Amritraj, Stewart in tune with 'Dancing'Duo team on youth-friendly dance pic By MICHAEL FLEMING<http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=bio&peopleID=1231> , ALI JAAFAR <http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=bio&peopleID=2460> [image: Ashok Amritraj]
Amritraj MORE ARTICLES: 'Crazy Heart' gets December release<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010953.html?categoryid=13&cs=1>RH book becomes Frears 'Favorite'<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010952.html?categoryid=13&cs=1>Exclusive nabs Newmarket<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010938.html?categoryid=13&cs=1>Producers enlist for Murphy biopic<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010919.html?categoryid=13&cs=1>Toon shingle pounces on coin<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010939.html?categoryid=13&cs=1>Producers enlist for Murphy biopic<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010908.html?categoryid=13&cs=1> MOST VIEWED: MacFarlane special loses Microsoft<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010418.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=mv>(17421 views) Carr to drive 'Short Circuit' remake<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010437.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1&ref=mv>(9313 views) Par breaks window for 'G.I. Joe' DVD<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010429.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562&ref=mv>(5559 views) New Regency bulks up for 2010<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010443.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=mv>(3244 views) Final Jackson bow Tuesday<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010425.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=mv>(1102 views) January Jones mad for 'Rabbit'<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010477.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=mv>(1013 views) Ashok Amritraj is teaming with music producer Dave Stewart to make "Street Dancing," a pic set in the world of a cutting-edge dance competition in Singapore and New York. Project will be the first to come out of Amritraj's $75 million fund with Abu Dhabi-based Imagenation and Singapore's MDA. Amritraj will produce through Hyde Park Entertainment. Imagenation Abu Dhabi chief executive Ed Borgerding and Hyde Park's Patrick Aiello will exec produce with Stewart and Prem Akkaraju. The film will be directed by Bille Woodruff ("Honey," "Beauty Shop"), from a script by David B. Harris. Stewart will create the music with A.R. Rahman, Oscar-winning composer for "Slumdog Millionaire." Aside from mixing dance styles and cultures in the storyline, the film will exploit cross-promotional opportunities through Nokia's mobile platform, as the tech company will have an association with the picture. Story revolves around a youth who makes a longshot bid to win a dance contest whose competitors and styles span the globe. Cindy Gomez will make her feature film starring debut. Gomez was recently featured in Nokia's mobile game "Dance Fabulous," which employed a dancing avatar of the young singer and introduced songs that will be featured on her 2010 album from Interscope Records. Hyde Park and Imagenation Abu Dhabi initially joined forces with a $250 million co-financing and co-production fund to generate up to 20 films over seven years. Last October, they extended the arrangement and formed a separate $75 million joint fund with Singapore's MDA to finance three or four films over the next five years. "Street Dancing" is the first film in the latter arrangement. Aside from Gomez, Eurythmics founder Stewart also has a relationship with Nokia. Amritraj said: "This fresh and exciting pop cross-cultural project is an organic match for continuing our partnerships between Hollywood, the Middle East and Asia and gives us the ability to explore the exciting new distribution format of mobile technology." Imagenation's Borgerding called the project "the ideal property to commence our partnership with Hyde Park and the MDA. It's very reflective of our partners, their culture and embodies our overall vision of creating global cinema for mass audiences." Hyde Park Intl. head Mimi Steinbauer will handle worldwide sales. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010910.html?categoryId=13&cs=1&cache=false -- regards, Vithur
