision, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TDT in Mexico City. Many of the ...

, in which celebrities are partnered with common, everyday people with dreams they want to fulfil, who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges. In each show, the two couples who receive the lowest score go head to head against each other to survive potential elimination. Through a telephone poll, viewers vote who should stay and who should go, the results of the poll being combined with the ranking of the panel of judges. The process continues until there are only two couples standing. Rather than the promise of a large cash prize, the winner gets a previously stated wish granted. The show is also broadcast in the United States on

Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...

. This Includes a lot of famous actors and actresses from Latin America. Many Latin American countries developed their own versions on a similar format after success of the launch. Countries broadcasting similar format shows include

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay,

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

(as

El Gran Show El Gran Show (''"The Amazing Show"'') was a dance reality show airing since 2010 on América Televisión in Perú. The show is the Peruvian version of the Mexican television series ''Bailando por un sueño''. The show is hosted by Gisela Valcá ...

), and on the European continent, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia (as ''Tanečný pre Dream'') and Romania (as ''

Dansez pentru tine Dansez pentru tine (English: ''Dancing for you'') was a show produced and broadcast on television station Pro TV, presented and moderated by Ștefan Bănică, Jr. and Iulia Vântur, now broadcast on Antena 1. It was the most watched entertainment ...

'').

Legal controversy

In September 2011, Italy's

Canale 5 Canale 5 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel of Mediaset, owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. It was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980. On 4 December 2012, Mediaset launched Canale 5 HD, a s ...

owned by

Mediaset Mediaset Italia S.p.A., also known as Mediaset, is an Italian-based mass media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country. The company is controlled by the holding company MFE - MediaForEurope. Founded in 1987 by former ...

launched a series, hosted by

Barbara d'Urso Barbara D'Urso (born Maria Carmela D'Urso; 7 May 1957) is an Italian television personality, television host, actress and writer. Career D'Urso was born in Naples, Campania. Her father was from Laurenzana (died in 1996), and her mother, who ...

, called ''Baila'', based on ''

Bailando por un Sueño ''Bailando por un Sueño'' is a franchised TV series in various Latin American countries. Meaning "Dancing for a dream", it is a reality series that commenced on the Mexican television network Canal de las Estrellas, in which celebrities are partne ...

''. The owners of

Dancing With The Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...

BBC Worldwide BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadcas ...

, and local RAI presenter

Milly Carlucci Camilla Patrizia "Milly" Carlucci (born 1 October 1954) is an Italian television presenter, actress and singer. Carlucci played the role of Urania in the 1985 film ''The Adventures of Hercules''. In 1996 she became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNIC ...

took

to court, arguing that ''Baila'' infringed on the rights of

. The court agreed, finding that the addition of 'dreamers' was not a sufficient difference in the format, and a later court upheld that judgement in November 2011. Baila was quickly taken off air.

Bailando por un Sueño worldwide

International events

Bailando por un Sueño: Campeonato Internacional de Baile (Meaning Dancing for a Dream: International Dance Championship) was a pan-national competition between winners from various countries. There were two such contests one in 2007 and another on 2010.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cantando por un sueno Las Estrellas original programming Dance competition television shows